Foaling : The Result of Refined Breeding Techniques

With the advent of the springtime comes renewed hopes and dreams for many Standardbred horse owners and breeders throughout North America, and around the world. Breeding facilities are at their height of activity throughout the spring and summer months, foaling youngsters and then preparing the previous year's youngsters for the auction rings.

Early on in the process, the selection of the right mare for the right stallion plays an extremely important role in the breeding game. Owners and breeding experts carefully inspect genetic and performance histories of both stallions and mares in hopes of procurring the ultimate "match," which means a winning race horse.

As foaling time draws near, the mare's uterus expands iwth the weight of her youngster, and her udder begins to swell and a waxiness develops, and she may eve begin to drip milk. Even with these signs, however, it can be very difficult for breeders to pinpoint exactly when a mare will birth a foal. Many mares are quite shy during these months and resent being watched by human eyes. This is often exasperating for the breeder, and those on the lookout to make sure both mare and foal endure the birthing process in a healthy and safe nature.

Foaling usually occurs at night, or in the wee hours of the morning, and can happen indoors or outside in a pasture. If everything goes normally, the whole process usually takes just between 15 to 30 minutes. Many a breeder has missed the actual foaling by falling asleep briefly or by going to get a drink of water in the early morning hours.

When a mare begins to foal, her uterus contracts, producing labor pains, and the first thing breeders observe is a large, ballon-like object full of liquid at the opening of the amre's birth canal. This will break and great quantities of fuild will rush out, to be followed almost immediately by the forefeet and the nose of the baby.

The mare is under a great deal of stress at this moment, and her pains are tremendously powerful. The rest of the foal's body soon appears, and then suddenly, he is out, although still attached to his mother via the umbilical cord. After a certain amount of time the mare will stand up or the foal will start to struggle and the cord will stretch and break as nature intended for it to do.

The mare must then pass the afterbirth, of placenta, which has supplied the growing foal will all it has needed to live and develop. If this has not happened within two hours time, then usually a veterinarian will be called in to help the delivery. If the afterbirth were to be left inside the mare, very serious and often fatal conditions could arise, such as laminitis and death.

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