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Topic: Cold Snap Foals (Read 1389 times)
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Lucky Mistake
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We're in a cold snap here for the last two days, and tonight promises to be the coldest of it. 19 degrees. Missy is totally bagged up and looks ready to pop, especially tonight. I've given her the lecture about waiting another day or so. Monday, the weather turns around, and we resume our usual 60s for this time of year.
But if she should happen to foal tonight or tomorrow night, is there anything special you need to do for cold snap foals? I have paddocks with three-sided sheds, but no enclosed barn or stall available. Can't just tuck them indoors under a heat lamp. Could come up with a foal blanket, I guess, but on a paddock foal, I worry about it getting hung up. Has anybody else had cold weather outdoors babies? Did they need any extra cold snap attention to help them deal with it, or did they handle it just fine?
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"Then we began to ride. My soul smoothed itself out, a long-cramped scroll freshening and fluttering in the wind." Robert Browning
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Joy
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Hopefully Missy will wait, but I'd still opt for the foal blanket if she foals. I'd be sitting up all night, too, because those babies are wet and can get chilled quickly. Most foal blankets are attached with velcro, Deb, so the chances of problems from getting hung up are pretty slim.
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fuzzy
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If you can catch the mare foaling so as to help her get the baby fluffy and dry ASAP, that would be great. A light blanket wouldn't hurt, especially if you can rig up something (perhaps from an old sweatshirt trimmed to size) that will "breakaway" in the case of a snag. However, I had a lamb born here a few years ago on the coldest night of the year and he did just fine, even though lambs are generally much more delicate than foals. He was born in a large lean-to with no heat and little protection from the wind, but our old dog was nice enough to help Snowflake dry him off, and then sleep with him to keep him warm. Odd buddies, I know, but it sure was cute to see the lamb run, play, and sleep on the porch with his dog friend.
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Lucky Mistake
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Gold Medallist
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I didn't get much sleep, but she didn't foal last night. Got a carrot for waiting. Tonight will still be cold, but not as cold, and starting tomorrow, it returns to normal temps. Hopefully we'll be okay.
I did have a dream she'd foaled last night, though, while I was catching a nap. I dreamed that she had twins, and one was born dead, but the other was a spunky, healthy, adorable filly. And of all unexpected colors, she was pinto.
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"Then we began to ride. My soul smoothed itself out, a long-cramped scroll freshening and fluttering in the wind." Robert Browning
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