# Anyone else getting foaling kits ready?



## Irish Hills Farm (Nov 19, 2006)

I just started reorganizing my foaling kit for the 2007 foaling season as my first foal is now due in 60 days.

Yesterday while I was out shopping I picked up some needed items; hand sanitizer, baby enemas, baby wipes, etc. Today I rewashed towels and foal blankets again. Now I just need to repack the kit.

Maybe this would be a good time to also share with each other what you put in your foaling kit.


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## kaykay (Nov 19, 2006)

great reminder!! i have one coming aroudn march 1st so not too far off. Scissors and the cut off water bottles (to get air into the lungs) are must haves for a foaling kits


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## miniaddiction (Nov 20, 2006)

Kay

Would you mind sharing with me how those bottles work?? Im expecting my first ever foal in about a year lol (mare currently at stud) and I already have my kit sussed and my camera in the barn. All i need now id the foaling alarm  Would have been waaaayy cheaper to just buy the darn foal :lol:

Sheryl how come your baby is so early? I thought it was winter over there?


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## [email protected] (Nov 20, 2006)

Good idea to get those ready now - I usually do that in January when I start vaccinating. We've been being complacent here and had a horse with gas colic over the weekend - what a mess digging through my 'home pharmacy' for all the stuff! Plus my 'foaling' kit has been ravaged since last June.

Our kit normally has towels, a sheet, baby wipes, saline solution, nolvason straight and 10% dilution (and a small film container to put it in), garbage bag to hold the placenta, baby blankets in ziplock bags, 60 cc syringe cut to use as a breast pump with cup to pour into, 20cc syringes to feed foals (karo or colostrum), headlight flashlight (the ones you were on your head), scissors, vaseline (fresh & unopened - the dollar store! Those are one use for us!), vet wrap, thermometer and an empty baby enema.

Last year we also added Foal Response for each of the babies. All did extremely well with it and we didn't have foal heat diahrrea. Although we're not sure if it was that product or the Ivermectin for the dam or both!

That is our normal kit.

We do keep additional things for difficult deliveries - different types/sizes of shoe laces, ropes, chains for pulling babies (with the vet), gloves, KY lube, hand santizer, etc., clean buckets, garbage bags, extra blankets, towels, old sheets, in an additional box. Also the truck & van gassed up and ready (trailer ready to go too).

We're only 20 minutes from UC Davis so we call them and have them heading our way while we're loading in an emergency. If I get loaded before they arrived, I let them know!


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## rabbitsfizz (Nov 20, 2006)

Wow, I really admire how organised you all are!!!

I do not think I have ever had a foaling kit!!

I do know all my feeding bottles and the ones for storing colostrum are sterilised and ready to go as I did that after the last foal was born.

After that it is a matter of checking records, making sure the lights work in the foaling box and having the vets number on speed dial.

That's about it, really!!

I have surgical gloves but have never used them for foaling, so nailbrush and soap are essential.


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## kaykay (Nov 20, 2006)

ginia from the forum came running over with one of these water bottles to help save a foal at my farm but we were too late. ever since I make sure i have one.

use the smaller water bottle. cut the big end off. Now the big open end fits perfectly over the mouth and nostris of a foal. blow in the drinking end to force air in the lungs. much more effective then mouth to mouth. you do have to make sure the foals mouth is clear of mucus.


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## Jill (Nov 20, 2006)

When it's "done", I think this would be a good thread to go live on the "Best Of" board.


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## Firefall (Nov 20, 2006)

What do you keep your foaling kit in so that its quick to get and carry? I have my towels and sheets in a duffel bag its huge and heavy, my other things in a smaller bag, anyone got a better way?


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## HaazeMinis (Nov 20, 2006)

Firefall I think someone here (Including myself) has their kits in 2 seperate clear plastic tubs (Bins) . It has towels, sheets and other things in one and the other has all the supplies. I thought it was a great Idea for storage and then as foaling gets closer I rearrange a bit and transfer some things that will be needed immediatly (Foal Blanket, sheet and towel and medical supplies) to my smaller storage container and place that one in the barn.

I think you can look in the BEST OF section of the forum and it is a Foaling Kit Thread I believe. :bgrin

Good Luck...




:

Jeri


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## Irish Hills Farm (Nov 20, 2006)

Helen,

If I still lived in Michigan I would not want a January foal. I'm in Tennessee now and our winter here isn't as bad as Michigans. We are a warmer, though we can at night get down into the teens but we warm up quickly. If we get any snow its usually a dustying and gone by noon. I also live in the valley and not up on the plateau and that makes a bit of a difference too. This past March was actually the coldest month of the winter season.

PLUS Lucy, my mare who is due in January *BEGGED* to have a date with Jinx. It was quite sad to watch and I just had to give in. Not to mention 2007 is Jinx's first foal crop.



:

I keep my foaling kit in rubber tubs. One with towels and blankets in it and a smaller tub with the other supplies in.

KayKay I like the water bottle idea and will definitely add one of those to my kit.


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## miniaddiction (Nov 20, 2006)

Oooh Sheryl how exciting for you! i am a HUGE Jinx fan I cannot wait to see those foals! Kay thats great thank so much for sharing that with me I would never have thought of that. Is it similar to a foal resustiator (sp)? I have never seen one and I though it was going to be another expense to add to the list...crossing my fingers this does the same thing.

ETA I agree this should go on the BEST OF forum when its a bit fuller.


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## FoRebel (Nov 24, 2006)

I have my foaling kit from last year still intact since we weren't allowed to be there since the mares dropped while we weren't looking. I might have to get some new liquids but otherwise I am ready for our foal due between March and May.

I am extremely anal about being organized. Good example of this anal organization is the fact that my fiance and I are 6 months out from our wedding and the ENTIRE wedding is already planned and just waiting to be paid for! So, YES, I have the foaling kit ready to go if something happens and the first mare is earlier than we think.


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## Cat Hill (Dec 4, 2006)

We only have 1 pony mare but it's the same for them all. I keep nearly all that available but I hadn't thought of the water bottle but that gave me an idea. I'm an RN and work in Outpatient Surgery/Endoscopy. We occasionally have to "bag" someone during a procedure if their conscious sedation gets a little too deep and we just throw the ambu bag away! I never thought about having any sort of use for it. I carry a pocket sized mouth cover in my purse and didn't think I'd ever need such a bulky thing but I will be grabbing the next one rather than pitching it.

In fact, I may just save them all. It has a soft bag to squeeze and a good sealing mouth/nose cover that would really do the job right, as long as a person didn't get too excitable and squeeze too fast or hard.

We have 3 ponies, 1 MFT, 2 saddle mule and 1 MFT/Draft cross foal due next year.

They are all pretty spread out thank goodness.

I also keep goat colostrum available. A good friend saves it back for me and it's been a lifesaver.


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