List of do's & don'ts

[Little Wolf Ranch]

I know I am expecting 3-4 foals in February/March and I am trying to get all my cold weather foaling supplies ready....

I have tarps up around any places that let in wind or drafts in the barn, new lights in the barn, a blanket for each foal to wear, getting my mares used to the hair dryer so I can dry off foals, plenty of towels and all the basic foaling supplies.

I have a camper that I will have parked adjacent to the barn so I will be warm and toasty with my barn cameras up and running to that tv.

To those that foal in winter cold weather....what are your preperations?

 

[muffntuf]

Not to be facetious, but not to foal in super cold weather. I have stopped foaling so early in the season, its not worth it to me to risk the life of a foal.

But in emergencies, I have a heat rod in one stall that radiates heat to objects, that helped me get through sub zero temperatures when a foal was born in March two years ago. I also improvised to keep her ears from frost biting by using a ski cap that came only has to face come through. That allowed her to nurse and see, but kept her ears warm.

A good supply of towels. I found a hair dryer is much too slow, you need to get the foal as dry as you can as quickly as you can. So a good supply of towels to towel dry.

And last but not least, since my mares like to foal between 4 am and 6 am - I had a torpedo heater going the first three hours of the foals life (better than a blow dryer) to heat the air around her to help dry her off.

And a camera system, comes in handy. A lantern that is rechargeable in case for some unknown reason you loose power and you have to light the stall, these works wonders. I actually leave them on for the mare and foal for a few hours as it doesn't disturb the rest of the barn, but allows the foal a little more visibility.

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

We normally dont have foals quite that early but I bought one mare that could possibly be due in February and a few that are due late march. I have been preparing by using expandable foam all over my barn in the holes that let in any bit of draft, I also put up lots of tarps, I am going to be putting a heater in there as well to take the chill off. I have lots of thick fluffy towels to dry the foals off with, the thicker they are the more they can help in my opinion! I also have a bunch of different sizes of foal blankets and also a kit of old sweaters and sewing supplies in case I need to make a different size blanket or a hood or anything like that.

 

[Genie]

We have cameras in the box stalls where mares are moved to closer to foaling.

We have a heat lamps if required.

Sometimes use a hair dryer on the foals if extra cold, but we always towel dry the babies immediately.

We bed in deep straw and we prefer barley straw, but straw of any sort is the most important i.m.o.

We have stall comfort mats in all stalls. They are about 3 inches thick mattress of rubber chips with a sheet of rubber on the top of the mattress. Keeps the floors warmer than if on cement.

Usually don't have to blanket the babies but will blanket Mum if she seems to need it.

Having a complete foaling kit of supplies, iodine,penicillen, banamine,scissors,bubble wrap,oxytocin,syringes, milking syringes,needles,bottle, nipples,911,jump start,peroxide,mineral oil....I have likely forgotten a few things........

 

[~Lisa~]

We had a Nov baby a couple years ago. He was a whoopsie breeding but I have to tell you if I was breeding still..I would have winter babies I LOVED IT.. yes it was a bit more precaution during and right after birth but really after a couple days he was more then fine didnt need to be blanketed at all. Of course I had to make sure he and mom always had access to shelter during the snow so he had somewhere dry to lay down but my horses always have that anyway.

I did have a blanket ready and plenty of towels if you can have a "runner" to take hot towels out of the dryer to you in the barn that helps alot.

We put down a heavy bedding of straw and within a couple days added shavings on top of that for their stall and other then that and really watching to make sure mom brought him in when he wanted to lay down we really did not have to do much different.

Some use heaters in stall but I prefer not to he was born extra fluffy with a pretty nice winter coat.

I love the fact he was ready to weain in warmer weather not when it gets cold so I didnt have to worry about his drinking so much. Flies were not an issue at all for a newborn foal for me it was really all around alot easier.

I worry more about a baby laying in the sun and overheating (that can happen very fast) then I did about him getting to cold but that was just me

 

[stormy]

The few cold weather babies I have had needed some syringe fed colostrum to get their internal heaters working...highly recommend having a milking syringe, containers and feeding syringe ready. Or some stored colostrum on hand for those mares that are hard to milk.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Thanks so much guys keep it coming!

Herr in SC where I am at even in the coldest months with snow and ice storms we rarely get down below the teens so no sub zero weather here.

I will be sure to get a heater to knock the chill off inside the barn. Right now I have about 20 towels ready and waiting and have blankets for each foal that I will throw in the dryer before putting on them.

Keep the ideas flowing. Love hearing them!

 

[Joanne]

I am not sure what your barn is made of, but I would use plywood instead of tarps to retain the heat.

We have Kalglo heaters in the barn and use them during foaling season.

We do use hair dryers to dry off newborns quickly.

A deep bed of straw would be helpful too.

 

[MajorClementine]

We've had a few January foals when my Grandfather raced horses and I remember a few of them coming into the heated tack room. Yes momma came too! The desk, table, armchairs, and book cases went in the breezeway and the horses came in. Not a pretty clean up... which is why we build the foaling stall. It's a completely enclosed stall with two radiant heaters hanging above momma's head hight. There is a window from the tack room so we could keep an eye on momma (built before handy cameras). I would suggest setting up a foaling stall if you are going to continue having early season babies. It's well worth it to be able to turn those heaters on, shut momma in and know that her and baby are going to be safe and warm.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Dedicated, insulated, foaling stall...priceless!

Of course there is always that unwritten law of all universes that whichever mare you put in the foaling stall, some other mare will foal first, but, so far, I seem to have struck lucky. I do not foal this early either, I no longer see any point to it, I don't honestly think it gives the foal any advantage and it makes life a lot more difficult. The only thing worse than foaling out a mare in February is foaling out four mares, all on the same day, in February.

NEVER again!!!!

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

I am not sure what your barn is made of, but I would use plywood instead of tarps to retain the heat.

My barn is a barn that was 'tailored' to make fit the miniatures. To begin with (10+ years ago) it was a bobwhite quail nursery, then a storage barn, then a rabbitry and now a miniature horse barn. I will get pictures but until then I will just describe it here. It is a 20x18 with four stalls . . . .two are 10x10's and two are 8x8's. I put the mares who are closest to foaling in the 10x10's and put the "under watch" mares in the 8x8's and this has worked best coming from the big horse world where we used the 12x12's for mares who were preg but not "ready" for foaling and put the "ready to go" mares in the 14x16's. The barn is built out of wood and tin. The walls 3/4 of the way up is sheet metal tin and the other 1/4 used for ventilation is covered with mesh wire to keep out animals, leaves (we have trees around the barn) etc. and keep miniatures in while still providing plenty of fresh air. We do have ventilation areas along the pitch of the roof so even when all "tarped up" they get plenty of fresh air. We have tarps that during good weather (no snow, ice, rain, etc.) are let down to provide plenty of fresh air and during bad weather they are put up and the barn is sealed tight from the weather elements for the most part.  

I do come from the big horse world where it is desired for our QH and TWH foals to be born in Jan/Feb for plenty of time to be able to wean, train, grow, etc. and be close to their "January 1st birthdate" for competitions. The reason I bred for February/March foals is because we are going to be showing in late spring, summer & fall and I didn't want to be away from the farm with foals due. I have found with the big foals that weaning is much easier during the summer/fall and they are plenty accustomed to thriving without momma before winter sets in and allows me more time to train before the cold sets in and my body doesn't want to veture outside my home or foaling camper.  

We have Kalglo heaters in the barn and use them during foaling season.

These are the one's I am looking at purchasing. They seem to be very nice and would work with my setup.

We do use hair dryers to dry off newborns quickly.

We used to use these with the bigger horse foals as well - you just have to be sure that the mares are used to the sound before foaling happens. Nothing worse than adding more stress to a mare who has just foaled!

A deep bed of straw would be helpful too.

Already lined up a place that I can buy a nice supply from and its nice quality too. Must have forgotten to list that? Silly me!

The only thing worse than foaling out a mare in February is foaling out four mares, all on the same day, in February.

Geeze. . .this is what I am HOPING for!! 

 Since I have four stalls ready - if they'd get together and bless me with that, I'd be very appreciative but I don't think I am lucky enough!!

 

[MountainMeadows]

All suggestions have been great and it sounds like you have a toasty barn -- but, I think one of THE most important things to remember is to BE THERE when the foal is born. Not all horses will foal out at night, some will just decide that daytime is just fine with them -- that means that being able to keep a close eye/buzzer on the mare from day 300 till when she foals is really important - even more so in the colder weather. There have been a number of folks who have come home from work only to find that their mare foaled during the day without assistance and the foal died of hyperthermia.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

All suggestions have been great and it sounds like you have a toasty barn -- but, I think one of THE most important things to remember is to BE THERE when the foal is born. Not all horses will foal out at night, some will just decide that daytime is just fine with them -- that means that being able to keep a close eye/buzzer on the mare from day 300 till when she foals is really important - even more so in the colder weather. There have been a number of folks who have come home from work only to find that their mare foaled during the day without assistance and the foal died of hyperthermia.

 

I've already got that covered too!

Starting from their 290 day mark (one mare's is feb. 3rd, two are feb. 8th & one is feb. 19th) until they foal I will not be anywhere but the farm and will have my eyes on them PLUS I am going to have my camera set up on MareStare for the first time this year and will have some friend's help as well! It is a family endeavor here so we are all prepped!!

 

[copperwood farm]

Genie... What do you use the bubble wrap for?

As for warm towels, if you warm the in the dryer and then put them in a cooler, they will stay warm for quite some time...

OR MY FAVORITE, purchase for myself for Christmas.

.... Walmart sells a 'towel heater', which looks like a little laundry hamper that has a lift lid, it plugs in and 'presto' warm towels ( I found it in the spa section/bathrom gadget section) for the bathroom, or better yet, foaling!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[whitney]

I purchased two bred mares this fall both are due in Feb/March. When I built my house I designed it as a walkout with the garage under the living area. These mares will be in that garage well in advance of their due date. It isn't heated but maintains about 40-45 degrees when the temp outside drops below zero. I've already used this garage to nurse my old Q.H. mare through a winter, and Trystan my palomino stallion was stalled in there for a couple of months before I took him to the main barn. If I ever build another house my horse barn will be below my living area it ROCKS!

 

[Genie]

I've never had to use it but heard on a radio interview with a vet that when there was a weakness/injury in a limb that you could wrap with bubble wrap then put a splint over the bubble wrap and brace the limb without injuring the flesh.

I like your warm towel idea. I haven't seen the hamper warmer but sounds wonderful.

 

[Charlotte]

Copperwoodfarm, I love that towel warmer idea! I have to have one of those.

Everybody's suggestions are great. I'll add a few.

Lots and lots of fleece foal blankets! Different sizes. I think I have around 30. I put 2 on as soon as I've finished toweling then replace every 30 minutes as they get damp. Fleece really pulls the mositure away from the baby while holding in body heat.

I also syringe, VERY carefully, colostrum into baby. Maybe just a few drops at a time.

I have two of these heaters... infrared heater They put out way more heat than a heat lamp. I do have heat lamps if I need more than 2 heaters. Just rmemeber, any heater is a fire hazard so use with care and have several fire extinguishers in the area.

Deep bedding, hay or straw, has already been mentioned.

You might think about an emergency situation....do you have any place climate controlled where mom and baby could spend a few days? Luckily I have a heated and airconditioned groom room and had to use it once in winter and once for an August foal that was overheating.

(and I have just realized both of those babies went World Top Ten. Maybe I should start all my foals in the groom room?

)

I think I'm starting to get excited.

Charlotte

 

[copperwood farm]

Thanks Genie,

I thought that might be it, but wasn't sure. Something else to ad the ever growing foaling kit!!!!!!

 

[AnnaC]

There are certainly some good suggestions and advice given here, but my main concern with having foals born early in the year (before the end of March) would be the lack of possible exercise for the foals. Our 'home made' stables here are all large - I have 2 at 15x15, 7 at 13x15, 1 at 16x12 and 4 at 12x12 (used only by the 4 30" mares that we have). You do need to think of space for people to work round a foaling mare if it is needed, but more important in my opinion, is for the foal to have room to scamper around and have a play, should the weather be too bad to let them out. Foals need exercise asap after birth to strengthen limbs and expand lungs and heart, in fact to get their whole system working properly. Obviously where you live will govern the weather, but here I dont think I would want to foal before mid April as we can and do get 'bad' weather that late in the year - unless I had some form of indoor exerise ring, which I cant see happening!

This year we foaled 13 mares during May and June and, yes it did 'interfere' with our showing schedule, so we are trying a new experiment - we have covered just four girls this summer, arranging the foaling for August 2011 (a gap month for us showing wise), and as we dont show foals, an August foaling month could suit us - we shall see, it will prove interesting.

Anna

 

[Genie]

I like the idea of summer foaling too. The mares get more exercise as well as the babes. The downside here in Ontario, Canada, is the extreme summer heat and the flies. Sometimes the foals get exhausted and then lay down and might dehydrate.

Probably April and May would be best, but I have some early babies coming this year. We put studs in at end of March and pulled them on July 15th. I will see how this works for us and may re think for next year.