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Post by FF on Feb 6, 2011 21:58:48 GMT
Is there a reason I seem to think I have to use straw?
My mares stable is shavings. She's out at the moment, not due till end of May so I shall start to bring her in at night nearer the time. I personally don't like straw, I just find shavings easier.
If I have to use straw I will, i'd probably have shavings banks with a chopped straw bed.
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Post by sjp on Feb 7, 2011 11:08:19 GMT
We find that shavings are awful at sticking to the new born foal and get stuck in their whiskers which can be difficult to get out. We keep our foaling stable bedded with straw and the rest of the stables have shavings or hempcore. We did foal a mare with a thick layer of straw on top of hempcore, that worked ok.
There is also the large amount of wet bedding which needs to be thrown out after foaling. So I'd of thought it's cheaper to have straw too.
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Post by stormyskies on Feb 7, 2011 11:26:56 GMT
I have always used straw but last year I had a mare that foaled and had to have her on shavings as allergic to straw. It worked fine and I actually found it a lou more easier and cleaner than straw.
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Post by ashvale on Feb 7, 2011 11:53:39 GMT
I usually use a straw bed thats extremelly thick and fill the stable right to the front door of the stable.
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mpc
Junior Member
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Post by mpc on Feb 7, 2011 12:00:37 GMT
It's your call, BUT, for the reasons given by SJP, we use straw!
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Post by holiday on Feb 7, 2011 12:26:44 GMT
We also foal down on straw then swop to shavings/wood pellets when baby is a couple of days old. I have also foaled down on shavings but used the larger type (bedmax type) which did work well but still stuck to the babies!!!
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Post by FF on Feb 7, 2011 14:01:59 GMT
See I knew there was a reason why. lol Think i'll keep my shavings and use them as banks and cover with straw when i've done the clean out a few weeks before foaling.
Is it ok to disinfect but then use the stable or do I have to keep it freshly disinfected for foaling?
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Post by boothsdale on Feb 7, 2011 17:28:04 GMT
Ours get disinfected before the mare comes in but then they're usually in for 3 or 4 weeks before they foal (but no-one else goes in there in the meantime!)
As per most of the above we foal on straw, apart from one mare who coughs badly on straw - she foals on shavings and we've never had a problem but they do stick and it costs a fortune as I take the wet out of foaling beds every day so end up using a bale every couple of days...
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Post by thecremellosociety on Feb 7, 2011 17:43:09 GMT
watch shavings / sawdust as heard horror stories of foals suffocating, maybe bed max type chunky ones are better ? and anturally anitseptic with wood/ pine oil too x
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Post by deejay on Feb 7, 2011 18:03:13 GMT
straw is definitely best for foaling. Mares foal in different positions in the stable. If she foals with the foal facing the shaving banks when it is born, the foal may possibly suffocate in the shavings, as they can block the airways. This is the reason for using straw. You could then change to shavings when the foal is older, but there is nothing nicer than seeing a new foal sleeping in a lovely warm bed of straw.
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Post by sjp on Feb 7, 2011 18:22:32 GMT
As Boothdale said, we disinfect the stable about a month before they are due to foal. The mare is then stabled in the foaling box at night and out in the day. We keep our mares and foals in at night all summer though as we find the foals easier to handle and catch as they seem to learn a lot from mum (for example they rush to the field gate in the afternoon to come in which really helps when it comes to weaning!!) but we only ever have one or two foals a year and I do understand others prefer to have their's living out.
Good luck with yours!
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Post by FF on Feb 7, 2011 21:02:39 GMT
Thanks for your help guys. I'm sure i'll have plenty more questions nearer the time.
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Post by elmere on Feb 7, 2011 23:18:07 GMT
straw is definitely best for foaling. Mares foal in different positions in the stable. If she foals with the foal facing the shaving banks when it is born, the foal may possibly suffocate in the shavings, as they can block the airways. This is the reason for using straw. You could then change to shavings when the foal is older, but there is nothing nicer than seeing a new foal sleeping in a lovely warm bed of straw. Shavings are very dangerous for foaling!! I disinfect before mare comes in, aslong as no other horses have been in stable after disinfecting  |
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Post by bonnieheather on Feb 7, 2011 23:27:39 GMT
Out of interest, why do you foal indoors?
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Post by elmere on Feb 7, 2011 23:42:38 GMT
Just simply for the fact that I can keep an eye on the mares better and if anything did go wrong or they foaled in bad weather then I have facilities to keep them warm and for vet easily to check them. My broodmare foaled outside last time as she was early so it wasnt expected, she probably foals better outside due to her being able to move around easily but what if something went wrong. I know someone that had a mare foal a month early last year in the pouring down rain with no warning, foal died later that day from pneumonia. So for peace of mind really.
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sarahp
Happy to help
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Post by sarahp on Feb 8, 2011 8:06:37 GMT
I prefer to foal them outside as I believe you get far fewer foaling problems that way, but do then plan to have them no earlier than 3rd week of April - except that this year stallion obviously leaped on them immediately on turning them out so two due mid-April.
It doesn't though preclude the need to check them asap - I'm usually up and walking round at first light when I have foals due to make sure any born are up, drunk and pooed. I'd guess that the one you knew of elmere hadn't had sufficient colostrum and would have been a case for bringing in, drying off and monitoring in case it needed a plasma infusion - over all the years I've been breeding this has happened twice to me, once I lost the foal much as your friend did, happened to have been born on a show day and was absolutely fine early on before we went, raining but not cold and mare had a shelter to take it into so I didn't bring them in, but gone off the boil by the time we came back. The other one's dam had inverted teats preventing it from drinking at all, and by the time I took them to hospital later that day, after vet visit, mastitis as well but they were both home fine within 24 hours, thank you to the vet nurses.
It's a balancing act we all have to make our own decision on - foal out with fewer problems but more risk if you do, or foal in with more risk of problems but the advantages elmere states regarding dealing with them. Bad weather is not necessarily a problem - one mare I sold had her first foal in a cold nasty January and mare wouldn't be caught to be brought in but foal had a coat like a yak at birth and was fine.
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Post by elmere on Feb 8, 2011 9:54:05 GMT
I prefer to foal them outside as I believe you get far fewer foaling problems that way, but do then plan to have them no earlier than 3rd week of April - except that this year stallion obviously leaped on them immediately on turning them out so two due mid-April. It doesn't though preclude the need to check them asap - I'm usually up and walking round at first light when I have foals due to make sure any born are up, drunk and pooed. I'd guess that the one you knew of elmere hadn't had sufficient colostrum and would have been a case for bringing in, drying off and monitoring in case it needed a plasma infusion - over all the years I've been breeding this has happened twice to me, once I lost the foal much as your friend did, happened to have been born on a show day and was absolutely fine early on before we went, raining but not cold and mare had a shelter to take it into so I didn't bring them in, but gone off the boil by the time we came back. The other one's dam had inverted teats preventing it from drinking at all, and by the time I took them to hospital later that day, after vet visit, mastitis as well but they were both home fine within 24 hours, thank you to the vet nurses. It's a balancing act we all have to make our own decision on - foal out with fewer problems but more risk if you do, or foal in with more risk of problems but the advantages elmere states regarding dealing with them. Bad weather is not necessarily a problem - one mare I sold had her first foal in a cold nasty January and mare wouldn't be caught to be brought in but foal had a coat like a yak at birth and was fine. Yes there are pros and cons and I know my mares would probably foal better outside but I just worry too much and wouldnt be able to forgive myself if something did happen  The foal last year was brought in to a stable and seen by the vet, they syringed colostrum into the foal but alot came back up and it was simply too weak, not sure of what else they tried but it was heartbreaking. There is of course also the case of the bag not splitting, my 7 year old had to be resuscitated after his breeder found him in the field with it over his nose. If I had the mares outside I would end up sleeping in a tent in the middle of the field  Edited to say that I am thinking of foaling my broodmare outside in the paddock at my stables this time, when she comes in I will start to get her into the routine of going out at night, may do it with my maiden aswel but Im not sure yet |
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sarahp
Happy to help
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Post by sarahp on Feb 8, 2011 10:30:20 GMT
Mine had plasma infusions direct into the blood vessel which picked her up a treat. I haven't had to deal with many foaling problems, hardly any in fact in over 30 years breeding, so not practised, but learned from experience with lambs that stomach tubing was much more successful, after a certain point they get too weak to suck or swallow if just fed normally by mouth. You just have to make sure you don't drown it though by filling its lungs with milk by mistake, so not a technique for the inexperienced. I've no idea though if they do/did this with foals, I suspect the plasma infusions have taken over.
Vets now reckon that the vast majority of the "suffocated in the bag" foals were actually stillborn in the first place, although I must admit that the temptation to just break it carefully over the nose is pretty overwhelming if you do happen to be watching in person! In all the ones I've seen born, which isn't a huge amount, it's been very easily broken by the foal, or sometimes the mare if she gets there first. I've never ever had one dead in the bag in all the years I've been breeding.
I do have one mare that I foaled in a tiny paddock, and will do with her uncatchable half sister this year (other one now retired) as she went totally uncatchable with a very new foal, you couldn't get near her for a week or so until she had calmed down. All the early foal photos are of mare and foal galloping about, you couldn't get near enough to take any with her stood still. I could at least have got her in from this paddock if I'd needed to, and I tend to use it for maiden mares as well, maybe the best of both worlds. I check last thing at night and at first light, and in the night too if I happen to wake up, and know that I can find and see the mare easily, no trooping about 4 acre fields with copses in them in the dark - they always choose to foal in the most secluded bits they can find.
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Post by FF on Feb 8, 2011 19:38:46 GMT
My mare will be in at night so I can keep an eye on her at home when I hopefully get cctv sorted. I'll not rest otherwise. Yard is 10 minutes away and I work early mornings so I don't want to be wasting time and fuel on midnight trips to check.
Hopefully she'll have the foal outside. Fingers crossed.
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Post by hawkbay on Feb 16, 2011 22:20:13 GMT
i dont see that shavings are dangerous to foal when my mare had to come of straw to shavings because she developed a bad cough and vet said she had to goon shavings and mare and foal where fine and have two mares due next month and the other one had severe colt and can only be on shavings so what choice have i got so am i causeing a danger to my mares and foals then elmere ?
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Post by elmere on Feb 17, 2011 11:53:50 GMT
i dont see that shavings are dangerous to foal when my mare had to come of straw to shavings because she developed a bad cough and vet said she had to goon shavings and mare and foal where fine and have two mares due next month and the other one had severe colt and can only be on shavings so what choice have i got so am i causeing a danger to my mares and foals then elmere ? Well I would say yes, someone before me already stated the reason why so im not going to repeat it, if that was the case then I guess I would have to foal them outside unless theres another type of bedding that you can find thats suitable. And ilovehunting its all down to personal choice really, Im foaling one outside this year but it will be at my stables in the paddock there so I can get them in quickly if theres a problem or if she decides to foal in the rain, both mine are due mid April and everyone knows what those April showers are like. |
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Post by hawkbay on Feb 17, 2011 21:24:43 GMT
so elmere would you be happy to foal a maiden mare out side in march and being maiden i would rather have in where i can keep an eye on her not trugging round a dark feild and the other mare has never foaled outside either and she has had four foals as for the bedding the vet said she would be fine to foal on shavings fabfern i would rather listen to a vet than one individual providing you have a nice big stable they will be fine could you imagine foaling in the pelting rain would not be nice would it
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Post by leeann on Feb 17, 2011 22:02:31 GMT
Another vote for straw :-)
Good luck.
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Post by holiday on Feb 17, 2011 22:13:35 GMT
We also foal indoors, with the mares under camera so not to disturb them but been able to keep a close eye on them, myself and OH sit up between us OH usually stops up until about 2am then we swop and I stay up for the rest of the night (and day LOL) we have just got the cameras switched on today as we have two mares starting to bag up but not far enough on yet for the all night watch I could think of nothing worse than a mare foaling down in the middle of the night outside and something going wrong, then having to manage to get both or mare in labour back in the stable due to a problem, never mind trawling round a field trying to locate and check the mare in the middle of the night however that is our personal choice and we try our best to make sure everything is as safe as possible as everyone does. |
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Post by elmere on Feb 17, 2011 22:39:05 GMT
so elmere would you be happy to foal a maiden mare out side in march and being maiden i would rather have in where i can keep an eye on her not trugging round a dark feild and the other mare has never foaled outside either and she has had four foals as for the bedding the vet said she would be fine to foal on shavings fabfern i would rather listen to a vet than one individual providing you have a nice big stable they will be fine could you imagine foaling in the pelting rain would not be nice would it Its not just one individual though is it, try looking it up in books or on the internet and you will see alot of people dont like to take the risk, including veterinarians. Like I said I would find another alternative and if I knew my mare had this problem then either cover later and have a later foal when the weather is most likely to be nicer or find something else to bed them on eg. chopped and dust extracted straw. Its your mare though and therefore your choice. And holiday Im just in the process of looking at cams on the internet to set up, its all very confusing.  |
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Post by holiday on Feb 18, 2011 8:35:02 GMT
And holiday Im just in the process of looking at cams on the internet to set up, its all very confusing. I leave that bit to my OH it gives him something to occupy himself as he likes gadgets!!!! I must admit to being still at midnight last night trying to get the picture better in our bedroom!!!!! The picture downstairs was brill but something was interferring with it upstairs ;D Fortunately the mares are not quite ready yet so no panic as I said I was not sleeping with a disco going on in the bedroom LOL ;D |
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Post by horseyll81 on Feb 18, 2011 17:12:37 GMT
My mare has chosen to foal outside on both occasions...both 2 weeks early!! She has her lovely deep straw bed everynight for about 6 weeks before due date and yet she still decides to foal at 2.30pm in the afternoon just as I go on the school run!! They are all different...just like us!! :?)
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Post by alisony on Feb 18, 2011 19:00:52 GMT
My maiden mare (Exmoor) due end of April will be foaling outside, as the vet advised. They foal out on Exmoor in all weathers, she'll be checked & if necessary the vet will be called, inside or out, there is no guarantee the vet will arrive in time if things go pear shaped.
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Post by sjp on Feb 18, 2011 19:09:45 GMT
Oh Horseyll81 I'd love afternoon foals lol
I'm with Holiday and Elmere, think it's safer to foal them in with camera on them. Must admit I leave the gadget stuff to hubby!
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Post by hawkbay on Feb 18, 2011 21:27:10 GMT
elmere you make sound as if i am not botherd and just taking a risk well am not i take my ponies seriously and look after them to the best of my abilaty they still will pick at treated straw and not all vet and people agree with each other do they and like i said 1 has never foaled outside and 1 is maiden and i would not want a maiden mare foaling around other ponies
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