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madmare
Platinum Member
England
2129 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 12:06:08 PM
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HELP!!! I am (hopefully) taking on an in foal mare, on breeding loan, and I keep the foal...what should I be looking out for, she is a maiden mare, does this make a difference? Please help, she is not arriving until next feb, but I need to know what to be on the lookout for...she'll be foaling in Jan 2008...fingers crossed...so any tips appreciated.
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MinHe
Platinum Member
England
2927 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 12:54:26 PM
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Find someone experienced close at hand who can share the foal watch with you - or find a stud who can take her in for foaling would be my first suggestion! Maiden mares can be difficult, as they have to figure it all out for themselves: to give you an example, we had a maiden foal, and she was so thrilled with the foal she wouldn't let it out of her sight, so every time the poor lad went to suckle, she turned round. In the end, we nearly lost him, he was so exhausted and dehydrated!
Keren |
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Pashon2001
Platinum Member
3575 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 1:12:58 PM
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| In saying that Keren, one of my experienced mares does that for the first day or so!! I have found that ALL maidens need a little assistance in learning to look after baby, even if its just for the first few hours. As far as the foaling is concerned, find someone experienced or call your vet if you are sure foaling is under way. Best yet as keren suggests find an experienced stud to take her for foaling. |
     
www.jarvastud.com http://hocon.webs.com/ |
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NatH
Platinum Member
England
2695 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 1:21:30 PM
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Hi Madmare
Congratulations on your new aquisition
I am not an experienced breeder, I have only bred two foals. So my advice to you is read as much as you can, speak to as many people as you can and as MinHe says try and get someone local who is experienced that can help out, just incase you need it. Even someone on the end of the phone is better than nothing. If you are able to observe any foalings between now and then, that will help you.
The books will give you an idea what to look for as time gets closer but all mares are different so it is just an idea.
I contacted my Vet and advised them of my mare's due date. I also contacted the Surgery when she went into labour, just so they expected a call at some point later on that evening.
I'm sure all the ALers will help, all they can.
Good luck, I'm sure you will be fine |
Natalie
Chapel Lane Arabians
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madmare
Platinum Member
England
2129 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 1:41:06 PM
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| well, my vet will be on standby...for the last month! I'll be camping there, as we have a huge double box, I can be in one side, and she'll be in the other...that way, I can keep my beady eyes on her! My Yo has bred foals before, so she will help me..I have observed quite a few, but never one where the foal is going to be all mine!!!! really excited now...can't wait! |
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Adara_Arabians
Gold Member
England
736 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 4:24:59 PM
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| Have you chosen a stallion for the mare in Question yet? |
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LYNDILOU
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
13976 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 5:07:02 PM
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You have plenty of time to learn as much as you can, but you will need help for your and hers first time, so strongly recommend having someone who knows what to do, with you, and dont forget most mares will foal in the small hours, so dont fall asleep on the one night you have waited for ! I had the same problem as karen with one of my maiden mares ( one that I bred myself) she was squealing with delight at the sight of her new baby in the end we had to catch her and put a head collor on her before she would let baby suckle, she just walked round and round looking at her baby, bless her, the look on her face was shear love |
   
www.dreamfield-arabians.com |
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madmare
Platinum Member
England
2129 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 5:12:06 PM
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| she is being covered by her one of her owner's stallions...I can guarantee I will not fall asleep..I'll be way too excited. Would I be ok to ride her lightly in the first few months...or is it best just to let her be a mummy? My mare is going to try to pinch this baby, I can see it coming! She will have a paddock to herself, well, shared with two elderly shetlands...and a huge double section loosebox, it is 24 x 18...so pretty big. I can't wait until I am posting baby piccies...hopefully will be trouble free! |
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Tahir
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4572 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 5:17:29 PM
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Congratulations on your new acquisition, looks like you're going to have loads of fun to look forward to!! It will be handy having your YO to help, as said above, maiden mares can sometimes have difficulty accepting their foals.
I had trouble with my maiden this year. She was completely surprised by her foal and didn't know whether to attack it or love it. It took us 30 hours and a major fight with her to make her allow the foal drink from the bar. We had to milk her to feed him, which is something we really didn't want to continue!!! I had a feeling we were going to have trouble when she tried to attack the foal of her next door neighbour just before she was due. This is the first maiden I have had trouble with, 6 of my mares were maidens and they were no problem at all (just as well, I didn't have much experience with foaling then!!!). The law of averages says that you'll probably be OK, I'm sure you will be. Good luck and, obviously, let us know!! |
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nicolanapper
Platinum Member
England
4247 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 6:08:25 PM
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Hi there, my filly was born in February this year and for a few days she did need a foal rug. Also as it was cold, at night I shut the top of her stable door to keep the warmth in, during the day it was open, but the prevailing wind, would whistle straight into her stable.
Nicky |
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Judith S
Platinum Member
Wales
15686 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 7:40:19 PM
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Thankyou Madmare for posting this - its many years since we bred a foal - hopefully one due next year so lots of brushing up to do!!
Judith |
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Nuttybabez
Gold Member
England
522 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 9:14:46 PM
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I bred my first foal from a maiden last year and I managed quite sufficiently.
The only things I would recommend are - foaling alarms (priceless), being near by when she foals (very important just in case), ensure the vet knows her due date and is on call if neccessary and finally - the bible as I call it - From Foal to Full Grown by Janet Lorch (invaluable!)
Maybe you could join the national foaling bank? I did last year and phoned a couple of times for advice which was very useful.
Good luck! It is so magical watching your mare give birth! |
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madmare
Platinum Member
England
2129 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 9:19:33 PM
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I am already a foal milk holder for the NFB and a member...vet will be on standby...he used to be attached to a stud, until he set up his own dedicated equine practice, so he is very experienced. I really am looking forward to her arrival, and then postin gbaby piccies...and I have names already..sad I know, but I have so many, and my prefix is being registered...Elvenkeep Arabians...so any you see with the Elvenkeep prefix..it's me!
Primarily, baby will be hubby's to show in hand, and then mine under saddle...I just hope everything goes without a hitch...I won't sleep over Christmas and new year 2007/2008...just in case! |
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s.jade
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2401 Posts |
Posted - 06 Oct 2006 : 2:58:22 PM
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Hiya
Re riding her I backed and rode away my Petra as the vet saidno way was she infoal....I rode her until 6months..well, when we felt Frankie first kick 
Nazika I also rode last year most the way through, up until she was nearly 8months on, though it was light exercise only at that point. She should be fine to back and ride away
I think she will know fairly well about babies too!!
Petra as a maiden had to be held and twitched to allow Frankie todrink forthe first day, it took 5 hours toget her on as she managed to knock herself out on the wall at about an hour old, so was unsteady.
She was an extremely protective first time Mum, and Frankie couldn't even go near another horse until she was about 5months old...this years colt now only goes tomum for a drink when he'stired, she's not bothered about him, funny how they change!!
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Tahir
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4572 Posts |
Posted - 06 Oct 2006 : 4:46:35 PM
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s.jade, I had to twitch this year's maiden mare as well, she still managed to bite and kick us with all four legs when we tried to put baby on, when those antics failed she tried to fall on us LOL. Thank god my OH is no weakling. All of us were sweating buckets by the time we got some milk out of her. Normally this mare is the sweetest most docile girl you could wish to meet, she is normally handled and ridden by my 11 year old son. I started to wonder if she had been "posessed".
Carla, xx. |
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madmare
Platinum Member
England
2129 Posts |
Posted - 06 Oct 2006 : 6:10:19 PM
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| Sam, don't say that hun...you'll get me panicking! Please say she'll be ok!!! or I may have to ring you to come and sort her out when she foals! BTW, got another three names now...Lahanna, a Celtic moon goddess, Anadelonbrin, which means Vengeance in Elvish, and Starsinger...also have a few others...do you like them? |
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Nuttybabez
Gold Member
England
522 Posts |
Posted - 06 Oct 2006 : 9:09:31 PM
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| My maiden accepted her foal straight away, was not bothered about us being in the stable with them from birth and allowed baby to suckle as soon as baby figured out how so its not always a problem. |
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Nick
Gold Member
United Kingdom
887 Posts |
Posted - 07 Oct 2006 : 8:02:54 PM
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If it is going to be your first foal try breeding for a later foal
Early foals are so much more work and if you have problems foster
mares are hard to find in Jan /feb,And we wonder how much of an advantage it is no spring grass life in a stable can be boring,
Nick
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jaj
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4324 Posts |
Posted - 07 Oct 2006 : 9:33:20 PM
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This is a really interesting topic as I'm hoping to breed my first foal the year after next. Fortunately my mare has already had two daughters, so hopefully one of us will know what to do on the night  . Following on from what Nick said about early foals, are the mares much more likely to fall later in the year when they are naturally coming into season? I was thinking of sending her away to stud next March/April to give her as many chances as possible of getting in foal without risking the foal being born late in the year and going into winter as a tiddler. Sorry Madmare, hope you don't mind me asking a question on your thread. 
Can anyone recommend any good books to study apart from First Foal and Foal to Full Grown which I already have.
Jen
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Kuraishiya (Maleik el Kheil/Kazra el Saghira) and Sahara Bey (Kuraishiya/WSA Charismma) |
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LYNDILOU
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
13976 Posts |
Posted - 07 Oct 2006 : 9:59:48 PM
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A lot of problems can be avoided if you get your mare used to you touching her udder, desensitising a maidens teats before the foal has to grapple with them. in all things there have been scary scenario's , but most of the time say 97% will be ok, so dont scare yourselves un nesserserily ( sp ) sorry had a glass of wine (hick ) also having a foal early is usually not to much of a problem, march/ april is a good timegood luck to all first timers, you will enjoy it I am sure anyway I am off to Dallas tomorrow so I am off to bed |
www.dreamfield-arabians.com |
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Egbert
Gold Member
USA
1051 Posts |
Posted - 08 Oct 2006 : 04:29:25 AM
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Lynda...is so right! Could not agree more! Over here we have a product called 'Bag balm'...that you carefully apply to the mare's milk bag a week or two before foaling and then daily...You don't want to express milk and you might have the vet guide you through an application...but it will help not only desensitize the mare, but keep her from getting so sore she wants to kick the foal's or your head off when first nursing! Which is another thing...Make real friends with that mare...so you are her pal, companion, source of comfort and food. You want her used to you hanging about and welcome your presence.
Think it has been suggested above:
1-vet's phone number
2-someone with the mare round the clock or a foaling monitor
3-Foalac on hand and locate a nurse mare just in case your mare rejects (unlikely but depending on location, if you suddenly need a nurse mare...it is nice to know where there might be one handy!)
There is one book that you will thank the Lord for...and think you can get in on Amazon: BLESSED ARE THE BROODMARES by Phyllis Lose. It can scare BUT the suggestions and guidance are right on.
Lynda,
Have a great trip! |
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madmare
Platinum Member
England
2129 Posts |
Posted - 08 Oct 2006 : 6:57:43 PM
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Thank you so much...should I tell em Sam...it is one of Sam's girlies I am taking on...covered by El Rashid...I hope it turns out ok, and we'll be showing her lightly in hand...as long as Sam doesn't mind of course, and I the reason I want a january foal, is that 2008 is my 30th, and baby is an early birthday pressie...and baby will be 6 months on my Birthday...so it will tie in!!!
I'll be ok with backing her, she can be hacked round quiet roads with Crystal...and I am just sooo looking forward to my new arrivals!!! Sam, thank you for letting me take her on, and trusting me with your little girl..and her first baby!
We have Infra red heat lamps for early lambs...do you think I should maybe have them rigged up just in case it is really bad weather...I know some mares choose really nasty weather to foal in...I also will hire a foaling alarm, and we already have a CCTV system at the yard...Counting the days now till her arrival...stable will be sorted, she'll be in with Crinky and Clyda unti she gets further along, and then she can move into the maternity ward, as the big box is known, when she comes in next winter...after living out all summer...and thank you for book suggestions, I have a list a mile long now...guess what my Christmas pressie list will consist of?
Do you like the names I have? or will they sound silly? |
Edited by - madmare on 08 Oct 2006 7:41:51 PM |
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s.jade
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2401 Posts |
Posted - 08 Oct 2006 : 7:47:09 PM
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| I definitely like the names...may have to consult you when registering my 2 in the next week or so! |
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madmare
Platinum Member
England
2129 Posts |
Posted - 10 Oct 2006 : 11:15:23 AM
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| Any one wants names..let me know, I have a list of lovely elvish names, and a few others...not conventional, but you'll get noticed! |
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