It's a Baby!!

clpclop · Mar 30, 2006

My maiden mare just foaled a beautiful little sorrel pinto (not sure yet if colt or filly) about an hour 1 hour ago. How long should it take for the sweetie pie to nurse. She's flitting about the stall and sorta kinda trying to, but when is it a concern?????

kaykay · Mar 30, 2006

soon would be best and definately within 3 hrs of foaling. Gently lead her over to the udder and line her body up. Express some milk and smear it on the mothers udder and the foals lips. This always seems to get them going in the right direction. But you have to be PATIENT. Move slowly. no sudden movements!

Mona · Mar 30, 2006

Congratulations on your new filly. Hope all goes well. She should nurse within a couple of hours. Some latch on as soon as they can stand, others it can take longer.

slaneyrose · Mar 30, 2006

If you really cant get him/her to nurse you need to milk the mare into a clean container and syringe the milk into the foals mouth I often find once they have had some they go looking for more in earnest!! Hope your foal soon gets the hang of it, they need as much as possible in the first 12hrs in theory but I agree with Kay Kay, in the next 3hrs is optimal.

Becky · Mar 30, 2006

If your mare isn't wanting to stand still (typical of some maidens), tie her up so the foal has a chance at finding the right location.

clpclop · Mar 30, 2006

:aktion033: Success!! It took her about 3 hours to find what she was looking for. This was an amazing experience (my first, Tacoma's first too). I was watching my web cam at work at noticed she was rubbing her butt on the stall, layed down and her legs flexed out. I dropped everything and raced home. It was the longest 12 minutes filled with too many Little-Gray-Haired-Old-Ladies from Pasadena that were IN MY WAY!!!

I made it just in time! Tacoma was laying...in her poop area...already with two feet and nose sticking out. Water hadn't broke yet. She got up and then went into her nice straw area and layed back down. Continued to push and so I tore open the bag and the waters came gushing out. She pushed a few more time and out came a beautiful sorrell pinto filly with Looong legs! The placenta came out almost immediately after that. After about 5 minutes, she wanted to stand and after many failed attempts, stood and the umbilical cord broke! Text Book Delivery! I was so nervous and I shook like crazy after it was all done. Tacoma was the calm one.

The only thing that wasn't text book was the pre-signs. Her bag was about much larger than the day before, but her appetite was big and poops were regular. There was no waxing or milk dripping or anything else that would have clued me in. THANK GOD FOR CAMERAS & FOAL ALERT! Our investment was justified!

Number two is at 306 days and counting! You can be sure I'll be watching VERY closely.

I thank everyone who I bugged endlessly about information and for everyone who posted questions that ultimately helped me learn. This website is unquestionably the best source of information from very caring people.

I'll post a picture tomorrow!

Karen