How big should foaling stall be?

[clpclop]

my husband and I are out measuring to build a foaling stall. In a perfect world I would like to have a larger one, but with the existing structure, we've come up with 5' 8" in width and 9' in length. Is this going to be deep enough?

 

[Marty]

I do think you should make it a tad larger for maneuverability and ventilation purposes. (Oh heck, where's spell check when you need it) :new_shocked:

Holly foaled unfortunately in our old barn. The stalls were 12 X 12.

I thought that would not be large enough. Wrong, wrong wrong.

In the new barn, our stalls are 10 X 10 and mother and baby have more than enough room in there to keep cozy and cuddle up and move around. If I want to, I can remove the wall making it 10 X 20 in about 5 minutes or less. Just simply hasn't been necessary.

 

[Erica]

My foaling stalls are 10x14...........though I have had a few mares foal in the show barn stalls just fine the were only 10x9, but I perfer the larger foaling stalls

 

[Miniv]

I also like 12 x 12's but lots of people are satisfied with slightly smaller. I wouldn't go much less than 10 x 12, but that's me.

MA

 

[CAM]

Ours are 12 x 12 for the little guys.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

As large as possible!! Make sure the walls are solid- those pen sides are wonderful but they are no good fro foaling stalls, the mares like privacy. Also some sorts of pen they can get their legs stuck all too easily. Mine is 18 X 20 but as I always point out that is left over form the Arabs. 12 X 12 would be fine, the size yo are suggesting IMO is far too small. OK I suppose, but if anything went wrong.........

 

[billiethekid40]

and make sure there are no gaps under the boards or stall doors that a baby could slip under. This happened to a friend once and they found a very cold, almost dead baby in the morning. They were very lucky not to have lost her!

 

[Bess Kelly]

Some of the size needed has to do with the size of the animal......

: My 27" mares are fine in an 8X8 but a B mare would be "close" for foaling, but ok for overnight stalling by herself. So, consider that, too.

Ideally we could all have a foaling barns with 12X14 stalls, an indoor arena, a stallion barn with outside runs, a mare barn, and a full time worker to help clean & feed, a huge bankroll to pay for it.... :bgrin I think what you propose will work so long as the mare isn't a large B, then it could be tight. Believe me, if there are no problems, they require very little room to foal. It's the need help, get hoof caught issues that make us look for more room.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Mine are 10x10 but I have foaled mares out in a 9x11 same thing really. I also have one 12x12 for any big girls but no babies for us this year. Bigger is always better.

 

[Becky]

I foal mine out in 8 X 8 stalls without a problem. Of course, I am dealing with mares that are 34" and under. Bigger mares would be better in larger stalls. This works for me, but I would build them whatever size your barn allows.

 

[capall beag]

Well, you can only work with what you have!

I would be nervous about the width of your stall but it depends on the mare I guess. I was planning on using a 6 x 10 for my 29" mare and see how it went. She has tons of room in there but I have decided to open up the stall and now it is 12 x 10 and I feel more comfortable.

However, the first night I opened up the stalls I put the pony in the larger stall and she got cast on the wall

:

: Thank God I was right there and was able to get her up.

Make it as big as you can!! In this instance I think bigger is always better!

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Mine are 16x16 I realize I am lucky to have large stalls with room enough for baby to play and not be under mom.

The bigger the better for a normal foaling a 10x10 might be big enough but .. god forbid something goes wrong get a vet, a vet assistent(ifyour vet has one) and yourself in a even 16x16 with a mare having a dystocia and suddenly that 16x16 feels like a 6x6 with not much room to work in.

I do know people though who routinly use a 6x12 and say it works for them

 

[lvponies]

10X10 has worked well for us. I had a 37" mare foal in one of these stalls and she and baby did just fine.

 

[clpclop]

Thank you all. You confirmed that I need to definately go bigger.

 

[midnight star stables]

All our stalls are 10x10. Our 2 old minis share are 10x20 stall(a stall w/ 1 wall taken down) and if/when we start foaling, mares will be in 10x20 too (only because 10x10 is too small IMO, Big or small)(But with a small 31" or under mare that was foaling, 10x10 would be fine.)