Congenital Hypothyroidism is a disease syndrome or process that is native to the Northwest Region of the United States. Dr. Jed McKinlay of McKinlay & Peters Equine Hospital in Colbert, WA wishes for us to share their firsthand knowledge about this issue because there is little documentation to be found. Though it has been observed in the field, it has never been repeated in clinical research. However, a number of risk factors have been identified; dos and don’ts to evade this problem. (Warning! An image in this article may be disturbing to some readers.)
What transpires in the first 24 to 48 hours of a foal’s life is critical to his health and well-being from early life and up through weaning. As a foaling attendant there are several “milestones” to keep in mind as you watch the behavior of both the baby and the mare post-foaling. In this article we discuss the milestones they both should make within the few hours after the foal’s arrival into his new world. The care delivered, attention to detail, and respect for the nature of the horse will help set up your foal up for a healthier adolescence.
What will you do in the event you are left to manage an orphaned foal? No one wants to think about such a scenario but it's best to consider all possible outcomes so you are prepared if the unthinkable happens. This includes knowing how to provide the orphaned foal with colostrum, locate a nurse mare, etc. 
The arrival of a foal is always an exciting time regardless of whether you have a large breeding farm or just one mare to foal out. What happens when an emergency arises and you find yourself with a very young orphan foal that needs milk? Problems that may arise include: the mare dies during or soon after foaling, the mare colics or has other health issues which require emergency intervention, the mare rejects the foal, and/or the mare does not produce enough milk or “dries up.” There is always the option of bottle feeding these foals but this is a very time consuming process and the foal could tend to be more socialized towards humans than horses. These unfortunate circumstances are the perfect time to consider a nurse mare who can be brought in to adopt and raise the orphaned foal. 
You bred your mare almost a year ago, 340 days to be exact, and have been waiting patiently. You have given her all of her pre-foaling vaccinations, adjusted her diet, and prepared a warm, well bedded stall. Everything is just right! So what can possibly go wrong? Well, most likely nothing. Mares foal uneventfully about 90% of the time, but when things do go south, they do so very quickly. So every mare owner needs to be prepared for the potential circumstance when things do go wrong.
It comes around the same time every year…Foaling Season! Nearly one year ago you bred your mare. Ever since the 14-day pregnancy check you have anxiously awaited the arrival of your new foal. Our library of news and blog articles can be a great resource for the new or experienced breeder, whether you have one mare or stallion, or manage the operations of a larger breeding farm. Here we will review our articles which encompass pregnant and foaling mares as well as foaling and foal care. We cover the topics of breeding mares and stallions as well as their nutritional considerations in 
The weeks and days leading up to foaling can be exciting and stressful, filled with sleepless nights and middle of the night trips to the barn. Several technologies exist to assist in predicting when parturition is eminent. These devices, which include foaling monitors and milk test kits, may help take some of the anxiety out of the situation.
A newborn foal’s biggest adversary is infection from pathogens such as Rotavirus, E. coli and Salmonella bacteria. In fact, diarrhea or sepsis (generalized body infection) is the leading cause of neonatal intensive care in foals. The illness starts out as invasion by one of many viruses or bacteria. Rotavirus is highly contagious and happens when foals ingest focally contaminated material or lick surfaces contaminated with manure. One teaspoon of Rotavirus-infected feces from a foal can contain more than 10 million virus particles – enough to infect whole herds of foals. Unfortunately, too, the virus is so hardy that it can survive more than nine months at room temperature and over winter on farms. 
There are many milestones in the life of a foal. They start as big ones like standing, nursing, and meeting their dam for the first time. Yet as a foal ages and summer days begin to lengthen one major milestone looms over the foal…Weaning Day. From the perspective of a veterinarian, Dr. David Scofield walks us through the important aspects of weaning.
