horse pregnantcy

Question
Hi

i have a mare that is going to foal down in three months and my trusted vet is out the country i then turn to allexperts for help is there any requiements for the last three mounths my vet has been takeing me through it for 7 mounths i have three horses sould they be kept apart when the time is near (the other two horses are geldings) and can i get a milk testing kit anywhere besides my vet.
i tend to be nearverse yet excited and dont want to get in the way sould i stay away from the foul for a certain amount of time and will my mare get agressave towards me and my kids what are the limits once the baby has come


Answer
Brendan:

You really should have someone who has done this with you as these mares foal. The milk test needs to be gotten through your vet. The mares all need a complete set of vaccinations at 30 days out from foaling and the mares should all be dewormed with ivermectin after they foal. in the last 3 months or pregnancy, the pregnant mare needs to have her nutrition increased and all appropriate nutrients to support her health and the foal's growth. Intervening in the foaling itself is generally not necessary unless there is a problem. However, someone with experience foaling mares needs to make the determination if there is a problem. The mare will not neceearily be aggressive but could be if its a maiden mare or thats how the mare has acted in the past. Intervening between the mare and foal also takes experience. I really think if your vet is not available, you need to have someone knowledgable in foaling mares to help you through this. Learning this as on the job training is not advisable. Good luck in this. Let me know if i can answer any other questions for you.