dalak
Junior Member
Posts: 116
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Post by dalak on Mar 6, 2013 1:00:26 GMT
Do you prefer your mares to foal in or to foal out? Ours so far have all foaled in. Thos of you whos foal out, do you leave them to foal out with other horses or seperated? Just a general question to see what people prefer
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Post by gillwales on Mar 6, 2013 2:14:10 GMT
always in, in a very large box, all of my foals could canter around their stable for the first month
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sarahp
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Post by sarahp on Mar 6, 2013 7:38:55 GMT
Always out, with the caveat that I don't foal them at silly times of the year when the weather's bad, they wait until mid April at the earliest.
My old vet always foaled his out, including the TB show hack mares, as he reckoned they had fewer foaling complications that way; if they felt they weren't getting anywhere they'd have a yomp round the field and shake the foal into a different position. I must admit I was sceptical about this until I had a ewe with a very awkward presentation that try as I might (and I was pretty good at lambing) I couldn't get out, every time I tried it would slip back into the wrong presentation, so stuck her in the back of the LR and drove her 10 miles or so to the vets. Hey presto, perfect presentatiion, nose and two front feet. OK, I believed the horse vet from then on. As I check the pregnant mares at first light, I have on occasions been out when there was a dew on the grass, which enabled me to see how big an area they do use for foaling, borne out by the very odd one I've watched that foaled in the daytime. I think how very constrained and tense (being a prey animal) they must feel when forced to foal in a box, however big. They have not had the chance to choose their own secluded spot, safe in their eyes from predators, and cannot move round as they wish.
As for your second query - I do have the first time foalers on their own in a small paddock. Having watched a couple actually foal, they are pretty confused at what is going on, and if I've come across a stolen foal it's normally from a first time foaler. Experienced mares will know to look after their foal from the word go, while a first timer might not even have noticed they have one, let alone bonded with it. Experienced mares foal with the herd, picking a secluded spot on their own if given the chance.
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Post by Louise Dixon on Mar 6, 2013 8:22:43 GMT
I do exactly the same as sarahp.
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Post by penduk on Mar 6, 2013 10:03:41 GMT
If you have a decent foal proof fence then outside is best, however mares can lose foals under, over and through fences very easily. Also ditches can be a problem as many mares will position themselves to use the slope for good effect.
Stables are easier from the management point of view as usually there is lighting and no chance of the foal being the wrong side of the wall. Finding a dark mare in a dark field for night time checks can be hard.
There are usually less nasty bugs outside but there can be weather.
Neither is right or wrong but circumstances and conditions vary so each place should be weighed up carefully and do what is right for your circumstances.
I separate the mare for ease of checking and to prevent other horses being a problem if complications develop and we have to interfere.
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Post by Guestless on Mar 6, 2013 11:38:41 GMT
Always out and with another less dominant mare for company. I do select which field to use carefully so they can be observed but I've still managed to miss all of my mares giving birth so far - last one had her foal at 8.30 pm when I was at home getting supplies so I could spend the night at the yard, lol! He was still wet when I got back. All my mares have chosen nice weather for giving birth and all have given birth the night I think they will (none of these endless weeks waiting for me so far)
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Mar 6, 2013 11:56:06 GMT
We've got ours out in the day and in at night in a 21ft x 14 ft box. The fields are not suitable for foaling at this time of year so she's coming in at night to a lovely clean foaling box but still hasn't given birth yet. Hopefully she's thinking the same as me hd it on till the end of march
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Post by victoria25 on Mar 6, 2013 13:40:57 GMT
This is out first foal this year and she will be in ... only so I have access to electricity, water, all my supplies x
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Post by geegees on Mar 6, 2013 16:57:03 GMT
Mine always foal in as i like to be able to keep a close eye on them and find it easier to do so when they are in, also the majority of our fencing is permanent posts with 3 thick strands of electric tape and this isnt safe for mares to be foaling near. Our stables are large so ideal foaling boxes for the little ones we have and if they are stuck in if weather bad theres plenty room for the foals to run around. Never had a problems with foaling and never lost a foal either over the past 23 years i have been breeding and all have foaled inside. Suppose it all depends on what facilities you have, i wouldnt want to foal any of mine out with company if i was unsure of how the other/others would react. All of mine about to foal come inside and their companion comes inside into the stable next door and they can see each other through the grills in between the stables that way there is no stress for the mare leaving her friend behind and the friend can get to see and to know the foal safely from the next stable before they get turned back out again. I am maybe a bit to cautious but it has paid off over the years with no foals being lost or injured Good luck what ever you decide to do
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dalak
Junior Member
Posts: 116
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Post by dalak on Mar 6, 2013 22:56:55 GMT
We do usually have our in but i have a couple due end of may who much prefer being out than in so i think if the weathers nice they can foal out, both have foaled before so would prefer them out as they are much more settled
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Post by gilbertgrape on Mar 6, 2013 23:05:49 GMT
Mine foal out but they have access to a shelter and often do foal inside the shelter but move off quickly. Mares have a natural instinct to protect the foal and tend to steer clear of the herd when foaling and immediately after. Maiden mares can be unpredictable and clueless!I have known a few wonder what the foal is and what they should do!
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Post by gillwales on Mar 7, 2013 7:56:25 GMT
Can I please urge all of you folks who foal out not to do so in a field with a pond, stream or river in it, 2 of my clients did so and both lost the foals to drowning
happy foaling to all
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Post by boothsdale on Mar 7, 2013 13:38:29 GMT
We always used to foal in but having had a few who are far happier out I've now given in and they foal in the field. All 7 of our preggie mares are now out together and have moved onto the field closest to home where they will foal (I like to have them in there and settled together at least 4 weeks before the first is due.
I have a couple of spare stables disinfected and bedded down just in case of problems or if it's cold/wet and something needs to come in - I would rather leave to foal outside in bad weather and bring in newborn foal and mum straight after foaling than bring in before and unsettle the mare.
Maiden mares normally foal inside so I can have the camera on them but the one we have due this year is happy out, settled with the herd and was covered later than the others so should be last to foal - I think she will foal out ... but I may change my mind over the next couple of weeks!
Not sure if it's just me but I find that those who are close to producing their own foals aren't too bothered about stealing from others but I have one mare that is normally very submissive but will risk life and limb to steal from anyone if she is not due for a couple of months!
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sarahp
Happy to help
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Post by sarahp on Mar 8, 2013 7:21:05 GMT
I haven't had enough foal stealing to comment, except that as far as I can remember it was older experienced broodmares who were not in foal that year that were the culprits, but with the sheep I found they would steal them when about to lamb, I assumed when the mothering hormones are at their peak ready for the birth.
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Post by Louise Dixon on Mar 8, 2013 14:45:15 GMT
I would say cows are the same, OH found two cows, happily with calves up and suckling, the other morning, the only problem being one of them hadn't calved - the first cow had had twins, and cow number two thought she'd take the chance to steal one. I have had an older mare trying to wiggle through the fence into the smaller paddock where a maiden mare had just foaled, to try to get her baby. The older mare was not in foal that year. I also used to have a tb mare, who had never had a foal of her own, who would steal claves if she was with the cows at calving time - very odd!
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sab2
Newbie
Posts: 26
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Post by sab2 on Apr 1, 2013 17:55:14 GMT
gillwales my aunt had the same thing happen to her when her mare foaled she headed to water and the foal drowned, when i did my training we always made sure the water bucket was out of the way in a manger at foaling time, i always foal inside with the camera on and i put the water in a hook over feed bucket on the door just in case.
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