Luckily this does not happen very oſten, but when it does it’s a true emergency!
Shortly aſter the white bag appears you will see the foal coming out. The first thing you will see is both front feet and shortly aſter the head. If only one leg or only the head appears, call your vet immediately! Once the legs and head are out the foal is only a push or two away. From the water breaking to the foal being out should not take more than 1 hour.
The Foal
Once the foal is born it’s important to give the mare and foal bonding time. However, do keep an eye on them and look for the following: that the foal is standing within 1 hour and that it is drinking from the mare within 3 hours. It is especially important that the foal drinks from the mare within 3 hours as this is when she passes her antibodies to the foal via the colostrum. A foal that hasn’t received enough colostrum is at a much higher risk of developing bacterial infections and sepsis. Other milestones in the hours aſter foaling include passing the meconium (the first poo) within 6 hours and the first urination within 12 hours. Also check that the mare passes the placenta (the aſterbirth) within 6 hours. The aſterbirth should be kept safe in a plastic bag in a cool place until a vet can examine it to ensure it is out in its entirety. It is strongly recommended to have a vet visit to check your foal
About the author: Line Kjær DVM MRCVS
Avonvale Equine Practice, Ratley Lodge, Ratley, Banbury OX15 6DT
www.avonvaleequine.co.uk Tel: 01295 670501
Line graduated from University of Copenhagen in 2015. She has a passion for stud medicine and foal care. During her career, she has worked as a stud vet on several thoroughbred stud farms and an AI clinic in various countries around the world before joining Avonvale in 2018.
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at 12-14 hours of age. At this visit the vet will check over the foal to make sure it is happy and healthy. A blood sample should be taken to measure the LGG which gives an indication as to whether the foal had enough colostrum. At the same visit the vet will check the placenta to make sure it is intact and looks healthy. The mare will have a check over to see if all is okay aſter foaling and if she has enough milk to feed the foal.
It is a good idea to spend a lot of time with the foal from an early age, getting it used to being touched all over its body, to having a head collar on and liſting its legs. This will save you a lot of trouble when the foal is older, bigger and stronger.
Foal healthcare:
The foal will need to be wormed against ascarids (roundworms) at 2-3 months of age and again around weaning time (6-8 months), at this time it would also be appropriate to do a faecal worm egg count to see if the foal also needs worming for strongyles (redworms) and to do the first vaccination against equine influenza and tetanus. Additionally, the foal will also need to have a microchip and a passport before it is 6 months old, or by the 31st of December of the year it is born, whichever is latest. But most importantly, make sure you enjoy the time spent with your mare and foal, and remember your vet is always willing to answer any questions you will have.
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