Caring for a brood mare during pregnancy and foaling is an involved task, with careful planning and expert knowledge required throughout, making sure the health and well-being of both mare and foal are nurtured throughout.
From nutrition and hoof care to weaning and early training and reintroduction to the herd, here is everything you need to know about raising healthy horses.
What is a brood mare?
A brood mare is a female horse that is kept specifically for breeding purposes.
How to care for a brood mare when she is pregnant
From mating to birth, the mare’s health and wellbeing are paramount, so that she can carry and grow a healthy foal during the 11 months that she will be pregnant.
Nutrition
A mare's nutrition and body condition need to be optimum and may need to be tailored to her needs depending on the soil type she is kept on and the nutritional value of the grass she is grazing.
Feet
A mare's feet need to be well cared for and regularly trimmed (and sometimes shod) when she is pregnant, in order to comfortably carry the increase in body weight that she will experience over the gestation period, which can be anything from a 9-15% increase of her own bodyweight.
Social conditions
Pregnant mares are best kept in a stable and relaxed herd, so they can form secure bonds and are not under any excessive social stress during that time.
Health and vaccinations
Pregnancy, as with all species, carries some degree of risk for the animal, so mares should be checked by a vet at certain intervals to make sure things are progressing as they should. Some diseases which can cause illness and even death can be vaccinated against, and these should be given at specific times to give the mare and foal the best chance of avoiding acquiring those infections.
How to care for a mare when she is foaling (giving birth)
The birth of a foal is a critical event, which requires careful preparation and monitoring of both mare and foal. Mares typically foal at night, so owners should look out for signs of labour ahead of time.
Find a suitable location ahead of time
Some horses ‘foal’ (give birth) in a field, others come into stables or barns. They need somewhere fairly clean and dry to avoid increased risk of infections.
Around the time of foaling a mare will likely seek a secluded and quiet place to give birth, as evolution has driven a need to avoid predators. She may even delay giving birth if she does not feel safe, which can cause issues if prolonged.
Bring in an expert, if needed
Foaling can be a very quick and straightforward process for some, but as with humans and any animal, there can be complications which put the mare and foal’s lives at risk. For this reason, the birth is best quietly monitored for signs of something being wrong, by a person with necessary experience.
Check for early signs of health conditions
Once born the foal needs to be checked for common conditions which may cause them problems. Things such as a cleft palate, contracted tendons, being unable to pass urine or faeces, and having a weak immune system, are amongst the issues which need to be discovered quickly so that treatment can be administered promptly.
What to expect when the foal is born
Foals usually stand within 1 hour, nurse within 2 hours, and pass their first poo (‘meconium’) by 3 hours – known as the ‘1, 2, 3 rule’.
The mare should pass her placenta within 2 hours. Failure to do so can be life-threatening so must be dealt with by a vet or experienced person with veterinary guidance without further delay.
When should the mare and foal rejoin the other horses?
Once the mare and foal are bonded, nursing and moving well, and have been given the veterinary all clear, they will rejoin their herd. Here they ideally have other foals to grow up with and socialise with. This is how horses learn the appropriate behaviours which will serve them well through life!
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How to wean a foal
Eventually a foal will need weaning from its mother in order to progress towards adult life. This needs to be done in the right way to ensure the foal (and mare) are physically and mentally ready for the process. When carried out well and time appropriately, this process is often a short-lived period of change which they all adapt to. It is important that both mare and foal have sufficient company from other horses to support this period of their lives.
Foals that have been weaned are then called ‘weanlings’. Weanlings are often kept together in small groups where they continue their physical and mental development together. It’s common to have another adult with them, which is often an older gelding (castrated male) or other mare, which act like a nanny to the youngsters. These important members of the herd keep the behaviour in check and make sure no one develops an attitude which is too unruly.
Once they are a year old the weanlings become ‘yearlings’. They continue development through until they are ready to progress to early training for any activity they may undertake in their lifetime.
When can you ride a horse after it's born?
While a horse may not start ridden or driven activities for a few years, it is important they are introduced to humans and the husbandry processes they will encounter during their lives going forward. You might not start horse riding, but there's plenty of work you can do with the foal during its early months. Like babies and puppies, foals have a window of opportunity during their development when they are most open to new things and their brains are most adaptable. That’s not to say that the opportunity ever truly disappears however, it just may require different training approaches to help a horse understand a situation or task.
In recent years we have learnt vast amounts about how horses learn and we are now able to do things must better than in the past. Understanding ‘equine learning theory’ and utilising it work with horses has made our ability to interact with horses infinitely more enjoyable for both horse and human! This approach not only reduces the risk of physical injury but also minimises unnecessary stress for everyone involved. It’s been a game changer and something that we will continue to learn and benefit from in the future!
Top image: A foal drinks from a mare of the Giara horses, a breed of horse native to Giara di Gesturi in Sardinia (credit: Getty Images)