Caring for Mares & Foals

Lesson 6: Caring For the Newborn Foal

Enema

Once the foal has had some of that life giving nourishment, you may want to give an enema. Not every foal needs one, but many stables administer one as routine. Even if you see the foal pass meconium (first manure, formed in intestine while in utero), doesn’t mean the foal won’t still be constipated. Be observant for straining while trying to defecate, a common problem in the first 24 hours. The easiest method is a common fleet enema. Take care not to insert it more then four inches and do it gently so as not to rupture membranes. Warm it in a bucket of warm water before administering it. Sometimes you might feel a bit of resistance as you insert the tip. Squeeze some liquid and allow it to soften the manure before you continue to insert the enema. Let me again emphasis gentleness, as irreparable damage is done if you tear the membranes. Because of this, I usually wait until I see evidence of a problem before using an enema.

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