Caring for Mares & Foals

Lesson 4: Foaling

Phase Three: Finishing the Process

In most cases when the shoulders have emerged the delivery is essentially complete. There should be very little time until she pushes the foal out the rest of the way, although I’ve seen a mare rest and wait while the hind legs are still inside. If she does not push at this point, you will need to assist, for a foal can die in this position, for the placenta is detaching from the uterine wall and the oxygen supply is depleted or even totally disrupted.

The other assistance you may need to render is breaking the sack. When the foal emerges it is still in a filmy white sac called the amnion. In most cases the foal’s stretching movements as it proceeds through the birth canal rips the sac, which is tightly stretched over its hooves. Occasionally, however, this fails to happen, and without the timely intervention of the watcher, the foal would die.

After expelling the foal, the mare may lie with apparent disinterest for several minutes. She, too, is having a bit of recovery. If she remains laying still, the foal will receive the last bit of nourishment from the umbilical cord before the mare breaks it when she stands. The most satisfying delivery I witnessed was when the foal inched its way around to the front of the mare and she began licking it before either of them even stood up. When she finally got up (about ten minutes) she had already passed her placenta with little effort.

Text books say that the cord should almost always be allowed to break on its on, unless time elapsed exceeds fifteen to twenty minutes, or the placenta is passed and the cord is still attached. Then, rather then cutting it, tear it, as this causes less bleeding and less chance of infection.

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