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Discussion on To stall or not to stall? | |
Author | Message |
New Member: ttownzen |
Posted on Saturday, Feb 2, 2008 - 12:35 pm: My TB mare is ready to foal, but refuses to settle down when I try to stall her. Usually wouldn’t be a problem as the pasture is foal safe, but we have a foot of snow on the ground and it’s coming down hard. Vet probably wouldn’t make it over the mountain pass even if I needed him. She’s at day 329, with full bag, one teat partially waxed, and light mucous discharge. She stays in the stall for the most part, and is content, but I’m afraid she might foal out in the snow storm. Should I let her make the choices, or lock her in? She truly gets frantic and works herself into quite a sweat and a dither. I’m watching her closely, with a camera in the barn, but at night to check her I have to go out and disturb her if she leaves the barn. What to do? |
Member: ekaufman |
Posted on Saturday, Feb 2, 2008 - 12:50 pm: Hi Terri,Does she have a buddy in the barn that she can see from the stall? I would do my very best to get her comfortable indoors. Usually they will choose a dry safe place to foal, but not always. Is she an experienced broodmare? Will you know as soon as she foals, or is there a chance you may miss it? Do you have a safe heat lamp in case she does DrOp it in the snow? I would be trying to get her comfy in the barn, for my own sake if not for hers. Let us know what happens. Foaling in bad weather is really nerve wracking. In the end, she needs to do her job, and probably she will. Good luck! |
Member: ajudson1 |
Posted on Saturday, Feb 2, 2008 - 1:04 pm: Hey,I've only raised 3 foals, but had a mare like her. She was kept locked in and did fine foaling inside. She choose to give birth on a very cold foggy drizzly April morning, and I was very glad she did so inside. Do you have a radio on in the barn? I'd try to get her settled with something/someone, and make sure you are calm so she don't pick up on your anxiety!! Pictures please of mom and baby when baby arrives! |
New Member: ttownzen |
Posted on Saturday, Feb 2, 2008 - 1:10 pm: Only one foal that I'm aware of. It was born in April 4 years ago. (I was told without incident) Yes, she has a buddy, which seems to be the problem. If the other mare goes out to her paddock... it all goes sour. Three nights ago, she had pretty serious swelling in her hind feet. I was getting concerned and then she spent the night standing in the snow. (She rarely goes into the weather) The swelling went down completely. That was when I decided maybe "momma knows best" She's been laying down in the stall quite a bit lately so my hope was that she would stay inside. I agree that my psyche would fair better if she were inside, but I lost a foal about 20 years ago when she was stressed from a change in surroundings. I guess I'm a little gun shy.I am watching her like a hawk, and only getting 45 mins to an hour of sleep at a time, but you know how much can happen in an hour. Good idea on the heat lamp. I might have an old one in storage. I have a radiant heater I might be able to safely put in the breezeway to take off the overall chill as well. Thanks for the advice. Terri We're operating on generator power right now because of the storm. Don't know how receptive hubby will be to the barn getting power instead of the house. What's up with this crazy CA weather anyway? |
Member: ekaufman |
Posted on Saturday, Feb 2, 2008 - 1:26 pm: Hmmm. Under the circumstances, I might lock the buddy in, and hope that would decide things for your mare. But if she's lying down in the stall, I'd guess she'll foal there as well.Radiant heaters are safer than heat lamps-- good thought. We've had two barn fires around here from heat lamps getting knocked into straw, so be careful, and best of luck! Foal watch is no fun. Hope everything goes well and soon! |
Member: dres |
Posted on Saturday, Feb 2, 2008 - 1:36 pm: I will second the thought on keeping the buddy locked in too.. We never leave a mare or rehab in the barn alone... someone has to baby sit.. just the rules around here..can't wait to see a photo of a newborn.. On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots.. |
Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, Feb 2, 2008 - 1:45 pm: Could you leave her out during the day when you can watch her, then put her and buddy in at night?Speaking from calving experience in the winter....the newborns loose alot of critical body heat when born in the snow, we always put the cows in when close to calving. Most don't like it but they settle. The ones we don't catch and are born outside never seem to be as fast as starters and we have lost a few. Also when the cows are given the choice of calving inside or out..they ALWAYS calve outside, they have to hide ya know. I think horses have the same instincts FME, they like to be by themselves. My vote is inside Good Luck. |
Member: jojo15 |
Posted on Saturday, Feb 2, 2008 - 1:48 pm: notoriously they foal in the middle of the night! i would lock her in. how cold is it? if its in the 30's lock her in. above? then i might leave her out depending on if it was rainy. too many stories this month about losing kids to the freezing weather. to much of a chance i think. Just lock her in at night. when the time comes to foal? she won't be thinking of getting out. how big is the stall? can you possibly enlarge it? and give her more space?can you lock the buddy up too? I have to say the baby monitor i have (fisher price model 900mhz version from walmart $36) is the best darn investment. i heard one goat when her water broke. i hear everything. i love it and hate it! since you can hear everything. |
New Member: ttownzen |
Posted on Saturday, Feb 2, 2008 - 4:54 pm: Well, thanks everyone. I moved her to the foaling stall in spite of her objections. She has a 28X14 box and she is one angry TB. I moved her buddy into the breezeway and made it so she can't get more than 20ft away from prego. (12ft across the breezeway was just too far!) Prego is still having fits when her buddy gets behind the stall wall, but I do feel better that the baby has the best chance. It may just be born sooner. I just hope healthy. Will post pics when the time comes.Thanks for all of your help! |
Member: erika |
Posted on Saturday, Feb 2, 2008 - 8:53 pm: Terri, you brought back interesting memories from my one and only foaling experience!My son and I slept in a car in the barn for a week watching my mare and we finally decided THIS was the LAST night!!Of course, that's the night she had the foal. My mare was nervous about being stalled too, but she was fine within a few days of being confined--with her buddy in the next stall, of course. I let her out during the days in a paddock I could see from the house, closed her in at night. As far as heater, I think if your stall area is dry and not terribly windy, you won't need extra heat. I would be too nervous leaving anything on with confined horses. Can't wait to see baby pictures!! |
Moderator: DrO |
Posted on Sunday, Feb 3, 2008 - 8:21 am: The advice above is very good Terri, if you cannot be there as she foals, foaling in the snow is a large risk factor for complications with hypothermia, weakness, followed by hypoglycemia being number one.Erika is correct if kept dry and out of the wind, below freezing is acceptable for the foal though we always put a sweater on newborn foals when below freezing. And old button up sweater with the sleeves cut short and the bottom shortened so it is not peed on can be put on backward and makes a pretty good blanket if it is not so loose that the foal can be caught up in it. DrO |
Member: dsibley |
Posted on Sunday, Feb 3, 2008 - 8:43 am: It might be a little late for this, but next time you might try a 'stall mirror'. At first they are somewhat nervous because of the strange horse in close proximity, but then they get used to it and enjoy their own company! My former trainer had one for his stallion, and even had to take the mirror in the trailer with him, the silly thing was so attached to his own image. Talk about vain! |
New Member: ttownzen |
Posted on Thursday, Feb 7, 2008 - 6:41 am: Well... so far so good. She settled into her stall as well as I could have expected, but at 1:15am this morning we had this beautiful filly. The birth went fine, she nursed a little. (not as much as I would have hoped), passed some stool, and is taking a nap. It's quite cold, but she is drying nicely and not shivering so I think she's okay. Have the radiant heater in the barn, but not sure how much good it really does. |
Member: scooter |
Posted on Thursday, Feb 7, 2008 - 6:57 am: Great Teri! Beautiful filly, she looks like she is very leggy. |
Member: erika |
Posted on Thursday, Feb 7, 2008 - 8:02 am: congratulations! Beautiful family. The mare looks like she will be a great mom.Erika |
Moderator: DrO |
Posted on Thursday, Feb 7, 2008 - 8:54 am: Lovely Terri.DrO |
Member: ekaufman |
Posted on Thursday, Feb 7, 2008 - 8:56 am: Yay Terri! Let us know how they get along. What a nice pair. |
Member: dres |
Posted on Thursday, Feb 7, 2008 - 9:44 am: WoW that was fast.. you hardly became sleep deprived.. ??Congratulations.. On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots.. |
Member: tpmiller |
Posted on Thursday, Feb 7, 2008 - 10:03 am: Congratulations Terri. |
Member: canter |
Posted on Thursday, Feb 7, 2008 - 12:58 pm: Congratulations, Terri. Glad Mom and Baby are well. Keep the pix coming, please... |
Member: leilani |
Posted on Thursday, Feb 7, 2008 - 1:58 pm: Congratulations. |
Member: paardex |
Posted on Thursday, Feb 7, 2008 - 3:52 pm: Congratulations! How nice to see foal pictures again.Jos |
Member: ttownzen |
Posted on Sunday, Feb 10, 2008 - 10:15 am: Thanks for all of your help and congrats. We had a little scare with an impaction, but things seem to be moving nicely now. |
Member: canter |
Posted on Sunday, Feb 10, 2008 - 10:58 am: So cute!!! Is it the picture or does this baby look BIG? |
Member: scooter |
Posted on Sunday, Feb 10, 2008 - 12:19 pm: Teri, very cute. Love seeing baby pics, maybe spring is around the corner. |
Member: ttownzen |
Posted on Sunday, Feb 10, 2008 - 2:46 pm: Gosh I hope spring is around the corner... too much snow. Thus her name...Schnadame or Snow Lady. We can't decide if she's big or not. Guess it's been too long since I've had any babies. Momma is a little over 16h, and Daddy is a Holsteiner, so her chances of being big are good but she actually seems kind of small to me. I made the mistake of thinking momma would keep her out of the snow if I let her out. I was wrong, so back in they went. |
Member: canter |
Posted on Sunday, Feb 10, 2008 - 6:36 pm: Well, Terri, if the filly is built anything like my Holsteiner mare, she will be a tank...not really tall, not fat, just big-boned and solid.Enjoy! |
Member: ekaufman |
Posted on Sunday, Feb 10, 2008 - 9:50 pm: Hi Terri,What stallion is she by? My C-line Holsteiner mare (out of a TB) isn't all that big-- 16.2hh but very strong. Very nice, and of course she is adventuring in the snow! |
Member: gwen |
Posted on Sunday, Feb 10, 2008 - 9:59 pm: Congratulations, Terry! She is a cutie! I always love the pictures of Momma and Baby in those first moments. Your mare is looking so tenderly at her baby. |
Member: mrose |
Posted on Sunday, Feb 10, 2008 - 10:36 pm: Love the pictures; thanks for posting additional ones so we can see what a great build that filly has. She is lovely! |
Member: ttownzen |
Posted on Sunday, Feb 10, 2008 - 10:48 pm: I'm embarrassed to say she's by my colt (now gelding)who is by Hilltop Reno, by Riverman. I spent 25 years searching for a colt like this guy, so I guess if his baby is anything like him, she sure will be fun even if she was an accident (sort of). You can view her pedigree at: https://www.allbreedpedigree.com/schnedame She does look like she'll have great bone like Benny. The mare is pretty stocky for a TB too. And of course here's one last pic. Gosh she's sweet! Can you tell I just love her?! |
Member: ekaufman |
Posted on Sunday, Feb 10, 2008 - 11:09 pm: Terri,Heck of a pedigree for an accident. WOW. Keep us up on her progress. She's quite a girl. |
Member: paardex |
Posted on Monday, Feb 11, 2008 - 4:24 am: It isn't one of the biggest Holstein lines, but Redfort when approved was best moving stallion of the 3 year old. Rebel 1 is full brother to Ratina and has bred very well in Holstein[much better then his brothers 2 and 3] and gave solid horses good character good jumpers[ofcourse] but the occasional dressage horse too.Cor de la Bruyere is french and gave fabulous balancing jumpers with the most horrible mouths. As normally a good combination with the Rebel line. Trakehner for the looks and hardiness what more could you want? [I don't forget mommy just don't know anything about TB's] About the height Holsteiners are reknown for being late look at the horse in my profile at three years old he was 1.60m ended up 1.72 not heavy just much bigger then we expected. As TB's should be 'early' you could be surprised and Holsteiner mares normally are really smaller then the males [they want to see the difference in type without looking under the tail] Thought perhaps this was new information for you if not : no offence meant Jos |
Member: canter |
Posted on Monday, Feb 11, 2008 - 7:31 am: Yup, that's one sweet and well-bred "accident" you have there, Terri!Thanks again for sharing the pix. |
Member: ttownzen |
Posted on Monday, Feb 11, 2008 - 9:22 am: It is new info Jos, thanks. No offense taken. I appreciate all the info I can get. I love the horse in your profile. Very beautiful. Is that pic at 3 yrs old? Interesting about the "horrible mouths" on the Cor'd horses. I thought a bad mouth was a result of poor training.One of the things I love the most about my colt is how brave and independent he is. The filly already seems the same, unlike her mother who needs someone by her side at all times. I won't be jumping much, and my dressage experience is limited to 2nd level. I trail ride a great deal though and having a level headed mount under me makes the ride more fun, and much safer. Thanks for all of the information. It's all very welcome. |
Member: paardex |
Posted on Monday, Feb 11, 2008 - 10:30 am: Terri Hugo Simon the famous Austrian showjumper had a full sister to Landgraf[Landgrafin] an extraordinary showjumper. After her carreer as jumper she was bred with Cor de la Bruyere.Landgraf was immensely popular for giving children with an enormous drive to jump[whatever whichever position and sometimes even with whoever] so did his full sister. Rumour has it that Simon said: if the foal gets the balance from Landgraf[the way he jumps dont know the English term] and the mouth [the way he let's himself be ridden] from Cor I will shoot it immediately.Luckily the result was 'Cash' Good things from both parents but dead at a very early age alas. Jos PS yes that's Cascade at three I have pictures of him at seven in training but can't resize them to download |