The mare is examined to insure the placenta (afterbirth) has passed completely, and she is evaluated for any internal tears or damage that may affect her future breeding soundness.
The foal is examined for any congenital defects (especially hernias, cardiac defects, eye defects, cleft palate, or limb defects). The umbilicus is examined to make sure it is small and dry. The foal is evaluated to make sure its activity is appropriate for its age (curious behavior, nursing, playing, sleeping).
As you may know, the foal gets all of its antibodies from the mare’s colostrum (first milk). These antibodies are crucial for the foals first few months of life because they’re born without a developed immune system. They don’t begin creating their own antibodies until several months of age. Therefore the antibodies they receive from the colostrum are critical in protecting them against infections until that time.
Blood is drawn from the foal to check IgG (antibody) levels. If the foal has not consumed enough colostrum (because the mare leaked it or did not make much or the foal did not nurse well initially – a few examples of possible problems), the foal will be highly susceptible to infections such as joint ill and, in many cases, may not survive. A very high percentage of foals in our neonatal ICU end up there as a result of a difficult birth and complicated by very little antibody protection.
The good news is that if discovered early, we can correct this problem with a plasma transfusion and dramatically increase the foals’ chances of survival. You might ask could the foal be given colostrum instead of a plasma transfusion after the IgG test results come back negative? When a foal is born, the intestinal tract can be thought to have a very porous lining. These micro holes in the lining allow the antibodies, a relatively large molecule, to slip directly into the blood stream. These channels close around 8 hours of age and they close permanently. A frightening fact about these channels is they can also allow bacteria direct access to the blood stream. These bacteria can then find their way into joints and other remote areas and become the seeds of infection. Therefore to answer the question, by the time we are aware of the failure of antibody transfer from mare to foal, it is too late to give colostrum and plasma must be given directly into the blood stream.
Ask yourself this, how many places will the foal suckle prior to finding the mare’s udder? We recommend you milk the mare immediately after foaling and squirt 20 to 30 ccs of colostrum in the foal’s mouth. This will give the antibodies a head start on the bacteria.
General Health Information
What are normal vital signs for a horse?
The horse's normal body temperature ranges between 99 degrees F and 101.5 degrees F. A foal's body temperature is usually similar, but they may have higher body temperatures if they have been running around prior to having their temperatures taken. The adult horse's normal heart rate is between 28 and 45 beats per minute, and the adult horse's normal respiratory rate is between 8 and 18 breaths per minute (at rest). Normal heart and respiratory rates for foals are variable with their ages, and therefore, you should check with your veterinarian.
Is saliva overproduction dangerous & what causes it?
Some horses really like to eat clover, and in the summer, some clover can become infected with a type of fungus that produces a chemical called slaframine. This chemical stimulates the production of a tremendous amount of saliva. This fungus, rhizoctonia leguminicola, can also infect other types of legumes such as alfalfa and can be found on red and white clover. It thrives under conditions of high rainfall or high humidity.
While this condition is aesthetically unpleasant and messy, there are rarely any actual health concerns for the horse. Symptoms of slaframine consumption can begin as soon as one hour after ingestion of the contaminated plants and may last up to three days after the source is removed.
How does my horse sleep while standing?
The stay-apparatus is a collection of tendinous ligamentous structures in the forelimbs and hind limbs of horses which help keep the limbs from collapsing and allow the horse to remain standing with a minimal amount of muscular effort. In the lower leg, the stay apparatus is similar between forelimbs and hind limbs. The pastern and fetlock are supported by the suspensory ligament, the sesamoidean ligaments, and the flexor tendons. The upper forelimb is supported by a complex system of tendons, muscles, and collateral ligaments. In the hindlimb, the patella can lock so that the stifle remains extended, while tendinous structures link the stifle and hock in such a way that they can only move in unison. Therefore if the stifle is locked in extension, the hock will be also. This unique anatomical adaption allows horses to rest without actually lying down.
Horse Care
It's Planting Time: What's Safe?
At this time of year, people are often doing some landscaping work and planting new trees. Did you know that some trees can be toxic for your horses and should be kept away from pastures? Here are some more common trees that can be a problem.
Red Maple – these are a problem even if just the leaves blow into the pasture.
Cherry trees and their relatives – wilted leaves are especially a problem.
Black Walnut – may be a problem if the horse is chewing on the bark or wood.
Black locust
Horse chestnut
Buckeye
Oak trees and acorns – some horses really like oak leaves and acorns, however it has been reported and linked to colic and kidney problems.
Russian olive
Fruit orchard trees – these can cause problems with colic and choke. Persimmon trees pose a particular threat to horses as the crushed seeds form concretions in the stomach and intestine, which can lead to severe bouts of colic.
Though these are more shrubs than trees, these should never be planted where livestock can get to them: oleander and yew.
When should I blanket my horse?
Almost never is there a genuine need for a horse in Missouri to wear a blanket. Horses are well-equipped to handle cold weather. Their thick winter coats provide them with a great deal of protection. The thick, long hair traps a lot of air near the skin, providing great insulation. Horses that commonly wear blankets are show horses for whom a long, thick haircoat is not appropriate. These horses either do not develop a thick, warm coat because of the blanketing, or they have the hair clipped off with a body clip. Once the horse starts wearing a blanket in the winter, it will likely have to be maintained for the winter. Blankets flatten the hair keeping it from trapping air near the skin. In addition, if they’re wearing the blanket and it gets wet, their coat is further compressed and even less effective at retaining heat.
Some horses with certain medical conditions do well to be blanketed in the winter. Some geriatric horses with Cushing’s disease need to be blanketed. Ironically, these horses develop an exceptionally long, thick winter haircoat, but often the hair needs to be clipped because they also tend to sweat excessively and inappropriately. Their long, thick hair is often soaking wet and matted close to the skin and then can provide little protection. They are best body clipped and blanketed.
Other horses which might need to be blanketed are those with very little body fat. These are malnourished horses, those with diseases which make it difficult for them to absorb food, or some very young horses. Because some breeds encourage having mares foal in January and February, some neonatal foals are born during the coldest weather. They may need to wear little foal blankets if they have difficulty maintaining their body temperature in the cold weather (note excessive shivering).
Can my pregnant mare eat fescue?
Tall fescue was introduced from Europe for its ease of growth. Now fescue in certain regions makes up a large percent of the grasses present. Missouri accounts for over 50% of the total acreage of tall fescue seed harvested in the nation.
It is important to note fescue can cause problems in several different species, including horses. Fescue toxicity is caused by the ingestion of a fungal endophyte that lives in the stems, seeds and leaves of tall fescue. Ingestion of this endophyte by pregnant mares during their last 60 days of pregnancy can create tremendous problems. These problems include lack of milk production, thickened placentas, prolonged pregnancies and difficult deliveries. To prevent fescue toxicity, mares must be removed from pastures containing fescue and fed hay that does not contain fescue grass of any kind during their last 60 days of pregnancy.
Newer varieties of tall fescue are being developed that are free of the endophyte and are safe for pregnant mares. However, these varieties are not readily available so precautions must be taken with pregnant mares. It is critical that hay fed to pregnant mares in the final months of pregnancy is pure timothy or alfalfa. These hays are easily identified and can be fescue free. It would be wise to consider all mixed hays grown in Missouri to contain some fescue grass and therefore a poor choice for pregnant mares.
When should I deworm my foal?
Foals should be dewormed for the first time at 30 days of age. The recommended dewormer is fenbendazole. Fenbendazole is the active ingredient in the dewormers Safe-Guard and Panacur. Foals should be dewormed every month until they are eighteen months old. We usually recommend using fenbendazole for the first four months. After that time an ivermectin product may be used, but ONLY if you have been deworming your foal as regularly as we have recommended. If ivermectin is used and the foal has not been routinely dewormed, there may be a massive kill of large roundworms. These worms can obstruct the intestine which can be, and most often is, fatal for the foal.
Vaccinations
How should I vaccinate my pregnant mare?
Broodmares' vaccination schedules are somewhat different than other horses. They should be vaccinated at 5, 7 and 9 months of gestation against equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1), which can cause late-term abortions. A killed virus product is usually used for this purpose, and there are vaccines specifically made for pregnant mares.
Broodmares should also receive their yearly vaccinations one month before they are due to foal. This gives them time to develop a strong immune reaction (antibodies) in response to the vaccines. These antibodies are then transferred to the foal in the first milk, called colostrum; this is important because there is no transfer of antibodies across the placenta in mares.
If you vaccinate your horses against equine viral arteritis (EVA), please discuss the timing of this vaccine for broodmares and proper vaccine handling with your veterinarian.
The mare is examined to insure the placenta (afterbirth) has passed completely, and she is evaluated for any internal tears or damage that may affect her future breeding soundness.
The stay-apparatus is a collection of tendinous ligamentous structures in the forelimbs and hind limbs of horses which help keep the limbs from collapsing and allow the horse to remain standing with a minimal amount of muscular effort. In the lower leg, the stay apparatus is similar between forelimbs and hind limbs. The pastern and fetlock are supported by the suspensory ligament, the sesamoidean ligaments, and the flexor tendons. The upper forelimb is supported by a complex system of tendons, muscles, and collateral ligaments. In the hindlimb, the patella can lock so that the stifle remains extended, while tendinous structures link the stifle and hock in such a way that they can only move in unison. Therefore if the stifle is locked in extension, the hock will be also. This unique anatomical adaption allows horses to rest without actually lying down.
Oak trees and acorns – some horses really like oak leaves and acorns, however it has been reported and linked to colic and kidney problems. 
Some horses with certain medical conditions do well to be blanketed in the winter. Some geriatric horses with Cushing’s disease need to be blanketed. Ironically, these horses develop an exceptionally long, thick winter haircoat, but often the hair needs to be clipped because they also tend to sweat excessively and inappropriately. Their long, thick hair is often soaking wet and matted close to the skin and then can provide little protection. They are best body clipped and blanketed.
Foals should be dewormed for the first time at 30 days of age. The recommended dewormer is fenbendazole. Fenbendazole is the active ingredient in the dewormers Safe-Guard and Panacur. Foals should be dewormed every month until they are eighteen months old. We usually recommend using fenbendazole for the first four months. After that time an ivermectin product may be used, but ONLY if you have been deworming your foal as regularly as we have recommended. If ivermectin is used and the foal has not been routinely dewormed, there may be a massive kill of large roundworms. These worms can obstruct the intestine which can be, and most often is, fatal for the foal.