Newborn checklist

Guidelines for the “normal” foal

Respiratory rate: 40–70 breaths per minute

Heart rate: 60–120 beats per minute

Temperature: 99–102 degrees Fahrenheit

Average weight: Between 95 and 115 pounds

Gums: Pink, capillary refill time of two seconds or less

Breathing: Within 30 seconds of birth

Umbilical cord breakage: Five to six minutes of birth

Suckle reflex onset: Within 10 minutes of birth

Standing: Within one hour of birth

Nursing: Within two hours of birth

Meconium elimination: Within a few hours of birth

Placenta expulsion: Within a few hours of birth

Foaling finesse

Evaluate and care for your newborn Appaloosa.

Once your foal is safely on the ground, it’s important to assess its health, especially if your veterinarian isn’t present for the birth. Here are some indicators you can use to be sure your foal is doing well.

The foal should respond to external stimuli including noise and touch. The umbilical cord should break on its own. Once it does, dip the navel stump in iodine so a scab forms that’ll keep bacteria from entering the foal’s delicate system and causing an infection or illness. (To be safe, wear gloves and dip the navel stump several times during the first few days to ensure it’s healed.) At this point, it’s normal for the foal to take a nap. He’s been through a lot during the labor process and will be just as tired as he is curious!

The foal should stand and nurse within the first couple of hours. He may need help finding the mare’s udder. Once the foal gets some milk in him, he should pass the meconium. If your foal doesn’t have a bowel movement before you leave the barn, he may need an enema.

Many people like to have their veterinarian examine their foal within the first 24 hours to rule out any health concerns. They may also look at the foal’s conformation and any abnormalities. You may choose to have your vet draw blood to measure the level of immunoglobulin, or IgG (a type of antibody). Your vet will also examine the mare to ensure both mother and baby are healthy.

Once the foal’s health is determined, many people like to begin handling the foal. The sooner you acclimate the foal to humans, the better. However, be sure not to overwhelm him during his first few days.

The best thing you can do for your foal over his first few weeks is get to know him. Watch him and observe his behavior. There’s no owner’s manual for first-time foal owners. Each foal is going to have his own personality, and what’s “normal” for one foal may not be normal for another.

By Jeannie Blancq Putney

Printed in the March 2008 issue of Appaloosa Journal.

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