Predicting Foaling

Eleven months is a considerable length of time to anticipate the birth of a foal. A great deal of hope, excitement, dreams, and financial investment can accompany the arrival of a newborn. Because of the long wait, most owners want to monitor th

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Eleven months is a considerable length of time to anticipate the birth of a foal. A great deal of hope, excitement, dreams, and financial investment can accompany the arrival of a newborn. Because of the long wait, most owners want to monitor the birth of the foal, to make sure nothing goes wrong–and 90% of the time, the birth goes as Nature intended. However, there are times when human intervention is necessary, and being there makes the difference between a healthy newborn foal and one which does not survive. That is why interest in predicting foaling has become so great.


Most mares like to foal when it is quiet and they are undisturbed. This is a natural instinct, in order to protect their foals from predators. Therefore, having a mare foal when it is convenient for you is unlikely. Most mares foal either late at night or in the early hours of the morning. Therefore, close monitoring of the late-term mare for sometimes weeks at a time has been the only way to ensure that the birth was attended. This can make monitoring the mare for the birth of the foal costly. The costs can come in the form of using a closed circuit television, hiring someone to monitor the foaling, or having the mare foal at a special care facility.


Monitoring The Late-Term Mare


Using a closed-circuit television is a very convenient method to monitor the mare, as you do not have to travel to the barn or stall-side to watch what is going on. You can watch the mare from your house or from a separate room in the barn so that she will remain undisturbed. The disadvantage of this monitoring system is that the mare might place herself in a position that is not easily seen by the television camera. Most importantly, someone still has to watch the television screen during the night, and you might not notice her until she already is in labor. Many breeding farms and veterinary clinics use a closed-circuit television to monitor late-term mares since the mares can be monitored without disturbing them, and those facilities already are staffed 24 hours

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Written by:

Christina S. Cable, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, owns Early Winter Equine in Lansing, New York. The practice focuses on primary care of mares and foals and performance horse problems.

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