Broodmare Care & Foaling Process

Health & Nutrition

During winter, pasture growth is minimal. It's the time to ensure that mares are receiving supplementary feed such as good quality hay and/or a daily ration containing an energy source such as oats. Winter is also the time to check the feet of your mares and call in a farrier if their feet need trimming.

Don't forget to regularly worm your mares (and your weanlings and yearlings). Intestinal parasites reduce the nutritional value of feed and can cause anaemia, damage the intestines and associated blood vessels and predispose the mare to colic.

Monitoring your mare in the weeks leading up to the date when she is expected to foal is important. The average gestation length (duration of pregnancy of a mare) is 335 to 340 days, but can range from 320 to 370 days.

Most mares foal at night, usually between midnight and 6am. For this reason, many breeders prefer to send their mares to breeding farms or studs where they will be checked at regular intervals throughout the night. A complicated delivery or prolonged labour is an emergency and requires urgent action to save the mare and the foal.

Take a look at our webcast series, BREED TO SUCCEED, with episodes covering many elements of broodmare nutrition and health.

The Mare in Labour

Labour in a mare follows three distinct stages:

STAGE ONE

The first stage of labour is generally the longest and might take from one to four hours. The mare may act restless, circling her stall or paddock. She might get up and down frequently, pass small amounts of manure or urine, and act nervous. The mare might also show some colic-like symptoms such as looking at her sides, sweating along her neck and flanks, and showing signs of abdominal discomfort. Mares might not exhibit all of these symptoms but usually have a distinct change of behaviour during Stage One labour.

STAGE TWO

This stage of labour begins when the mare's "water" breaks and ends when the foal has been delivered. The process typically takes approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. The membrane usually ruptures before being pushed through the cervix and the allantoic fluid will be expelled in a gush. At this point, uterine contractions will usually begin in earnest. Generally at this point, the mare will lay down if she has not already done so.

Once the water has broken, the feet and head of the foal should start to emerge. The front feet should be delivered first with the soles pointing down in a normal delivery. One front foot is generally slightly ahead of the other and the muzzle of the foal will be at the level of its knees. The foal is encased in a thin, transparent, whitish membrane called the amniotic sack.

Once the foal has been delivered, if the sack did not rupture during the labour, it should be torn open and pulled back from the foal's face and head to allow the foal to breathe - unlike cattle and other animals, the foal can quickly suffocate in the bag if it does not break.

In contrast, if you see a velvety-red membrane emerging from the vulva, it is a sign that the placenta has detached prematurely without rupturing and it is an emergency situation commonly referred to as "red-bag." You should consult with your veterinarian prior to when your mare is due to foal to discuss what you should do if this situation occurs.

STAGE THREE

Stage three is the expulsion of the placenta. It might take from one to three hours. If the placenta has not been expelled after three hours, it is considered retained and you should contact your veterinarian.

If you plan to supervise the foaling of your mare, read about the stages of labour and consult with your veterinarian if you have any questions. Develop a strategy of what to do if, for example, there is no sign of a foal after the water has broken.

Remember also that the hours after a foal is born are the most important in its life. It must receive an adequate amount of colostrum (first milk) within 8-12 hours of being born to ensure that it protected against infections in its early life. If your foal is unable to suckle for any reason in these critical hours after birth, call your veterinarian.