Tips for Miniature Horse Foaling Season

Miniature horses typically have a somewhat higher rate of foaling problems than their bigger cousins. These are my top tips for foaling out your Miniature Horse mare.

During the last 60 days of your mare's gestation, the mare should be fed a high quality mare and foal feed and hay. This will prepare her for the rigors of sustaining a nursing foal.

Miniature horses tend to have a shorter gestation than big horses, so Miniature mares should be watched closely from day 300 and forward. Most will typically foal around day 330-335, but remember there are no real "due dates" when it comes to horses. Like humans, foals come when they are ready to be born.

Put together a foaling kit 30 days before your mare's estimated delivery date. Some things to include are:

Vet wrap to wrap the mare's tail
Scissors
Ob/Gyn lubrication
Banamine
De-wormer
String
Towels to dry the foal
Equine E. Coli Endotoxin
Nalvason to soak the umbilical cord
Baby bottle with old fashioned nipple

Miniature mares will give many signs as foaling nears. The biggest single indicator that foaling is near is an udder that is full, tight and warm to the touch. This is a mare that will probably foal within hours.

Once labor has started, you should see a white bubble within minutes of the contractions. If after 10 minutes of the mare contracting you do not see a white bubble, you mare could be in trouble. Put on gloves and cover your hand in ob/gyn lube and gently insert your hand in the mares vulva. You should feel a nose and a leg on either side of the nose. The most common dystocia is one front leg being bent back. Gently feel for the leg and straighten it between contractions. Another common dystocia in Miniature Horses is the head of the foal being stuck. If the head is stuck, give the foal time to stretch the mare's vulva. Use your hands to help stretch the tissue if needed by applying steady even pressure. Apply Ob/Gyn lubrication around the foals head to make it easier to pass through. When trying to resolve a dystocia, be sure you only apply gentle traction when the mare is actively contracting. Pulling on a foal when a mare is not having a contraction, can damage your mare's uterus. If you are unable to find the dystocia or unable to resolve it, immediately call your veterinarian.

Once the foal is born, remove the sack and dry the foals head first. By rubbing vigorously, you will help expel excess fluid from the foal's nostrils. Dry the foal off with towels and apply Nalvason to the umbilical cord. Once you are sure the foal is fine, tie up the placenta so that the mare does not slip on it. Never pull on the placenta, it will come out as the mare continues to contract. Immediately de-worm the mare and give Banamine for pain if needed. By giving the mare pain relief, she is able to focus on her foal. Give the mare and foal time to bond and watch from the outside of the stall.

Foals should be watched until they do all of the following:

Foal 1, 2 3.

Stand and walk within 1 hour
Nurse by hour 2
Urinate and pass manure by hour 3

Any deviation from this time line could mean the foal is in trouble. It is imperative that foals get colostrum within a few hours of being born.

Some Miniature Horse foals can have trouble locating the udder and nursing. Milk some of the colostrum from the mare and smear it on her nipples. This will guide the foal by smell to the udder. Gently direct the foal to the udder but do not put undue pressure on the foals neck. Only use the baby bottle to feed the foal as a last resort. Once a foal has been fed from a bottle, it is very hard to get them to nurse from the mare's udder.

Once the foal has done all of the above, give the foal 1/2 to 1 tube of Equine E. Coli Endotoxin at about 5-8 hours of age. This will keep the foal from getting E. Coli which is the leading cause of foal diarrhea and joint ill. This paste must be given before the foal is 12 hours old to be effective.