Your new foal has arrived! You are full of joy and overwhelmed with excitement. However, your job is not done. Over the next 24 hours after birth, it is important to continue to observe the mare and foal closely. Look for the following, and pay special attention to nursing: The foal should be breathing normally. The foal should be bright and alert to its new surroundings. The foal should make...
Prior to foaling it is important to screen the mare for Neonatal Isoerythrolysis (NI), also known as “Jaundice Foal Disease”. An “NI Positive” mare is one that will produce antibodies in her colostrum that will attack the foal’s red blood cells once the foal has absorbed the antibodies. These antibodies were formed by the mare in response to exposure to a blood type different from her own. This can occur...
Horses with dental problems may show obvious signs, such as pain or irritation, or they may show no noticeable signs at all. This is because some horses simply adapt to their discomfort. For this reason, periodic dental examinations are essential to your horse’s health. It is important to catch dental problems early. If a horse starts behaving abnormally, dental problems should be considered as a potential cause. Waiting too long...
Newborn foals can be exciting, fun, and enjoyable. You may have a beautiful mare you have competed on, worked cattle with, or personal riding horse and you want another one like her. There are plenty of motivations for breeding a mare. Make no mistake, though, there are many factors to consider before diving into the breeding process. Does breeding your mare make sense? Determine if the mare is a good...
Now that long awaited foals are on the ground and learning to run, buck, and play, it is time to consider measures that you as an owner can take to help them have a long happy life. One of these preventative health measures is vaccination against diseases that can have devastating effects on the horse including Tetanus, Eastern and Western Equine Encephalitis Viruses (aka Sleeping Sickness), Equine Herpes Virus (aka...
By Patrick M. McCue, DVM, PhD, Diplomate American College of Theriogenologists The placenta is the connection between the developing fetus and the mare and provides the means for obtaining nutrition and for gas exchange. Examination of the placenta can offer valuable insight into the health of the newborn foal. Consequently, it is recommended that owners, farm managers or foaling attendants perform an evaluation of each placenta. The placenta is normally passed...
Colostrum Bank By Patrick M. McCue, DVM, PhD, Diplomate American College of Theriogenologists An owner or farm manager generally does not know in advance which foal will need supplemental colostrum. An on-site supply of frozen colostrum can be critical for the health of a valuable neonate. The best colostrum donors are mares that have had one or more foals and are 4-15 years of age. Vaccination 4 to 6 weeks...
Once your mare is pregnant, consider her nutritional requirements in three stages. The first stage is the first two-thirds of her pregnancy. During this time, the fetal size does not increase significantly and your mare should still be on a maintenance diet. Her body condition should stay constant, again without losing or becoming obese. A mare that is losing weight will have a hard time re-breeding, and an obese mare...
Welcome to the Heaven Sent Ranch Blog. Here you will find information about our quarter horses, shows, breeding information and sales promotions. We look forward to sharing information with you.
