The Complete Foaling Checklist: What to Prepare in the Last 30 Days
Breeding · 10 min read · · MyHorseBase team
A week-by-week checklist for the last month of pregnancy: stall prep, foaling kit, signs of imminent foaling, and what to do in the first 24 hours after birth.
The last 30 days before foaling are when small bits of preparation pay off hugely. A clean foaling stall, a stocked kit by the door, and a clear vet plan turn a stressful night into a routine one. This is the checklist we use, with every horse on MyHorseBase that has a due date set.
4 weeks before due date
- Move the mare to her foaling environment so she settles and builds antibodies to local pathogens that the foal will be exposed to
- Confirm the foaling stall: minimum 4 x 4 m, deep clean, fresh straw bedding (shavings are harder for a wet foal)
- Top up tetanus and flu boosters if not already done (your vet will confirm timing)
- Stock the foaling kit (full list below) and put it within arm's reach of the stall
- Save vet, transport and emergency numbers on every phone in the yard
2 weeks before
- Start checking the mare every 2–3 hours overnight, or set up a foaling camera/alarm
- Wash the udder and dock gently with warm water to reduce bacteria
- Wrap the tail with a clean tail bandage when signs of imminent foaling appear
- Confirm colostrum quality plan — most stables keep frozen colostrum from a previous foaling or a known donor as backup
Signs foaling is imminent
- Udder fills — usually 2–4 weeks out
- Teats wax up with sticky honey-coloured droplets — usually 24–48 hours out
- Vulva relaxes and lengthens — final 24 hours
- Milk drips and turns white/opaque — typically within 24 hours
- Mare becomes restless, paws, sweats, looks at her flank — active labour stage 1, expect a foal within 1–4 hours
The foaling kit
- Clean towels (6+) and a tail bandage
- Iodine or chlorhexidine 0.5% for the umbilical stump
- Disposable gloves and a long arm sleeve
- Sharp scissors and string (for the umbilical cord if it doesn't break naturally)
- Enema for the foal (often needed for meconium in the first 12 hours)
- Bucket of warm water and mild soap for the mare
- Thermometer, stethoscope, head torch, fully charged phone
- Frozen colostrum (200–500 ml) as backup
- Foaling alarm or camera receiver
The first 24 hours: the 1-2-3 rule
Most experienced vets use the 1-2-3 rule to assess a newborn foal:
- 1 hour: the foal should be standing
- 2 hours: the foal should be nursing successfully
- 3 hours: the mare should have passed the placenta
If any milestone is missed, call your vet. The placenta should always be saved in a bucket and shown to the vet — retained placenta is a common cause of laminitis and metritis in the mare.
Day 1 vet check
Within 12–24 hours, your vet should do a newborn exam: heart, lungs, joints, eyes, suckle reflex, meconium passage, and most importantly an IgG snap test to confirm the foal has absorbed enough colostral antibodies. Failure of passive transfer is the single biggest preventable killer of newborn foals.
What to log on day 1
- Exact foaling time
- Sex, colour and markings (photo each side)
- Time the foal first stood and first nursed
- Time the placenta passed and whether it looked complete
- IgG test result
- Body temperature morning and evening for the first 5 days
Frequently asked questions
When should I move my mare to the foaling stall?
Most vets recommend moving her at least 4–6 weeks before due date so she has time to develop antibodies to the local pathogens her foal will encounter, and to settle.
How long does foaling take?
Stage 1 (restless behaviour) lasts 1–4 hours. Stage 2 (active delivery) is fast — usually 10–20 minutes. Stage 3 (passing the placenta) should complete within 3 hours of birth.
What is the 1-2-3 rule?
Foal stands within 1 hour, nurses within 2 hours, mare passes the placenta within 3 hours. Miss any milestone and call your vet.
Do I need a foaling alarm?
Not strictly, but most mares foal at night and very quickly. A camera or birth alarm dramatically reduces the chance of missing a complication during stage 2.