First time Mommies!

OK! I am sooooo exited because our OTTB mare is going to foal in a month and a half! She is 16HH and copper colored, so is the sire. Is there anything that I sould/shouldn't do to her, or the foal? ANY advice is welcome, seeing that this is her first foal and mine also! Thanks guys!

I've never done it myself so I am not sure but I do know that imprinting right after birth is very important. Touch the baby everywhere, stick your fingers in his ears and nose (not too far of course). Other than that I do not know! I hope it all goes well. This is very exciting for you I'm sure. I hope to do it myself one day :)

Do you have your foaling kit ready? Keep it where you can grab it without thinking! Because when the baby comes you will be to excited to think at first.
If the mother will let you (this is a bigy with maiden mares if she seems nervous just moniter for a while first to make sure the baby is ok, otherwise if you start messing with the baby and a maiden mare is nervous about it she can refuse the foal, so make sure moma is ok with everything) make sure the nostrils and mouth are clear, dip the umbilical cord in gentle iodine, then back off and let moma and baby bond and rest and best of all NURSE! After a while I go in and start introducing the foal to everything that I can, again only if mama is ok with it. If she isn't just wait until she calms down it may take a week or so thats ok! Introduce things when you can and as often as you can. Other than that have fun, and enjoy you miracle. As for vaccinations etc. talk to you vet as they can advise you of what vaccines are needed for your area.

M.S. speaks true. Also, when she starts to foal, I would leave her alone unless she shows signs of distress because sometimes a human presence will cause her to be stressed and delay the delivery which can be dangerous to the foal. This is most common with first time dams. I would watch from the other side of the stall bars where you can observe without being intrusive.

Thanks Guys! Anyone have a good list of things to put in the foaling kit?
Yea like half of our extended family wants to watch the birth but im like NO MORE PEOPLE! Cause she only knows our family, and she barley trusts us!

Awww congrats!! How exciting! I hope you'll be posting many photos of the foal after he/she is born!!

WEll of course!

I'll post you a foaling kit after I finish the barn chores and Thaw out. LOL

Okay need to warm up for a few minutes!

Foal Kit:
bucket (one with a lid preferably can get from hardware stores or TSC)
gentle iodine
clean medicine cup- to dip the umbilical cord in
4x4 sponges
large heavy duty trash bag
Rubber gloves
sharp clean scissors
several clean new shoestrings 1 foot long
small bulb syringe
fleet enemas
large and small towels
vaseline or ky jelly
long OB gloves
sharp knife
Flashlight with NEW batteries
watch
cell phone
paper towels
notebook and pencil (no pens they freeze in cold weather and are useless)
vets number

Human Foaler Kit
M & M's
chocolate chip cookies
soda
pizza delivery number
phone to have pizzas delivered... make sure they are delivered to the barn or the mare might not wait on you!LOL

It's been a couple of years since I bred and foaled anyone out, so if I missed anything add it please.

Well, unforch pizza people don't deliver all the way out to our middle of no where farm. BUT i could have my mommy make me those frozen ones from like Digorno, those are yummy. thanks! I will also be asking our vet for some of his items, cause he breeds his mares all the time.