Natural birth in the open vs. stall.
By shell52
@shell52 (144)
United States
March 17, 2008 10:18am CST
My horses run pretty much free to be out in the field or when they want to to run into barn to be out of the weather or sleep.
All but two of my foals (14 total to date over the past 5 years) were born outside. It is so natural. They find the cleanest spots and lay without any worry of being up agains the structure of the stall, or without worry of being cast.
My last two foals have actually been born on the snow. Clean and free of any kind of bacterial contamination. This was a choice made by the mother because they have the opportunity to be in the barn.
The foals were healthy and up and eating in just minutes. They are thrify and playing within the hour.
I prefer to have my horse be horses and let them choose where they like to be.
2 responses
@wrongway (277)
• United States
18 Mar 08
We have 9 horses and we try to let them live as natural as possible. We have over 80 acres for them to run on. Some is grass fields and some are hilly wooded areas. We have a barn with stalls and a run in for them but they prefer to be out and about. We don't breed often but we have had 4 foals and all of them have been outside.
People think we are mean because we don't grain our horses all the time but if they were running free no one would be giving them grain. We do hay in the winter and if they seem like they are losing a little weight we will grain. Our horses never leave the property for shows and we have plenty of room to ride here and they have never been sick.
I think if you pamper them too much you can hurt their natural immune system, blanketing them prevents them from getting their natural winter coat, and since they have survived for hundreds of years I think they know what is best for them including foaling outdoors.
1 person likes this
@shell52 (144)
• United States
19 Mar 08
I so agree. I see so many people overfeeding and being so worried about birthings. Horses fend for themselves everyday in the wild, nature of the beast is so awesome to watch. I think a lot more people are thinking like you in the past few years. Thanks for posting. Your place sounds nice.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
17 Mar 08
I only went through a foaling once, but my mare had 3 before we got her and I was told she wouldn't foal in a stall.
I worked with her for months, leaving her in a stall longer than normal, then as we got closer to foaling, I'd leave her in overnight.
Nope.
The day she foaled, she had been in overnight and knowing she was ready to go, I turned out, mucked, and brought her back in.
I had to leave for about 2 hrs and when I came back she was going nuts and was trying to bust out of the stall. I turned her out and she RAN up and down the paddock several times, even falling down once, seemingly in a panic.
In less than a minute her foal was appearing, and no amount of trying to get her back into the barn was working. She lay down and Rio was born within minutes, on a beautiful sun-shiny April day in MN, the most awesome experience I'd ever been through.
I hate to think of what she would have done if I hadn't come home and let her out when I did. She knew better than I, and if I still had her, I'd never again be selfish and attempt to control what she knew best.
@shell52 (144)
• United States
17 Mar 08
We had a mare last year in February who came to drink and then immediately burst out into the sunshine laid down and the foal started coming. One leg was a little hung up, she got up to change the foals possition and then laid down to have our beautiful, Marigold pop out. The mare immediatly got up licked the foal a little and then laid down and the afterbirth came. Woosh. It was over in less than 5 minutes. You did the right think letting your mare out. We are often where we need to be at the right time if we are in tune with our animals. Glad you had this experience! Foals are wonderful!!!!
