Please hold our newbie hands!

[FLIPPED_HER_HALO]

Both my mare and I were first timers a few years ago. I was excited and nervous! I’d delivered a foal before - a barn owners at a boarding barn when she wasn’t home, and it was a fjord. My friend owns a racehorse breeding/training farm so I did a lot of foal watch the year my mare was due. We delivered one foal on our watch. She made me practive IV injections for banamine etc. I was armed and “ready.” As it got closer I got more nervous and she offered to have me bring my mare over and have her foaled out there. Nope, I had it.

I started milk testing on day 320. LOVE the milk testing! I did both the calcium and ph testing. On day 325 her calcium spiked and ph dropped. I KNEW that was the night! She was in the paramaters.

I gave her a bath, put down straw, turned on the foaling cam and set up camp in the back of my brand new horse trailer since my tack room wasn’t enclosed. Six hours later Aiden was here. She was pacing trying to figure out what to do and I kept telling her to lay down. She got him out quickly and she passed the placenta and he passed the meconium at the same time while down on the ground.

It was an amazing and stressfull experience. I love my horses!

[JB]

Foxdale, what a great story! I am SURE she was waiting for you!

amastrike - yes, I actually DO have a name picked out, but I’m not tellin’!

wehrlegirl - that is hysterical!

springer, yes, vet 45 minutes away :\ But, she will be on notice if I think things are getting close.

[amastrike]

Foxdale, sounds like your mare absolutely waited for you! I wonder, do horses know what’s going on when they foal? I suppose after they’ve done it before, but I can’t imagine what it’s like to be a maiden. They get fat and have a hard time moving, and then OMG my belly is moving!, and OMG owwww, it hurts–OMGWTF is that??? My girl isn’t a maiden, but I still feel kind of bad for her.

Wehrlegirl, I guess that means I shouldn’t be there :lol:.

I’m not actually sure how far away my horse vet is. Maybe 20 minutes? My dad is also a vet, but he does dairy cattle. But he can help out in a pinch. And the woman who owns the place where my horses are has a lot of horse experience (she used to breed and train). So I think we’ll be in decent shape on that front.

LOL, JB, I understand not wanting to tell your name ideas! Do you have both boy and girl names picked out? I have a possible girl name, but absolutely NO idea of boy names. What’s the breeding on yours? Mine is a TB mare and Connemara stallion.

My friend has her mare bred to the same stallion and will be bringing her mare to my place to foal. We’re going to have a “foal shower” in March-ish :D. If I haven’t come up with any names by then, I’ll make sure to pump our guests for ideas! We’ll do party games like Pin the Tail on the Foal and we’ll have an appropriately decorated cake and everything.

[madamlb]

Hell, I’m a newbie here and a newbie to this whole thing AND I’m in the wrong country but anyone who’ll hold my hand, give me advice- I’ll take it all!

This so far hasn’t gone as I planned. My first time, well I bought the seasoned old broody in foal from a big named reliable stud, I’d have the year to prepare and get ready for the miracle, and then camp in my stables and experience the heady rush, the highs and lows … all that mumbo jumbo and have my first born.

HA! You know what they say about the best laid plans …

My seasoned broody fell through due to incompetance on behalf of this big name stud with multiple imported stallions that couldn’t manage to a) preg test their mares properly or b) FEED the mares. So that was unpleasant and I won’t go into detail.

Needless to say I found myself scratching my head and then thinking ‘Well, guess I’ll look for another mare next season …’

But fate intervened yet again. An extended family friend is very ill, which is terrible, but when he discovered that we were looking for something, he’s had to move on all his horses (mostly imported line warmbloods) but was more concerned about the home and thus … we have Ruby at a price I couldn’t refuse. She’s a maiden Ronaldo/DonnerHeist mare in foal to Don Frederico due next March. Also very, very late season for where I live (Australia).

I’mboth excited and terrified! Have a lot of stuff ready in a way (foaling yard and stall, kit, books, milk testers, alarm on order) but I’ve never actually done it all before, only watched with others so never actually done a delivery. Have a lovely experienced breeder friend who will stay for the month Rubes is due- but still, feeling very out of my depth and yet incredibly excited.

Most around my, well, country will have had their bubs by next March so maybe I’ll join in with the USA Crew, it’s going to be a terrifying but I hope incredibly exciting ride …

[dressagedevon]

Great thread! While my girl isn’t bred yet (we just got her home yesterday) I am pouring over information. What I need for the barn, when stuff needs to be done, etc. I am a knowledge junkie and want to read all about it. Our new mare is a pro at this but it will be my first so very nervous and excited and she hasn’t even been bred yet, lol! I love all the stories from the more experienced breeders. Thanks for starting this thread!

[JB]

amastrike, my name will work for either boy or girl The barn name would have to change though - I pretty much know the girl’s name, but no idea on the boy’s. Even then, the girl’s may change once I get to know her (if it’s a filly)

madamlb - wow, that IS late for you guys down there! :eek: But hey, you’ll be right there with some of us! When in March?

[aab]

Foxdale, what a touching story! It certainly sounds like she waited for you.

Wehrlegirl’s DH story will most likely end up being the parellel to what we go through.

My mare resides at a close friend’s farm, where she is turned out 18 hours a day on 40 acres with 2 pasture mates. My friend’s family ownes a big dairy farm, so I feel a little better knowing that at least she and her husband have attended hundreds of births. (We have discussed the difference between foalings and calvings, as I realize that sometimes calves require more force to come out.)

I am marvelling that Back In The Saddles’s mare is “starting” to get a belly, though. My mare looks like she swallowed a 55 gallon drum!:eek: We have ultrasounded her multiple times to be certain that we weren’t missing a twin, but I add that to my nerve-wracking thoughts, too!

[vita_impavida]

First timer here… AND mares first time. I am more than likely going to send her away to foal out and have been doing that research. I’m comfortable in my choice, BUT I want to learn too. Where do I get those magic milk test strips? I tried looking it up and came up with some odd stuff. Haha.

What do you experienced breeders put in your foaling kits? I’ve seen foal respirators and I’ll admit I’m almost tempted to buy one… I mean JUST in case.

My mare hates being in a stall, so I’m running into the potential of her needing to foal outside (already discussed with foaling farm) any suggestions? I’ve been thinking maybe setting up a small (foaling stall size) pen outside and of course covering the poles with something like wood… So it’s “enclosed” and safe but it’s outside and open upwards… Maybe shed like that. Anyone have mares like that in the past? what did you come up with to accomodate these picky mares?

TiA!!! Ps. Any books in particular that are recommended? I do have the breeding bible. i bought it for reading when I was a teenager! Haha!!!

[JB]

Vita, from everything I have read here over many years, pool chemical test strips rock So, that’s what I’m going to use LOL

As for you outside/stalling issue - I will be setting up a run-in attached to her double stall. It will be 24 by about 50 or so. It is where she will be at night starting a couple of weeks before 3/11. That will still allow mine some movement, though I know she will spend most of her time in the stall. It will also serve as an in-out for the foal so it’s not full stall time for any reason.

[Foxdale_Farm]

Just curious about what all the newbies are thinking they will do with regard to “imprinting?” We have just toweled them off right after birth, touching everywhere, and then let them figure out how to get up, nurse, and bond with mom. Getting that colostrum is so important! Also, has anyone ever used the Easy Mare Milker to make sure baby gets that first colostrum? We haven’t needed to, but we’ve had breeding clients who wished they’d done something akin to it.

Also, curious about whether people’s vets tyically administer antibiotics at the 24 hour foal check. We have two repro. vets. One does, the other does not.

www.foxdalefarm.us

[JB]

Excellent question Foxdale!

My plans are for exactly what you said - toweling, hands everywhere, but not helping do anything unless it’s absolutely necessary. I’ve read too many stories here of people stepping in to bottle feed the “slow” foal, and the foal learning that food comes to him LOL But even the toweling may wait until foalie figures out some things on her own.

I have absolutely no intentions of doing a full out imprinting though. I don’t feel it’s necessary, and done just a bit wrong could create problems that might not have ever arisen.

What does 24 hour antibiotics do? My vet is pretty conservative when it comes to prevention, but won’t hesitate to do it when necessary. I had not heard of this practice, so it’s a great conversation I will have with her - thanks for bringing it up!

On that note, are there other “some do, some don’t” practices we should now about so we can make informed decisions?

[wehrlegirl]

@vita_impavida;5215772

First timer here… AND mares first time. I am more than likely going to send her away to foal out and have been doing that research. I’m comfortable in my choice, BUT I want to learn too. Where do I get those magic milk test strips? I tried looking it up and came up with some odd stuff. Haha.

Spa strips-- not the pool strips… I swear by them!!! They get it down to a few hours before foaling. Just swing by the pool store and ask for the ones with the lowest ph reading available.

[madamlb]

JB: She’s due March 16th. It’s not too late for the Northern states, but I’m in Victoria (the cold miserable bottom) so yes it’s another worry, but I figure I have plenty of grass and hay, a foal rug, and a nice warm stable for nights if I have to use it should be okay. And Rubes is a very good doer. But it’s still an extra worry. I’d always planned a nice civilised November baby!

As for imprinting- I don’t plan to do it, well not in the traditional hold it down and all that ick stuff sense. I wouldn’t mind rubbing the foal dry with a towel but a breeder friend told me that the mares love to do this, and really I want the bub to bond with mum first, I suppose just patting it and being there from the beginning, doing things like picking up feet from early on. But I’d call that handling not imprinting.

My equine vet does antibiotics if she thinks necessary, she’ll certainly be out the moment the foal is born, or within the first 12 hours if it’s a very low key delivery and I’ll leave that in her hands.

And do people recommend milk testers or just the pool strips? The milk testers seem a lot more complicated but not sure … also with some things in the kit like the foal respirator, I like the idea of getting one but realistically would I be able to use it if it came down to it?

I’m currently reading The Complete Book of Foaling, and Blessed are the Broodmares has been a godsend, although it’s terrified me!

Will you guys be getting your mares flushed after foaling? I’m thinking it might be the right way to go, even though I’m not planning on breeding her again for a while, but just to ward off any chance of infection then again I do have friends laughing at me for being so fastidious about such things …

[back_in_the_saddle]

Rubi and dappled belly. I don’t think I’ve ever seen dapples in a winter coat before.

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad198/HorseFeathersFarm/aa418f82.jpg

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad198/HorseFeathersFarm/1b355fae-1.jpg

[JB]

Here’s my girl and all her dappled glory!
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a0ce33b3127ccefb0c63d0c34300000010O00AZtmzRs2ct2IPbz4Q/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a0ce33b3127ccefb0d69fe621400000010O00AZtmzRs2ct2IPbz4Q/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a0ce33b3127ccefb0dd31162a600000010O00AZtmzRs2ct2IPbz4Q/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

[Diamondindykin]

@AndNirina;5214869

My mare is not a newbie (one foal previously in Holland before import) but I am. We just found out this week that she has a career ending injury (bummer), but we have decided to breed her. I’m sure I will have plenty of questions, most of which I will feel silly asking on this board, so bear with me. I love this mare and she has thrown one beautiful foal, can’t wait to see her next one in 2012.

My mare also is not bred yet but we will breed her next year for a 2012 foal. She has had one foal…she was already pregnant when I bought her and didn’t realize it until two weeks until her son was born so I have no experience with breeding and prenatal care. Giving birth and raising a baby I have done one time. Sadly our boy passed away this year at the young age of 6 so we decided to breed one more time in our lives.

[amastrike]

6 months! My baby is the size of a beagle, the mare is the size of an elephant :lol:.

[amastrike]

We’ve only got about 99 days left! Ahhh, when did this happen??? When did we start getting close??? (Mare’s currently 223 days, and last time she was bred she went 322, so I’m planning on her going about the same.) By April, I think I’m going to just be running around in circles flapping my arms uselessly. I’m so excited and nervous to meet this critter!

Anyone had luck feeling/seeing their babies move? Every night I bring the mare in for dinner and feel her belly, but I have no idea if I’m feeling the baby or her muscles twitching. Poor elephant girl :(.

[TSHEventing]

My mare is due March 14th… she will foal March 16th (342 days) between 11 and 11:30 pm. All three previous foals have followed exactly this schedule. I’m really hoping, since all three were colts, that she actually foals earlier or later and it is a filly!!!

But, I am also a newbie. Helped with her last foal… sort of… but I will be doing it on my own on my property this time. I’m in fully out FREAK out mode right now… and I still have 2 1/2 months left!

As far as moving… I was out in the middle of the day cleaning up paddocks and I noticed my mare was eating but had that far away, internal look going on. As I’ve had her since she was two (now 14) I know her pretty well and it wasn’t her normal daytime expression… she walked away from me a couple steps and stopped… I saw that baby (we’re at 268 days) going CRAZY right under neath her stomach, back toward her teats… it was pretty obviously NOT twitching!! After that baby had its fun, Lily was back to munching away on her hay.

[JB]

amastrike, I don’t KNOW how it got to be this close!!!

And yes, I’ve finally started feeling the critter She’s a night time foal though - never ever feel her move in the morning. But every night after I put hay out, she’s in there on her treadmill, and I think Santa brought her a trampoline for Xmas :eek:

At first I wasn’t sure about baby or muscle twitching either. But then it turned into sort of a rolling tide that could NOT have been momma. Then it turned into little kicks, and now it’s all out gymnastics :lol:

And yes, I’m feeling right back at her umbilical area, right in front of her teats.

TSH, yes, I’m in a bit of a freakout mode right now too :eek: I have exterior doors to build, the middle partition of the foaling stall to take out in another month or so, it suddenly feels like I won’t ever have enough time!