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Post by nrly on May 11, 2008 1:59:29 GMT -5
What i was wondering is how long does it take for their mane to start to lay down? and should we work with it to get it to lay all on one side?
How do you all feel about fly wipe on a newborn? I have a fly mask for Flashy's foal when it gets here, the flies are bad. and i want to apply some to keep it comfortable, and to keep them off his or hers cord.
Also when do you feel the baby needs to be put on wormer? I feel if the mom is done on a regular schedules, like mine ever 8 weeks, the baby as long as nursing should not have to be wormed. Correct or not correct?
A lady where we board our horse's she is having her 2 new foals wormed and they are still nursing.
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Post by DianneC on May 11, 2008 20:19:13 GMT -5
Hey Nola,
Mane is really short and curly when they are born. You can leave it natural and wait and see what it does. We've had a couple foals with double manes, i.e. it parts down the middle and half falls to each side. I don't like a bunch of stuff on babies or pregnant mares and avoid it if possible. So a mask if the flies are really bad, but even better would be some fly traps to eliminate the flies and then a mask during the day. Predators work well in a stable situation where all the manure is picked up daily. The stable where Smoke was used fly traps and predators and we didn't need masks. The foals do mind the flies but will learn to hide their faces in mom's tail. One time I was trying to get a picture of Chinny and couldn't figure out why his tail was so busy, then I realized he was swishing it over the weaning Rio.
I like to worm the mares shortly before birth or shortly after, even if they've been on a regular schedule but that is a personal preference. If your mare and foal are not out with other horses then the risk for picking up worms from non-wormed horses is pretty minimal and I wouldn't worry. They do start nibbling grass right away, imitating mom and learning from her what to eat. If there are other horses that are not wormed on a regular basis in the same paddock then I would worry more. Foals will eat manure to get the microbes they need for their gut to work. So don't be grossed out by that.
At my vet's suggetion I use Novasen on the umbilical cord in an empty roll film container so that I have a lid on it. Its just the right size to dip the navel in (difficult because it is far further back than you would think) The navel will dry quickly and the files won't be interested.
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Post by Michelle Clarke on May 11, 2008 21:35:13 GMT -5
Like Dianne said, the flies won't really bother the umbilical cord as it dries quickly. Careful though, as anything you put on it can carry on up - so stay away from chemicals. I took Kims' suggestion this year and used Tea Tree straight up and have had good results with all the foals this year and it does not burn them like iodine and other stuff.
All foals do get worms - round worms are a big one until they are 2 - does not matter where or how they are kept. As natural as we try to be, the deworming is something that has to be done. We do every month - starting at 2 months old - until they are a year, then go to every other month until they are 3, then four times a year after that. Pyrantel is a must at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 months old. We use Strongid in between (very mild) and don't use Ivermectin until they are close to a year old - but before the nightshade comes out here as if they ingest it close to when they have had an ivermectin product, they can get poisoned...also remember not to put the foal with any other horse that has had ivermectin recently until they are at least 7-8 months old, as they can colic on it, even if they eat the poop that contains it.
It does not matter one bit if the mare is dewormed or not, the foals will get them.
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Post by nrly on May 11, 2008 23:15:23 GMT -5
thank you both for answering my questions.
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