Here are the "clean" girls. They got manes pulled, tails combed out and baths for the new year. Buffy is coming on quickly. She's about 1/3 to 1/2 bagged up. She may just make that due date. I was told she was "textbook" for her first foal last year.
buffy....
Ok....anyone with experience foaling I would like some advice. I purchased a mare and she is pregnant, but she was out in pasture with a stud for almost a year so noone knows when she got bred. The best we can figure by her teets and how she looks is probably around 7-8 months along. What do I need to do to prepare for the foal? I have been around foals after they were born but never delivered one. My grandpa has and I will be calling him and the vet for help if needed. I really just need any good advice.
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Foaling kit in my barn has these supplies.....
vet wrap
towels
enema
naval clamps
gentle iodine
pulling chains
sharp scissors
bandage scissors
alcohol
electrolyte paste
baby bottle
Banamine
syringes and needles
and of course we have bran for mashing on hand and wormer for the mare the day after foaling.
As for prep, you should have plenty of clean straw bedding ready if you are foaling inside. There are "test kits" you can buy that tell fairly accurately (from what I have been told) how soon the mare will foal. I think someone in this thread actually mentioned the name. I've never used it before, my experience has been night watching and you just are there when they foal because it's your job. ie I've gotten paid to foal out other people's mares.
I don't know how far away your grandpa or vet are, but more than likely, if something is going to go really wrong, it'll happen before anyone can get to you. That's why it's good to have supplies on hand to handle those kinds of things. Is your horse a maiden?
We had two babies here last year. They were both maidens and bred around the same time. My sweetie did not bag up til maybe a day or two before and not much, we thought she had a while to go. You never know with maidens. Dh let sweetie out at 7 after feeding which she ate like usual and we had a baby on the ground by 8am. My neighbor witnessed it driving by and ran up to the house. I saw her go down in the field and by the time I hobbled out in my pj's and slippers we had a foal on the ground and it broke through the bag. Chloes was born in the stall when I went to get coffee after being up all night 3 weeks later. You never can tell with babies. Hoping for a great foalings for you!!!