Foaling...Standing Up?

[Erickson Miniature Horses]

I'm new to breeding Miniature Horses and was wondering if they ever foaled standing up? My three mares are due in a week and didn't know if water pales in their stalls would be a problem, would they be able to put their butt up to the pale and have their foal into it? I know that sometimes larger horses have their foals standing up, but didn't know if that was common in minis?

 

[disneyhorse]

I guess it would depend on how large your stall is and how big the water pail is?

I have seen a mini foal standing up... But in a big enough stall they tend to stay away from the walls.

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

I would definitely not take water away from a lactating mare EVER, especially at the start of lactation and right after foaling. I wouldn't worry about it. If the stall is large enough she will avoid it. Instincts are far stronger than we think.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

Yes they can most certainly can foal standing up. I also agree with furstplaceminiatures, Water is so important for the mare & she will need to replenish her fluids after foaling. Its also imperative that someone is with her as she foals. It can all happen very quickly. As you go into make a cuppa - by the time you return , its all over.

There are some really good pinned threads on the marestare forum , have a read when you can.

Wishing you all the best

 

[Erickson Miniature Horses]

Thanks for the help! What are the dimensions for a stall that would be considered "big"? My stalls are 6x8.

 

[AnnaC]

For foaling at least 10x10 (or larger if possible) to give the mare plenty of room to lay down, plus room for any 'helpers' at foaling time or even the vet should it be necessary. Also you have to consider the possibility of bad weather when the mare and foal won't be able to go outside, baby needs the room to scamper around.

Regarding water buckets - yes water must be available at all times but it is certainly more sensible to somehow tie the bucket up higher for at least the first few days - a foal unsteady on it's feet soon after birth could easily trip up and fall headfirst into a bucket on the ground.

As Ryan says do pop over to the Marestare forum here and read all the info there - or come and join us, bringing your girls with you, and help us watch for all the new expected babies.

 

[disneyhorse]

The smallest stall I've had my mares in was 12x12 and that seems pretty decent for foaling in my opinion. The shetland mare was in as 12x24 and that seemed more appropriate... The more room the better.

 

[Gone_Riding]

I just put my mare's water bucket in her manger when she foaled and had a gate built onto her stall so she couldn't go out to where her trough was. She did have her baby standing up. She was laying down, but when I had to go in to reposition the foal, the relief was so great that she continued standing up for the whole delivery. I literally had to catch the baby. She was nowhere near her manger when she foaled and I never thought about something like foaling in the manger/bucket happening.

 

[Miniv]

We've foaled out minis for over 20 years and I think we've only had two who stood. One I caught and the other, my husband caught before they hit the floor.

Our stalls (at both of our locations) have been 12x12. As for the water bucket...We never withhold water for any reason. We do, however, tend to hang the bucket up off the ground.

 

[HGFarm]

My stalls are 12 x 12 also, and if I could have made one a bit bigger, I would have. 6 x 8 is tiny and doesnt really give much room for a horse laying flat out and trying to push something out- she could lay with her rear against the side that may impair what she is trying to do. Not really enough room for a mare, let alone mare and foal.

 

[disneyhorse]

We had a large horse here lie down to foal against the stall wall and had to drag her into the open. It was a draft horse in a 16x24 and just not big enough for her.

I think 12x12 is the smallest I'd go for a mini too... Bigger if at all possible.

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

My foaling stall is 15x10 lol. Bit ott..?!

 

[supaspot]

Ive never had a mare foal standing up , they do get up and down a lot during foaling but theyve all finished laying down , your stall is too small for a mare to foal in and too small for the mare and foal afterwards too , 10 x 10 is the bare minimum for a 34" and under . bigger would be better

 

[sfmini]

We learned the hard way to hang water buckets as the foals sometimes get into drinking water instead of nursing and it can really throw their digestive systems into a spin. I've only had one mini not foal flat out and she was sternal but I have seen full sized horses foal standing and I'm sure minis will too.

 

In my experience, the only time here I've had a mare foal standing up has been for a red-bag delivery, or when babies have been in a very bad position of hip-lock or the "dog-sitting" position. And, having the mare standing has been beneficial in repositioning the baby, so I've been quite grateful to the mom for knowing something isn't quite right, and she wasn't comfortable enough to lay down for the delivery. I've never had a "normal" delivery with the mare standing.

 

[targetsmom]

We have a mare that foaled standing up, with a normal delivery, which is an issue because she doesn't set off her Equipage alarm. You need to be there when your mare foals, so not having the alarm work is more of a problem for us, than the fact the mare is standing up. Mare stare might help, but just paying VERY close attention is your best bet. Our mare also foaled at noon this year, standing up, and never laid flat the year before so never set off the alarm. Mare Stare came through for us on that one!

Our stalls are 6X8 but we never use them that size for foaling. They have removable partitions so that the foaling stalls are at least 12 X 8 feet, most are 12 X 12.

ETA: If your mares are "due in a week" that means they could foal any time!! I hope you are keeping a close eye on them and will know when they are so close they must be watched CONSTANTLY.

 

[Danielleee]

I just recently watch a video of a birth from this year of a mare foaling standing up. She laid down in the beginning, got up and didn't go back down. Was a textbook delivery too. I guess it depends on how the mare is comfortable doing it.

If you're really worried about it and its possible, I know a breeder who put a water tub on the outside of the stall but the stall wall is short enough so she can just lean her head over and drink.