Foaling season is now in full swing here in Indiana. All thoroughbreds have an assigned birthday of Jan 1st so many people like their foals to be born as close to this date as possible. In order to better prepare you for your new arrival, here are some tips on normal foal development and behavior in the first 24 hours of life. Following the birthing, a foal should stand within 30-60 minutes and should be nursing by 2 hours of age. Once the foal has learned to nurse, it should continue to nurse 5-10 times per hour. If this mare has never given birth, (maiden mare) it is best to be on site just in case assistance is needed. I personally think this is advisable in all cases. We have cameras set up in each stall and can monitor around the clock from home.
