STUD FARM DIARIES WE INTERRUPT THIS COLUMN TO BRING YOU A FOALING
Come along with me into the foaling stall. For those who have foaled out lots of mares, this may be nothing new. But for those who have never had the experience, or may have their first foal, I will provide you with an idea of what to expect and what to do. I had just started this column, when I had to take a little break to deliver the sixth foal of the season thus far — a huge, chestnut colt, which now makes us 3:3 colts to fillies, with four more to go. The mare was 11 days overdue, and her milk calcium every day, including yesterday evening, was less than 50ppm. (At 250ppm, more than 90 percent of mares will foal within 48 hours.) However, this afternoon, it was 350ppm, and she was waxed up. So I knew we’d have an early evening foal, and she went down promptly at 7 p.m. Good girl!
There are myriad tasks at hand in April — possibly one of the busiest months of the year. Foaling is still happening, breeding is in full swing as well, the show season is off and running, and there is no part of the farm that is not very, very busy. If you are still foaling, you should have your foaling kit packed and in front of the stall. So far, we have: dewormed the mare so the foal doesn’t get Strongyloides westeri from
