Late one cold spring night in Maryland, we had just finished foaling out a young first-foal Thoroughbred mare when a group of graduate students stopped by the farm on their way home from a party. In the spirit of things, they continued their partying outside the foaling stall, laughing, joking and carrying on. The young mare, experiencing some abdominal cramps, became disoriented and frightened by the noise. A cramp hit her and she collapsed onto the ground. After a moment , she got up and started to spin round and round getting increasing excited by the noise.

Immediately it became apparent that the life of her newborn foal lying helplessly in the middle of the stall was in jeopardy. Rushing into try and save the foal from being crushed, the mare nearly trampled both her foal and its human protector. Quickly the partying college students realizing that their college professor was in a life-threatening situation decided they' ought to find a better place to continue their party.

Within minutes the mare quieted down and Jim placed the foal back in the stall. Fortunately the mare sniffed her foal and began licking it. Nature took over and the maternal business of nurturing her newborn began again.

The mare about to foal is a very sensitive animal. Seven thousand years of domestication has not erased basic apprehension about being vulnerable during birthing. For millions of years, the mare and the newborn foal have been prey for the carnivores of the grasslands. Perhaps this is why so many foals are born between 3:00 and 5:00 a.m. - the time the predators of the night are retiring and the early morning stalkers are not yet up.

Eons of being exposed to attack during this period has given the mare the ability to exercise some control over the conditions of the birth. It appears that a mare may be able to postpone an impending birth during the early stages of parturition, should she get upset or nervous. This life-saving trait in the wild can be a frustration in the foaling barn.

Horses are creatures of habit. A break in any routine is especially upsetting for the broodmare about to foal. The key to foaling out mares on your farm is to make them as calm and comfortable as possible. If you plan on changing their routine prior to foaling, it is wise to implement the new schedule 2 - 4 weeks before the due date. For example, some farms have specific stalls that are used for foaling. Some farms change the day routine for mares about to foal. They may turn them out in a new paddock at specific times of the day. Whatever is new and different in your operation, give the mare time to adjust and be comfortable with the new system.

If the mare is going to ship to a different facility to be foaled out, it is adviseable that she arrive at the new farm 4 weeks prior to her due date. Travel, arriving at a new place with unknown horses and people is a major adjustment for the pregnant mare. Although this may be an added expense to the owner, weight must be given to possible consequences of the other alternative.

Several years ago, a mare was shipped to our farm to foal. She had been on the trailer for several hours and, upon unloading, it was noted that she had milk dripping from her bag. Exhausted from the trip, the mare paced back and forth in the foaling stall upset by the new environment. By nightfall, it was obvious that the delivery of her foal was imminent. But the mare still refused to relax and would only go down when she was knocked down by a hard contraction. Near exhaustion, the mare finally laid down as the foal began to appear.

Depleted of energy, the mare lacked the strength to complete the delivery. Human assistance became necessary but any attempt to enter the stall upset the mare and she would begin thrashing around trying to get to her feet. Her energy ran out and the foal was pulled free - exhausted from the ordeal himself. Limp, the pair laid in the stall.

It took several hours for the mare to recuperate enough to care for her foal. The foal was weak - a body primed for takeover by opportunist bacteria. His first few days of life were critical. Both survived the experience but the trauma sent the mare and foal into 30 days of intensive care.

Again, the key to foaling is to keep the mare calm. Do your part to set the stage for a quiet comfortable delivery room. Here are some ideas about how to create a positive environment for your foaling mare.

Dogs have no place in the foaling barn. Generally, they upset foaling mares, perhaps because they trigger the foaling-predator syndrome. In the wild, predators often prey on females that are getting birth and on the newborns.

Keep all noise to a minimum. If you must speak, do so in a whisper.

Find a secluded place from which to observe. Leave the mare alone unless she lays down in a spot where the foal cannot be delivered. If you like to wrap up the tail hairs prior to delivery, do it well in advance of mare going into the final stages of labor.It is not advisable to go in the stall at the last minute to do this job.

Don’t be caught off guard and have to "open up" a mare at the last moment. Know which mares have Caslick's. It is usually safe to open the vulva two weeks before the delivery date. However, open any mare you suspect might foal early. Opening the Caslick at the moment of birth can be a traumatic experience. The alternative - the foal tearing open the mare's vulva - is disastrous.

Good, well - planned foaling management will increase the odds of the broodmare producing a live healthy foal. Learn to think and feel like the broodmare - the animal delegated the job of producing the next generation of equine champions. Your efforts will be rewarded.