winter newborns- do you blanket

[okggo]

Okay, the days are ticking closer and closer to our mare foaling. And it's cold. Damn cold. As she came in foal with a January foal (not ideal for the thin skinned, cold-hater type folks like myself) I'm not sure how the foal will cope with these temps?

My other mare foaled early and had a Feb baby last year and we only put the blanket on for the first turnout b/c it was snowing. They weren't out long.

My mare is at a place with a large foaling stall, heat lamps (set up but not on, but could be) and a small attached turnout area that can be closed or opened to the mare/foal. Should I blanket the baby when it is born? Or are they born with enough winter fluff to do okay in the colder weather?

[appaloosalady]

I have an early foal due this year, too, and plan on having a foal saver blanket on hand to put on as soon as the foal is towel dried. Schneider's sells them, they have a wicking layer to finish the drying process as well as an insulating layer for warmth. How long the blanket stays on will depend on the weather. It is going below zero this weekend.

[Daydream Believer]

I think a lot depends on the breed and general hardiness. I know of Spanish Mustang foals dropped into the snow in the midwest and Great Plains and as long as it doesn't get too cold the first week or two of their life, they usually survive. The ranch I have worked with in Wyoming fears nothing as much as a late Spring blizzard like in April or May as so many of their mares foal about then...and they don't bring them in.

I'd sure have a blanket handy for that first week or so but try not to overuse the blanket if you can avoid it. Have a deep bed of straw and keep the baby dry...and unless we get extreme lows, I'd not worry overmuch.

I also think babies tend to be born with heavier coats when the mare has a heavier coat...curious if anyone else has seen that trend.

[SBF]

I would blanket the foal if it's cold out. Foals can not regulate their temperature well during the first few weeks of life.

[Fairview Horse Center]

Be prepared, then watch the foal. You can have a small hooded sweatshirt on hand for the foal. I prefer SAFE heat lamps for those first few days, and DEEP straw or hay. The few foals we have had a bit shivvery, we just made sure the straw/hay was deep under and over them while they slept. We also covered a few windows with plastic on a very cold and windy foaling day. Keeping the other horses in the barn for body heat also helps.

[Hillside H Ranch]

I will ocassionally blanket a newborn if born when it is below freezing, but usually only have to for the first 1-3 days. In my experience once they are a few days old they stop the shivery, cold looking thing and do fine. I actually use a dog blanket that was "handed down" from one of my greyhounds and it works fantastic! I agree with the very deep straw bedding, but I actually don't use heat lamps.

Edited to add that I only blanket them while in their stalls, as I find when they are outside running around they warm up quickly. For the first few days I don't leave them outside long enough to become exhausted and want to lay down on the cold ground, so I don't worry about the blanket. If they were out for long periods of time, or 24/7 in those first days then I might change that. There is always the potential for a wreck when you have baby+blanket.

[pintopiaffe]

I've had winter foals up here...

I will buy a Foal Saver from Schneiders if I ever have another early one due (before May) the wicking and the fit are perfect. I've never seen a more ideal newborn blanket.

I use both a blanket and/or a heat lamp if it is really cold. I know heat lamps terrify people, but it is ideal since the foal can move in or out of it. (And every time, without fail, Mama has backed right up under it and backed her back end--it must feel good after all that... )

I have fire-proof coverall type barns, so I feel much safer using them, but I still take lots of precautions. My mares don't mess with the wires, but I hang them up/hide them as much as possible. NOTHING is in reach of baby, the lamp is often reachable by the mare if she for some bizarre reason chose to reach for it above her... I usually have them on All Mare TV when I am using the lamp. I NEVER leave it on when I am not home. If it's cold enough it has to be on, I have to book out of work if it's a work night.

Unfortunately, nothing else I've found has quite the same usefullness of them being able to go to it if they are cold, or move out if they get too warm.

I have blanketed the winter foals, usually the first 48 hours or so. I try very hard to take it off the first sunny day (barn has afternoon sun directly into the stall)--might be the very first day, might be day 2-- and leave it off... but occasionally they do need it.

[ann kitchel]

Sure...blanket the baby! Why not? I have foal blankets for my foals born in the winter months. Gets pretty cold here in Vermont!

[Ladybug Hill]

I have never blanketed a foal. I have had early foals (Feb) and never had a problem. I live in Virginia. I am lucky that my barn is warmish--rarely below freezing. I always worry about a foal getting hung up on something.

[Rhyadawn]

We usually try around here to not have early foals (this early at least), a few weeks ago it was -20 before the windchill, we just had a warm spell where everything melted, and now its going to get COLD again.

My friends that breed do blanket if they have winter foals (for whatever reason). Just for a few weeks when its really cold, until they can regulate their temperature a little better.

[Blonde Filly]

My first filly of the year that was born in VA on Jan 4th , 2008 was very cold when born, but it was an air tempature of 9 degrees when she was born. She quite shivering by the evening after been born at 5:40 AM. The next few days she has a blanket on and then we got tempatures in the 70s! :eek: So no more blankets for her. I did blanket yesterday with the wind chill tempatures being in the 20s but then warmed up nicely. I should have removed it today but did not so it is on until it gets warm again and then it will come off for the rest of the winter. I want her to grow a thick winter coat being it is only Jan. I am not a fan of blankets on any horse and/or foal. The can be a danger to them and it is warmer and more natural to not blanket unless of course you have clipped them and they have no hair.

[Fred]

I agree with most of what has been said already -
I have a heat lamp, and yes, they make me nervous too, but I am really careful and keep it on for only short periods and only when I am there or watching on the monitor. For the first few days and in really cold weather, I think they are great.
Deep bed with straw.
I only turn a new baby out for short periods at first (I prefer to do 2 or 3 very short turnouts rather than a long one) - and do not let the baby out for long enough to tire it or to want to lie down on the cold ground. When the foal is going to be out for longer periods, I put straw on the ground as well. I also follow that 'no falling weather' rule of thumb, and do not put a foal out if there is going to be any snow or rain.

I do have a foal blanket on hand, but have never had to use it. I also have a couple of sweaters with the sleeves cut off on hand ( a woolen vest would work too) - that are easy to use if necessary.

It has been my experience here in Ontario, that the foals who are born early tend to be born with coats.

good luck okkgo!
blonde filly - congrats on the new foal!

[carosello]

Well this is a pretty big country...Im sure those further south dont think much of it but us further north it is a big concern. This weekends forcast is for 2 degrees...and that is the HIGH. You bet I would blanket and be on my toes for that kind of temp (and pray for the mare to wait).
I put up heat lamps in my stall that I would use during foaling and while I could monitor them (not leaving them on all the time). Once the foal was out and such I would blanket initially til I knew they were warm (check ears out- if they feel cold warm that fella up!). Going outstide it would depend on the weather. Snow and cold yes I would blanket but take it off in the stall and turn the lamps on again. I dont find they run around that much when it really is cold outside so I havent had any issues with overheating.

[amdfarm]

Like Daydream and Fred... Foals that are born early seem to come into the world prepared w/ nice winter coats of their own and I've seen it myself, as well. I've helped my friends foal out many Jan/Feb foals and they all have been fine in their own coats. As long as they are dry and have a warm/dry place to lay down, they are generally happy.

Happy foaling, okggo!!

[thumbsontop]

It's definitely better to be prepared. Our March 30th baby last year was shivering that first night or two and I did the old sweater and sat there with the space heater that has the dish off and on. You may as well have something on hand. Murphy's law says you likely won't need it if you do!

[okggo]

Wow thanks for all the replies!!

We have a very deep bedded straw, he does have a heat lamp (at least he did the last time I had a mare foaled out there). I DO have a foal blanket, and could easily get a small sweater/sweatshirt. Is the rationalle behind that, it's closer to the body and they would be less likely to get it caught on things?

I don't have a wicking blanket, and doubt I could get one in time. What about one of those under armour shirts (the cheaper target variety) under the blanket?

[Fairview Horse Center]

I usually tell people kid's sweatshirt as they may have one around the house, but if not, can usually send someone to pick one up quickly at the local Walmart, etc.

When you are dealing with a newborn foal in ANY extreme weather, you just have to know that you HAVE to CONSTANTLY check, on the baby, or even not walk away (pull up a chair or bale of hay and park yourself) to prevent heat lamp fire, keep them from getting caught in a blanket, or hold a fan on them if too hot for a few DAYS. It is only a day or two.

I don't walk away from ANY newborn for more than a few minutes, or at least have them on the camera for the first 48 hours.

[okggo]

I usually tell people kid's sweatshirt as they may have one around the house, but if not, can usually send someone to pick one up quickly at the local Walmart, etc.

When you are dealing with a newborn foal in ANY extreme weather, you just have to know that you HAVE to CONSTANTLY check, on the baby, or even not walk away (pull up a chair or bale of hay and park yourself) to prevent heat lamp fire, keep them from getting caught in a blanket, or hold a fan on them if too hot for a few DAYS. It is only a day or two.

I don't walk away from ANY newborn for more than a few minutes, or at least have them on the camera for the first 48 hours.

Thanks FV! Our mare is at a foaling center on 24/7 surveillance, so baby will receive the same treatment, plus have her human parents doteing over her :)

[classicsporthorses]

our foals are usually born May-August but this year with raising the orphan colt (who was born December 17th 2007) we have blanketed him. He's all by himself so this extra layer does help. Plus he looks rather fashionable.

[AlexMakowski]

I have a foal due the first week of march (not winter, but still cold) and when he/she hits the ground she is getting a little foal blanket. The blanket really added warmth with our foal last year on the cold night in early spring. It also help desensitize them at an early age and works wonders come spring when you go to do a lot of handling and showing/inspections.

[can't re-]

I've had to blanket a few times. In 2007 both foals were born on 19 degree nights. They would have been impossible to get warm without blankets, even with heat lamps in the stall.

And they do look so very cute in their blankies!

[mbj]

I have used a heat lamp and like it because they can choose to be under it or not. There are ones that are pretty safe for barns-- flqurescent-like bulbs encased in a cage with no easy to reach wires , etc. Our one early foal liked it.