Daytime foalings -- a cause for concern?

[Dressage_Diva333]

I was talking to my vet the other night, and he said that almost every daytime foaling he has seen, has either been a dystocia or a rather sick foal.

This didn't make a whole lot of sense to me, as I've heard of plenty of mares foaling in the daytime with no issues at all, and of course dystocias obviously happen at night too. I was just wondering what everybody's thoughts, and experiances were? How many of your daytime foalings have ended fine, or maybe have had a problem?

The one daytime (it was about 6pm, but still totally light out) foaling I've had was a dystocia, and vet assisted delivery.

[jherold]

My vet predicted that my mare would foal during the day. He said that they like to foal when it's quiet. At my farm, it's the quietest during the day when everyone is at work! The foal was 3 wks early, foaled between 10:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Small, but very, very feisty. When I found them, the foal had been born, stood, nursed, dried off and her mother was showing her the fence line.

[Hillside H Ranch]

Completely untrue. Although statistically speaking most mares foal at night/very early morning, mares can and do have perfectly normal foalings at all times of the day. I've seen plenty of normal foalings during the daytime, and of course some really bad ones at night.

[showjumpers66]

I would say that about 50% of our mares foal during the day. Sometimes, it seems that they wait until stall cleaning begins after a night of restlessness. I haven't had that many dystocias, but all have been at night.

[Sugarbrook]

I have some mares that just like to foal during the day. These foals are no different than the foals born in the evening. I just love those mares!!!

[Formosus]

Is there a pattern? Do mare that have foaled in the daytime repeat it?
One of my mare foaled twice in the morning, just wondering if there is a pattern.

[Foxtrot's]

My mare has had three foals - the last two were very, very quick and during the day.

[amdfarm]

I've had several mares foal during the day w/out problems. None of them, however have repeated that either. We'll see what this year brings. No dystocias or problems otherwise (KNOCKING ON WOOD!!)

[LaurieB]

We have one mare who prefers to foal during the daytime--and outside if she can manage it. Another had her first foal for us during the night, and her second at 10:30 in the morning. Neither one was a problem.

[Touchstone Farm,Ky]

Eight of my last 10 foals have been during the day. all have been just fine and healthy. I think its because they all know I have been up all night watching them and they have a warped sense of humor...

[pintopiaffe]

if you have a mare that *normally* foals at night or in the wee hrs and she suddenly waits for day--that can be a sign that she's uncomfortable with something... too much light, too much noise, not enough privacy... The big old TB farms would say if you suddenly had mares going during the day, look at your night attendant(s.) I do agree with that to a point.

But I agree completely that if your farm is peaceful and safe during the day, then they'll go during the day. I have a lot of nocturnal animal activity at night, bears, cats, fishers... early mornnigs I have large birds being very busy--ravens, eagles, hawks and a heron or two... but 1000-1500 or so is quiet, calm & peaceful. It is when everyone goes down for naps, flat out 'dead horse' naps.

I think especially farms where chores are done morning and evening, the middle of the day can be a really secure feeling time.

I've had 3 daytime foalings. Two outside on grass, and I wish they would ALL go that way! Quick, clean, the foals were up exceptionally fast... they were WONDERFUL. If I could somehow monitor, I'd leave them out at night as well, but I can't, so they're in under camera.

[Signature]

We have had 4 born during daylight hours (9am, 3pm, 4pm and 6pm) and none were particularly problem births. One (6pm) resulted in a foal that was dysmature and hypoxic, but it wasn't because of a dystocia or particularly scary birth.

[Daydream Believer]

Probably 1/4 of my mares go in the daytime and same as the others report, no more problems with those than any other. The only major dystocia I've ever had was a mare that tried to foal at 8:30 p.m. One red bag birth was at 6:00 a.m....otherwise no problems.

[rideagoldenpony]

I have had lots of mares foal during the day. One mare has done it twice out of three foals. You can bet I'll be keeping a VERY close eye on her this year to see what she does with #4!

Of the MANY mares I've had foal during the day.... thinking back..... one, MANY years ago was a stillbirth, one stillbirth more recently, and one sickly foal that was born too early and died at a week old. So I guess three.... but I've had LOTS of healthy ones born during the day, so I don't see a negative trend here at all.

We've only ever had one dystocia, and it was in the middle of the night.

[Portia]

My mare decided to have her first foal at high noon, and all was fine. I think she just wanted to screw with the poor trainer on foal watch who had been getting up to check on her every hour for several nights in a row. ;)

She figured out that having a baby in the middle of the day in a busy barn wasn't great for privacy, however, so she had the next one at 4 in the morning. Same trainer checks on her at 3:00 am, nothing happening. Checks on her again at 4, and baby is already out and up. :)

[clint]

I have a mare who has foaled six foals, and there is no pattern to when. Two of them were in the daytime, one at noon and one at 4:00 p.m. She has also foaled in the evening, midnight, and at 4:00 a.m. All of her foals have been healthy.

[TrueColours]

My Puchi Trap mare decided 12:00 noon was the time she chose to gave birth, outside in the paddock. The fellow whose barn I was at at the time, said he was inside the barn, heard a bunch of commotion outside, saw the other horses running up and down the fence line and then looked over and saw PT with her water broken and the white sac starting to come out, so he led her inside, she foaled out quickly and with no issues, and that was my nice Faux Finish mare who never had a sick day in her life, was as healthy as an ox from the moment she came out, had excellent IgG scores - the works.

The next foals she had were all middle of the night or early am foals - she never did repeat the middle of the day foaling

Ive also had other mares go at 4:00 and 5:00 pm - and those foals were completely fine as well ...

Old Wives Tale I think ... :)

[Home Again Farm]

I have had quite a few daytime foalings and all went well. :yes:

[Fairview Horse Center]

I have had easy and difficult deliveries around the clock.

[Windswept Stable]

Oh I love my daytime foalers... In 2007 -- 5 of 6 mares foaled during daylight hours. I was so happy! The otherone tiptoed around me and foaled at night-- 3 weeks early --she must have known she was coming into the stall the next night to go under the cameras.

Its a normal thing.

[Tiki]

That's just nonsense.

[amdfarm]

One of my young maiden mares snuck foaling in w/out me for the most part w/ her first baby. I was out there w/ her while she was in the stall, had the cameras on her (stayed in the camper set up outside the barn just for this purpose), video tape loaded and recording thinking for sure I wasn't going to miss this one. Woke up every two hours throughout the night for two nights checking and nothing.

My trainer was coming at 9:30am for a lesson w/ my stallion on that third day. I went home, got cleaned up, ate something and ran back out to bring the horse in for the lesson and get him tacked up and ready. I arrived back at the barn around 9am or so. I tiptoed in and peeked into my mare's stall and low and behold she was down and foaling. All but the hind legs were out and she was in the corner. I was sooo happy, ran back to the tack room to get my supplies and camera and immediately praised and cussed my mare then checked out the new bundle of joy. Beautiful red dun overo filly. Being so giddy I completely forgot about my trainer coming and forgot to call and tell her. But she was glad she came to see the foal and we rescheduled the lesson.

My girls foal on pasture now so if they're sneaky like that I don't mind as much. I do have a few sneaky ones and I think they do it on purpose.

[MagicRoseFarm]

my famr is small and active during the day, I have had some daytime foalings but always when the farm was quiet.

We use Cameras in the barn and pretty much stay out of the barn at night unless one is foaling...

[Equilibrium]

Last year we had 2 6pm births, one 11 am, and one maiden who went at 10:30pm.

Nothing scary about any of the births. At night our barn is very quiet as we stay in the house and watch with cameras.

The mare who foaled at 11 am did so out in the field with exact same time and days as the year before. And yes I was present at both births, but the weather was great, she had a nice grassy place to foal and her paddock mare friend was removed to give her a nice peaceful time. She just likes foaling outside.

I don't think it's true at all.

Terri

[classicsporthorses]

So where did you vet go to vet school?

My mares have foaled at all hours of the day, whether it's quiet, noisey, chaos, you name it. My one mare foaled, right during morning feeding time in her stall.

I'd say the most "consistent" patterns I have ever had is when they have foaled during a major thunderstorm or when they have fooled us all and popped them out when we were not expecting it-showed no signs and a few hours later there is the foal.

[mvb]

My foal last year was born at 3pm, and thank God, everything was perfect other then the mare was out in the field and not in her clean stall. She showed no signs whatever, she was bagged up some but that's about it LOL

[ilikridn]

My mare had her filly on Mother's Day 2007. We had gone out to breakfast and when we got back she started pacing. I knew it was time. We went inside and watched on the camera until it all started, then we came and stood outside the stall and videotaped and watched.

She was actually not due until the end of the month, but I didn't think she was going to go that long. We had been sleeping in the barn for about a week.

She had the filly at around 11am and filly was and is fine.

[Iron Horse Farm]

I have one mare that chronically foals when she thinks that no one is watching. One year I fed at 7 and left for the day (so she thought!) and my SIL came at 9am to hold another mare for the vet. When she called me to tell me how it went, she mentioned "oh and I really like Secret's big red colt"! What?!?! There was no colt when I fed at7!?!?! Seems that the foal was clean and dry and nursing when SIL showed up!

Another year same mare (LOL) didn't even seem close. I was dealing with a bad foaling with another mare and the resulting dysmature foal. I called my vet and he was almost 2 hours away at another emergency. Instead of waiting, I loaded up for the 1 1/2 hour trip to MSU. About an hour after I arrived at the university, I received a very peeved call from my vet who was very upset with me for leaving a sick foal and not even bothering to take the placenta out of the stall. And he said that I overreacted - the foal seemed fine to him. I had to tell him that I had the sick foal with me and that no when else had foaled when I left 2 hours ago! :eek::eek:

[KnKShowmom]

I have heard that theory and have seen some daytime foalings that were problematic, but just as many people think their mares will only foal at night so I always thought the vets would tell people that so they would "night watch" during the day as well as at night!

[vtwmbld]

That's nonsense. Any time of day seems absolutely fine. The only dystocia we've had was at night. The most unexpected one was on an icy cold day in early March when our veteran mare (showing no signs) went out for a quick foray in the snow while we were mucking and promptly laid down, popped out a huge healthy colt, got up and nudged him to get him going. We never even saw it, but a neighbor was watching and called us. With our assistance we got them both safely back into their nicely cleaned foaling box. He was and still is the most robust and healthy guy you ever saw. (knock on wood)

[Iron Horse Farm]

One more.............

In 1999 my husband took a different route home from work and drove past two Yahoos trying to load a sweaty black pony onto a hog trailer. It was a known slaughter lot. Long story short, we got a pony. Turned out that the vet put her age at about 30 and yes, pregnant. We had no idea to what or when she was due.

We went to a Kentucky Derby party in May and when we came home (around 6:30) to feed, I started screaming. There was something in my pasture chasing my pregnant pony. I was sure that it was a dog. Until we got closr and discovered that it was a tiny gray pony foal. She is now coming 9 and my children's "Rose the Pony". :D

[Portia]

One more.............

In 1999 my husband took a different route home from work and drove past two Yahoos trying to load a sweaty black pony onto a hog trailer. It was a known slaughter lot. Long story short, we got a pony. Turned out that the vet put her age at about 30 and yes, pregnant. We had no idea to what or when she was due.

We went to a Kentucky Derby party in May and when we came home (around 6:30) to feed, I started screaming. There was something in my pasture chasing my pregnant pony. I was sure that it was a dog. Until we got closr and discovered that it was a tiny gray pony foal. She is now coming 9 and my children's "Rose the Pony". :D
Awwwwww. :)

[vcarson]

I have had a couple of daytime foalings with different mares, and they've all been easy and the foals healthy.

The problems I've heard about during daytime have been un-attended foalings, because people assume the mare will foal at night. They leave the mare home alone, and something that could have been easily dealt with if a foaling attendent had been present goes awry.

Just my 2 cents.

Vicki Carson
Flying Chesterfield Farm
Sport Horses & Ponies
for Dressage and Eventing

I was talking to my vet the other night, and he said that almost every daytime foaling he has seen, has either been a dystocia or a rather sick foal.

This didn't make a whole lot of sense to me, as I've heard of plenty of mares foaling in the daytime with no issues at all, and of course dystocias obviously happen at night too. I was just wondering what everybody's thoughts, and experiances were? How many of your daytime foalings have ended fine, or maybe have had a problem?

The one daytime (it was about 6pm, but still totally light out) foaling I've had was a dystocia, and vet assisted delivery.

[Texarkana]

If your vet is making statements like that, I would worry he doesn't have as much repro experience as he is letting on. That is just silly.

[Altamont Sport Horses]

In my experience maiden mares are more likely to go during the daytime. It seems that they fight it all night until it finally knocks them down and they foal. I think I have had about the same number of difficult foalings during the day as I have had at night. I think you have to watch these maidens closer because you just don't know what they will do. We had a maiden go at 1:00 in the afternoon. She waited until nobody was around. I had just come back to the farm and it was obvious the foal had just stood for the first time. She was standing about 40 feet from him and looking like "what the hell is that?" I'm glad we were there to help because she was obviously freaked out. Everytime he tried to get close to nurse she would move away from him like she was scared. It took about 3 hours with our help to get him nursing. After that everything was fine. I had been watching that mare closely all night and thought for sure she would foal. Her second foaling was also unattended because I failed to wake up for the alarm set for every 15 minutes. I woke up shortly thereafter, went to the barn and the foal was out with only the hind legs resting in the birth canal. I was only about 10-15 minutes late for my 15 minute check. I think she picked up on my 15 minute routine and went for it when I failed to show up. This time I will be able to watch on camera so I won't be disturbing her and can step in if there is any trouble.

I also believe that mares who are uncomfortable with the surroundings will hold off as long as possible. We had a mare that started sniffing and circling as soon as we turned her out for the day. She was turned out with another mare who was also close to foaling. After a bit we decided she was ready but uncomfortable with the situation so we had better put her in the stall. About 6 hours later she foaled out at feeding time...around 4 p.m. Lots of activity going on in the barn but she couldn't hold it any longer. This was a difficult foaling due to positioning and required quite a bit of manipulation on my part to get everything in line. This mare had one foal previously and foaled at night.

[NancyM]

Well I think that if your mare has a problem brewing, a polluted, inflamed uterus with infection from a dead twin or toxic foal etc, you are basically waiting for a close to full term abortion. The contents expelled may be either alive and salvagable or not, or dead, depending on luck, how much development has been able to be completed, how sick they are. This can happen anytime, the mare has less input as to when it happens. So it can happen day or night with equal chances. When the mare and foal and foaling is proceeding normally, the mare seems to be more able to direct when she wants to produce it, and most of the time, they choose night time, as much as they can influence these things. Some of course, don't care, or choose daytime. So I think that over all foalings, the normal foalings tend to occur more often at night because that is often what mares will choose, the abnormal ones during the day because the mare has less control over the abnormal situation so the time is evenly split between night and day, can spill out at any time.

I have had normal foalings during the day, often maiden mares who do not know so much what is going on. Of the problem foalings we have had, perhaps more of them have been during the day than at night. One upside down foal, that one was past term, showing no signs until wax at 8:00 AM, milk at 9:00 AM, and foal pulled out after presented upside down at 9:30 AM. I believe that one was stuck about coming through the birth canal for several days, progress was retarded due to malposition. One red bag, that mare had been trying to foal for several days, I was not happy, had several vets check her. The first one looked at the milk and announced "not ready". The other reached in to feel for where the foal was, if it was in the birth canal. The act of doing this triggered foaling, and the red bag became apparent. That foal survived, but the mare did not. The other red bag we had was at night. That foal survived, but the mare was never able to carry a foal again. One toxic foal for no apparent reason, foal survived. One case of a toxic surviving fraternal twin. One case of identical twins, one decayed, the other toxic but still alive but not viable, single decayed placenta. All these toxic ones were daytime foalings, no warning, full term abortions basically, after the mare gave warnings of early milk etc. So we pretty much knew that there was going to be problems.