Pre-Foaling Mare Clips

[Little Wolf Ranch]

I just clipped some of my mares to do their foaling clips but I think that maybe I didn't take enough off their bellies. . .I don't want to blanket them so need to leave enough hair to stay warm - even though they are all shedding!! I am brushing them twice a day to remove as most I can to prevent the foals getting a hold of it but anyways I was wondering if I could see some pictures of mares with foal clips?

Also, if there a standard pattern that you do as far as width and height goes of the clipped area?

Thanks guys!

 

[Bonny]

I am interested too, Katie has 4-6 weeks left, and she is shedding like crazy. I clipped right around the front of her udder and trimmed up down her legs a bit. I am also not sure if I took enough off.

 

[Riverrose28]

I don't have any foals due this year, or any pictures, but I usually clip the whole belly, the hind leg from the inside of the hock all the way up thru the lion area and all the way to the elbow of the front leg. If the mares are shedding try to pay special attention to the area around the rear end as some foals will try to nurse in that area as well, but I don't clip it as I don't want the mares to get cold, but I do use a shedding blade in that area and on the chest area. It won't hurt them to clip up several inches onto the belly area up past the loin, they will still stay warm and the foal won't get any lose hair.

Have a good foaling year. I get to sleep this year.

 

[kaykay]

I used to only clip the area in front of the udder and a bit up both flanks. Then we had a 3 week old foal colic from hair. Now we clip a much larger area. As said above foals like to nuzzle the hip area and can ingest a lot of hair there. I also brush daily to remove loose hair.

 

[Knottymare]

Reading all these things just reinforces in my mind how much of a total stress case if I were to breed any horses! Wow. I would be a total nervous wreck. For a person like me who isn't likely to have the experience of breeding my own mini, what is the youngest that most people sell their foals?

 

[Kelsey - Vandy's Farm]

Reading all these things just reinforces in my mind how much of a total stress case if I were to breed any horses! Wow. I would be a total nervous wreck. For a person like me who isn't likely to have the experience of breeding my own mini, what is the youngest that most people sell their foals?

We usually decide within a week or two if the foal is going to be a "keeper" or "for sale". They are for sale from the time we make that decision. We take deposits down but they never leave until they are 4 months old.

We clip our mares' bellies, a little up the flank and inside of the upper back legs. We haven't ever had a problem with foals and hair....knock on wood.

 

[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

I also wanted to add that I've started to clip around the tail head/butt cheeks on my mares close to foaling, helps keep the long loose hairs off the foal during delivery so the mare doesn't ingest it when she's cleaning the new one off..

 

[Riverrose28]

I forgot to say this yesterday when responding but you don't always need to clip this time of year with a #10 blade. You can purchase a #7F blade from your supplier, Valley Vet has them to clip your mares before foaling. It will leave the hair about as short as a beagle and still fluff up if they get a little cold. It will certainly take off the shedding coat.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

I forgot to say this yesterday when responding but you don't always need to clip this time of year with a #10 blade. You can purchase a #7F blade from your supplier, Valley Vet has them to clip your mares before foaling. It will leave the hair about as short as a beagle and still fluff up if they get a little cold. It will certainly take off the shedding coat.

I'm a dog groomer so I have a lot of various sized blades - I used a #5F on them but I still like them to have all their winter fluff LOL

 

[Tremor]

We'll be clipping our pregnant mare for the first time before a labor. We've never done it before, but I remember in 2009 we had a colt get fur from his dam stuck on his eyelashes. We washed it off and he was fine. But I don't to have to deal with it again!

When do you guys usually clip your mares? When they hit day 300?

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Mine are at day 288, 283 & 272 as of today and I have clipped everyone down 

 

[Bonny]

I clipped Katies udder area a few weeks ago because I couldnt see under to watch her udder.

She is 290 days and I am thinking of clipping very soon. I dont want it to short, But I want it done so it won be long when she foals. She is getting pretty uncomfy now and I didnt want to wait till shes down right miserable.

we also got her feet trimmed up a few days ago, so that all we have to do is file in a week or two.

Ihave seen much fuzzier minis than Katie, but she is really shedding. I am not exactly sure how far to clip. Can someone edit my pic and show about where would be good?

 

[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

The area in red is where I would clip if she were in my barn.

 

[Bonny]

Wow ok thats much more than I thought! But great to know thanks!

I guess I need to get this clippers out.

 

[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

That's what I do on MY mares, I'm sure there's others that take less or take more..

 

[Bonny]

Understood.

When do yall usually clip? I dont want to clip to soon ... but dont want to wait till the last minute either.

(ive never had a foal born this time of year)

 

[whitney]

Clipped my mare last night. It's my first foal clip too. Mare was wonderfully patient with me. I used a #10, it's the smallest number I had. Make sure to do under the belly too. Under the belly I went all the way up to the front legs, I've seen those little critters try to nurse between the front legs........

 

[Bonny]

Well Maybe I should get a move on clipping then....

 

[Tremor]

Understood.

When do yall usually clip? I dont want to clip to soon ... but dont want to wait till the last minute either.

(ive never had a foal born this time of year)

I'm wondering the same thing!

Hopefully a veteran breeder will chime in for us!

 

[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

I clip like I marked in the picture on both sides and the entire underbelly..

I usually just clip up around the flank when I notice udder development, much easier to keep a visual on udder change without the long hair.. When they have a decent udder that I think foaling will be within 2-3 weeks I clip the belly.. I've had later foals the past couple years so haven't really had to worry about the belly clip as most of the girls have blown/shed their coat by then.. I'm hoping to get a couple of the girls bred for earlier babies in 2012