Foaling Stall: Constructive Criticism Please?

[Tremor]

I just now got Bow's foaling stall ready. It was packed full of hay, but we moved it all out today.

I scooped out all of the hay off the ground and put down some bedding. Its Country Boy brand, and I believe its pine bedding.

I put her feeder, hay bag, and water in the stall.

Is there anything that I need to change?

I do know that when Bow gets super close that I'll have to take her feeder out since its too big. I have to use that one for her since she wastes her feed (she needs her teeth floated) and drops her food when she turns her head. So, we put the board on the feeder so she'd keep her head in....

She also would have no contact with anybody. The top of the stall on the right side is boarded so the calves don't bother her. She's pretty scared of them.

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[Tremor]

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[StarRidgeAcres]

First of all I wanted to say how great I think it is that you are always so open to learning! That's a great attitude to have.

If she were mine and it was my foaling stall, I would be concerned about the feed bin. When a mare gets to rolling - either to just get the baby in a more comfortable position or when in labor, they can roll under anything and everything. And my experience has been if there is something they can get caught under when rolling - they will! I believe you could easily fix this by cutting a piece of plywood (exactly like what is on the side of the bin) and nail it from the lip of the bin down to the floor of the stall. Do that on both open sides. Then she can't get a leg or hoof under it when rolling or sleeping.

Good luck and sending positive thoughts for a healthy, easy foaling!

 

[Tremor]

First of all I wanted to say how great I think it is that you are always so open to learning! That's a great attitude to have.

If she were mine and it was my foaling stall, I would be concerned about the feed bin. When a mare gets to rolling - either to just get the baby in a more comfortable position or when in labor, they can roll under anything and everything. And my experience has been if there is something they can get caught under when rolling - they will! I believe you could easily fix this by cutting a piece of plywood (exactly like what is on the side of the bin) and nail it from the lip of the bin down to the floor of the stall. Do that on both open sides. Then she can't get a leg or hoof under it when rolling or sleeping.

Good luck and sending positive thoughts for a healthy, easy foaling!

Thanks. I'm trying to do this as *perfect* as I can.

The feed bin worries me too, and I may take it out and put in the 3 gallon little tub that I have instead. That way it will take up less room and won't be as dangerous.

Thanks!

 

[Reble]

Great job,

I like using straw when foaling on top of my horse pellets, than take it out after a week or so.

Not so dusty for the new foal.

Good Luck, she should be quite happy there.

 

[targetsmom]

I think it is great that you are asking. There is going to be a wide range of opinions about what makes a safe foaling stall and I tend to be a worrier, so here are my suggestions.

1. I would raise the water bucket off the ground so that the mare can drink out of it easily but the foal can't get its head in it.

2. I believe in having the fewest things in the stall possible, and don't like using shavings for the first week or so after the foal is born. Since it sounds like you have plenty of hay, I would put hay over the shavings for a soft, safe bedding and also a constant source of food!

3. I have a gelding that dribbles food (and his teeth are fine!) so he gets fed in a large (horse size) rubber feed tub. It is very safe although not the easiest to clean. You can also remove it when not being used.

It looks like you have no tiny spaces that a foal can get a body part stuck (such as under a door) but I would just run my hand over the stall walls to make sure there is nothing sharp. We have part of the foundation (concrete) exposed in a corner of our foaling stall and I am going to hang the water bucket there to take care of that issue!

Good luck!!!

 

[JaiteraMiniatures]

I think it looks great!

There's only two things I would change if it were my foaling stall (two people have already said it too, but I'll chime in as well!), and that's use hay as bedding for the the birth and first week or so and I would also use a large horse rubber feed bucket. You can get them almost anywhere, and they're so useful and virtually indestructable

Raising the water bucket some wouldn't hurt either, but the feeding bucket and shavings would be more important to me. I hope you have a uneventful delivery and a healthy foal!

 

[Eohippus]

I've never had to worry about a foaling stall but Targetsmom makes some great points. I really second that feeling for sharp points. One of our full size horses got some nasty cuts around his leg because we didn't notice some extra welded and sharp metal on the pipes in his corral. Its fixed not but lesson learned!

And for the feeding.. They've got this new bucket/mat system called the mowl. Its essentially a bucket fixed on a mat so when they lift then face out of the bucket and drop their feed it lands on the mat which is clean and they can eat their food without ingesting anything else. My mom has a 33 year old mustang that uses something like it. All we did was put his feeder ontop of a piece of a stall mat so when he eats and food falls out of his mouth (due to missing teeth) it doesn't get in any bedding or dirt so we don't have to worry about colic. (Here's the "mowl" link for any one interested in reading up on it: http://www.equine-originals.com/products-groundhorsefeeder.htm )

 

[targetsmom]

Funny you mention the "mowl" because that sounds like what we do anyway! All our stalls are matted and I just sweep a clean spot for hay and the feed tub(s). I do this in the stalls and for those that get fed in a large overhang area (like a run-in shed). If you bed with hay and she drops grain in it, you shouldn't have to worry about what she ingests with the picked up grain. Of course some of them WILL poop on the mats, but ours rarely do that. They like a clean eating area.

 

[Eohippus]

We first started doing it when my mom's mustang starting dropping his grain a lot due to missing teeth. Now almost all our horses have some form of it and I love it! With the exception of two they all tend to keep it pretty clean. The two who don't paw at it and the dirt around the mat, which often flings gravel onto the mat. We just taken a broom with us when feeding and sweep it clean, so simple, easy, and worth the ease of mind!

 

[Tremor]

Thanks guys!

I did take the feeder out right before I did my chores. I put in a big, black, plastic tub for her to eat in. Takes up less room.

Are pine shavings bad to foal in?

I can put some loose hay down if needed.

 

[Kelsey - Vandy's Farm]

Thanks guys!

I did take the feeder out right before I did my chores. I put in a big, black, plastic tub for her to eat in. Takes up less room.

Are pine shavings bad to foal in?

I can put some loose hay down if needed.

I wouldn't use shavings at all for the first couple of weeks unless they are underneath straw or hay. They are dusty and can get in foals eyes and nose. We use straw or grass hay.

 

[Tremor]

I wouldn't use shavings at all for the first couple of weeks unless they are underneath straw or hay. They are dusty and can get in foals eyes and nose. We use straw or grass hay.

Thank you! Duly noted!

 

[Marty]

1. Add hay on top of your shavings

2. Remove that board feeder thingy with the 2 X 4's so the foal cannot get stuck under it

3. That huge water tub has go to go. He'll drown. Use a smaller bucket and hang it up with a safe hanger so the baby cannot get pinned into the handle part of it.

4. No hay bag ever

 

[AnnaC]

Congrats for asking questions and for listening to the advice given. Think we have covered most things - move the feeder and it's side board, water bucket up high enough and fixed so mare can drink but foal cant drown in it or get trapped behind it, feed hay from the floor and mare's feed from a rubber removable container, if you cant ditch the pine bedding then a deep layer of hay/straw is a must - remember that your mare will paw/roll/get up and down as she starts foaling and can churn up the bedding, bringing the shavings to the surface. One more thing I would like to add - I notice that you have a beam/upright sticking out into your stall. Would it be possible to wrap a couple of thicknesses of blanket/carpet around it - perhaps fixing/nailing them to the side walls - you may be sure that if your new baby is likely to blunder around on first trying to stand, then he will manage to bang his head/eyes on this beam. (it's sod's law that if there is something that can do damage, then a new foal will find it LOL!!

Another thing - DONT take your eyes off your little girl - she's looks very close to me!! Good luck!

Anna