Foal speed ahead: Caring for the newborn horse

premature rupture of the water bag and a loss of connection to the mares blood and oxygen supply. If an owner sees this they must open the bag and pull the foal out immediately to halt asphyxiation.
Postbirth
 

If the birth sac is still covering the foals head it should be removed within less than a minute of birth. Foals should breathe at around 6080 breathsperminute and have a strong heartbeat. If not they require immediate resuscitation. This involves clearing the airway of any mucus or substance sticking to their nostrils. As obligate intranasal breathers horses rely on their noses for air.
For foals that are not breathing properly owners should focus on ventilating as respiratory arrest precedes cardiac arrest in most large animals. If the veterinarian is there they will have an endotracheal tube that will enable ventilation. If you dont have that or your vet is not there there are other simple ways you can ventilate the foal she explains. Laying the foal down and extending its neck owners should breathe into one nostril while closing the other and closing the esophagus at the same time by putting the thumb on the left side of the foals neck behind the throat latch. This prevents air from entering the foals stomach. Owners should deliver 1020 breaths per minute either using their mouths or with a pump and mask delivery system that can be easily bought in advance.
After ventilation is going well owners can recheck the heart rate. If it is not above 60 beats per minute chest compressions may be added after about 30 minutes of ventilation. Placing the foal on a flat surface the person giving compressions should kneel parallel to the foals spine placing their hands on top of each other right behind the foals shoulder. The goal is to deliver 100 beats per minute following the rhythm of the Bee Gees Staying Alive.
Be careful not to synchronize with the person whos giving ventilation because they are two very different rhythms says Delvescovo. She recommend
 

s using the Foal CPR app by Veterinary Advances Ltd to help with this process.
A newborn foal is a very delicate creature with very unique needs. Horses are prey Delvescovo says. In nature they need to make a very big transition between being in utero and being able to run away from predators.
Assessing your new foal
A newborn foal is a very delicate creature with very unique needs. Horses are prey Delvescovo says. In nature they need to make a very big transition between being in utero and being able to run away from predators.
If any stress or pathologies disrupt this transition problems can occur sometimes causing body systems to reverse back to their fetal state. Its very important to know what a newborn does normally and to be proactive when you see something abnormal says Delvescovo.
For a neonatal assessment owners should identify key risk factors connected the mare the foal itself and the pregnancy summarized below
Mare Firsttime mother poor maternal behavior illness history of complications in