Is My Mare Overdue?   Your mare's foaling date has come and gone.   Is this cause for concern?   Should you call your vet?    This is an excellent equine gestation period article that will answer your questions and dispell some of the myths surrounding mare foaling due dates.

This is my first foal.  What should I expect when my mare foals?   What should I do to

prepare for the big day?   How can I help my mare to foal safely?  This article by Ohio State University is a must-read for the foaling novice.

View a Video of the Birth of a Foal  This streaming video will give you a visual idea of what to expect with the birth of your foal.   It's complete with time stamps to show the time lapsed, all the way through baby's first steps. This is the real thing, and it's beautiful.

How can I adopt a PMU foal?   Be a hero! Adopt a PMU foal.  PMU (pregnant mare urine) foals are the offspring (or bi-product) that result from mares kept in-foal so that their urine may be collected for hormone therapy drugs for women.  You can save one of these foals from a tragic death, by adopting a foal this spring.  However, PMU foal adoption is not for everyone.  Many of these foals have had little handling or training and are probably not a good fit for the novice foal handler.  Springhill Horse Rescue is an excellent website to learn about this noble alternative to breeding your own mare.

What Color Will My Foal Be?  Of course, the most important thing is that mother and baby come through the birth safely and in good health.  But, not knowing the foal color is a lot like a shiny, gift wrapped package in front of you for close to a year without being able to peer inside.  Here is a link to a very good foal coat color calculator.  Just enter the coat colors of the Sire and Dam -- voila ---  you get the probabilites of the different foal colors.

How do I Imprint My Newborn Foal?  Foal imprinting is a method of foal training that takes place almost immediately after birth.   A human handles the foal by rubbing him all over with both the hands and other objects, such as halters, leads and brushes.  This method has proven to create a less spooky horse that is more accepting of the human world. Click the link above for a more detailed article on newborn foal imprinting.

How Do I Halter Train My Foal?  You're ready to halter your colt or filly for the first time.  It's important to use patience and gentleness during this time to build trust.   You don't want to make your foal nervous at the sight of a halter or lead.  This article by Alissa Madson, "Easy Steps To Halter Breaking Your Foal"  will help you build a good foundation and get you off to a good start with haltering and leading your foal. If you're interested in using positive reinforcement training on your foal, check out this great video on using clicker training to introducing your young one to the halter and lead Clicker Training Foal to Halter and Lead Learn more about clicker training here:  What is clicker training?

When Should I Wean My Foal?  What is the best age to wean your foal?  This is one of the most common questions among first-time horse breeders.  Of course, the answer varies depending on your foal's diet and other factors.  Take a look at this article to determine your youngster's opitmal weaning age.

 Foal Name Fun!  Can't think of the perfect name for your new colt or philly?   Check out our very own horse name generator .  This will help you think of creative ideas for an unusual horse name that fits your new dream horse perfectly.  Each time you click the "Create Horse Name" button, the generator will create a different and unique name for your new horse or foal.  Have fun!

When Should I Castrate My Colt?  It's a boy!  Now what?  When should you have him gelded?   Most breeders will agree, if you don't plan to breed him, castration is best for training and safety of you and his pasture mates.  Many boarding stables will not take stallions.   This article anwers the what, when and how of castrating your colt.

Should I Discipline My Foal?   She's just sooo darned adorable!  But she kicked your husband!  What should you do?  Nothing was really hurt accept your husband's ego. But, if you ignore it, are you starting off on the wrong foot with your training?  Will the problem just get worse? These first few weeks with your new foal can be trying.  In this article by Jessica Jahiel, she addresses many early foal handling  or "over-handling" issues.

Can I Buy Halters and Turn Out Blankets to Fit My Foal?    Yes.   You may only need to punch additional holes in a small horse halter to make it fit.  However, it is important to have a properly fitting halter for your foal.  If you don't think you have the correct fit , try this link:Valley Vet Foal Halter  For many climates, a turnout blanket is not needed for a foal.  But, if you live in a tough climate, or have a foal that was delivered early in the season - a turnout blanket could be a good idea.  This foal blanket at Valley Vet is a good value.