Foaling Supplies

Foaling kits should include a clean tail wrap, sterile gloves to assist the delivery, towels to dry the foal, a disinfectant for the navel, a clamp for the umbilical cord if there is excessive bleeding, a baby bottle to fill with colostrum in case the foal is too weak to nurse, and an enema. A clock to note when the water breaks and the mare’s progress is critical. If the mare has a history of poor milk production, or she has been grazing on fescue grass infected with endophyte, frozen colostrum should be on hand. CEVS may add items to this kit as needed for your individual mare.

Alert CEVS when your mare’s due date approaches and have the clinic’s phone number readily available:

Foaling Monitors

A variety of options exist to monitor the late term mare. Foaling monitors on a surcingle around the mare’s girth sound an alarm in the house when the mare lies on her side. Monitors placed in the vagina are expelled at the beginning of delivery and sound an alarm when exposed to ambient temperature. Monitors sutured across the vulva sound an alarm when the foal’s hooves break their magnetic connection.

These monitors can save lives.