FOALING
AN OWNER’S GUIDE TO

Two great articles from

The Ameican ≤uarter Horse Journal
KNOWING WHEN IT’S TIME
IT PAYS TO BE PREPARED

Copyright 2006 by American Quarter Horse Association reprinted from The American Quarter Horse Journal

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No part of this book may be reproduced in any formwithout the written permission of the publisher, except for quotations embodied in critical articles or review.

F

oaling out a mare is a lifechanging endeavor, for the mare and her owner. But if you’re not familiar with the pregnancy process, your mare could surprise you by going into labor when you’re not expecting it. Is there a way to tell she’s about to foal? Can the exact day be pinpointed?
Does she …ver más…

approximate due
“There are a lot of date will help you formulas out there,” guage when to says Blodgett. “336 start checking he days is what’s in a lot regularly for signs of of gestation tables, which is approximate. impending foaling.
We basically just knock a month off their breeding date. If it’s an older mare, we usually assume it’s going to take a little bit longer than average. Our program gives us a due date, and we have a nightwatchman’s list that has the mares listed in due date order. But as a rule of thumb, I just knock a month off.
“Also, we see a tendency for mares to establish patterns. If they foal pretty consistently right on 11 month, in general they seem to follow that pattern usually until they get over 15 years old.
When they get over 15 years old, that’s when they start going a little longer.

K NOWING WHEN IT’S TIME

Until they get to be 12 to 15 years old, mares seem to foal within a certain window.” If a breeding farm has foaled your mare out in the past, they might have records of her foaling patterns, from pregnancy lengths to specific signs she exhibited before foaling to what happened during the birth itself. Contact them for information to help you prepare to foal her out at home.

Signs of the big event

veterinary assistants usually have assisted veterinarians in foaling mares and should know what to look for, both before and during the birth. Some have become professional foaling