Foal clips on mares

[Little Wolf Ranch]

All this talking and thinking about foaling has me wondering about whether or not to do a foaling clip on the mares before they are due to foal starting February 3.....

I don't want to clip the mares really but don't want the foals to ingest any hair. Is this only a big deal with mares that are shedding? Last year I had to shave down and blanket my only mare due but that was for a different issue.

What do you guys do for your mares due in cold non-shedding months?

 

[Becky]

I had never done a foal clip on any of my mares prior to this year. Generally, it hasn't been needed here. This year was different. My first foal was born in January and she couldn't find her dams' udder through all the hair. Long story short, a big vet bill and a lot of headache later, the mare's udder area, stifle and partial flank was clipped and it made all the difference in the world to the foal finding the udder.

So, I clipped all of my other pg mares the same way shortly before they foaled. About a week. All were due before the end of March so were still quite hairy. The foals found the udders in record time. I never realized how much more difficult it was for the foals to located the milk bar with all the hair.

So, I will be clipping early foaling mares from now on about a week before they foal. I wouldn't clip any earlier than that.

 

[Joanne]

There is something about a mare foaling that causes her to loose a lot of hair at the same time. I always think it is the hormones of the pregnancy causing this. It is a double wammy for the foal getting the hair in their mouth and eyes. The colostrum is sticky at first and hair, straw, shavings all stick to their mouths, nose and eyes.

Anything we can do to help the foal find the udders and relieve their discomfort works for me!

I think clipping their bellies is a good thing. Easier for us to see if they are successfully nursing as well.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I do not clip, I have never clipped.

I have never had any sort of a problem and, since my animals are on straw anyway, I do not have a problem there, either. All my mares and foals are out, the mares only come up to foal and then go straight back out, so they would get really cold if I did this clip. I would rather wait and groom out the area if necessary than have a mare freezing her nether regions off

 

[Reble]

clipping mares bellies is good, we have cold winters here.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

I guess I will be doing the clips again this year for benefit of the foal. 

Would anyone happen to have some pictures on hand of their mares in foal clips?

 

[Double T]

I've always clipped my girls, and even here in TX it's been a bit chilly, but they don't seem to mind or care honestly. I don't go hog wild and cut all their hair off, just from about mid belly to their bag, and part of the back legs, enough to let the foals find the milk bar. I think if you do it right, you don't have to worry about them getting cold, and honestly I know when I was big pg I was hot all the time anyways. lol I don't do it but about 1-2 weeks before they are supposed to foal either and I also don't do it short short. Sure is an easy piece of mind, and a bit of protection rather than to risk loosing a foal.