Foal Kit-(Foal first Aid Kit)

Item

Purpose

20L Bucket with lid

Storage of foal kit, easy to carry in an emergency

Flashlight and batteries

Pen & Paper

To record time, mare’s behavior, how foaling goes

Watch

To keep track of time

Examination gloves

Wear when handling foetal memebranes and new born

Towels

x 3 clean and dry with NO added softener or scent

To grasp foal to pull if needed, clean foal and mare if needed.

Gauze Swabs

To enable washing of mare

Umbilical Clips

To tie off umbilical cord if it doesn’t break.

Umbilical spray make up @ foaling

Chorhexadine Solution (Hibitane)

Make 1% solution

250ml Hibitane to 750ml water

Chlorhexadine Solution

Makes up dip for umbilicus

Used to wash mare (vulva, udders) prior to foaling.

This will help prevent infection.

Scissors;

Disinfected

May be needed to cut sac around foal if it doesn’t break away

Vetwrap

to wrap mares tail prior to foaling

Obstetric lube

To lubricate hands if repositioning needed

Headstall and lead

Move, tie or restrain mare if necessary

Twitch

if mare rejects or attacks foal

Plastic bag

To collect kit placental membranes for vet inspection

Phone

To call the vet in an emergency

Mare care

Clean mare/wrap tail before foaling
After foaling, she should stand within 30 minutes
Placenta should be dropped within about 3 hours
Tie up placenta if it is not dropped right away so it is not stepped on and pulled out (tie it to itself)
Do not pull placenta out, as it can rip and remain in mare (causing infection)

When foal is born

Make sure the foal's nostrils are clear so it can breathe, as soon as it appears.

Treat foal's umbilical stump with 1% chorhexadine solution for the first several days to prevent infection, apply to the stump only, not skin.

Normal Foals will

Get up within an hour
Nurse within 3 hours
Pass meconium (first poop) by 6 hours

Post foaling

Observation of mare and foal behaviour

Don’t forget to disinfect the area thoroughly