Stages of Labor

Foaling is intense. It's nature doing what it's done for millions of years, but it's also the moment where everything you've prepared for actually happens. Understanding the stages of labor helps you know what's normal and what's not. It helps you stay calm when you should stay calm and know when to call the vet.

Foaling happens in three stages. The first stage is preparation—the mare's body getting ready, contractions starting, the foal rotating into position. The second stage is active labor and delivery—the foal coming out. The third stage is passage of the placenta. These three stages happen in sequence, and each one tells you something about whether foaling is progressing normally or if something's going wrong.

The whole foaling process usually takes somewhere between two and four hours from when you first notice active contractions to when the foal is completely delivered and standing. Some mares are fast—thirty minutes of hard labor and done. Some take longer. Older mares sometimes labor longer than younger ones. First-time moms sometimes labor longer than experienced mares. All of these are normal variations.

Timing matters because at some points during foaling, time is the foal's enemy. A foal can't breathe while it's still inside the mare. It relies entirely on placental exchange until it's born and takes its first breath. So if labor stalls—if the mare stops progressing—the foal is in danger. This is why knowing what normal looks like means you can recognize when something's actually wrong.

Foaling is also unpredictable. You can prepare perfectly, have everything ready, and foaling still surprises you. Some mares give you all the warning signs and you're ready. Some mares are sneaky—you step out for five minutes and come back to a foal on the ground. This is why people watch pregnant mares at night, sometimes for weeks before foaling. You're trying to be there when it happens, but sometimes it doesn't work out that way.

Stage One is the preparation stage. It can last anywhere from a few hours to twenty-four hours or even longer. During this stage, the mare's body is getting ready. You'll see behavioral changes—restlessness, pacing, maybe some sweating. The mare might look uncomfortable, might lie down and get up repeatedly, might not be interested in food. Some mares get tail-swishing behavior, some get agitated.

During Stage One, the foal is rotating into position. Ideally, the foal is lying on its back while still inside the mare, foreleg first. It needs to rotate so it's upright, front legs forward, so it can be delivered head-first and front-legs-first. This rotation is happening during Stage One while the mare's contractions are gentle and her body is preparing.

How do you know Stage One is happening? You probably can't feel the internal rotation, but you can see the behavior. The mare is restless. She's sweating, maybe more than you'd expect. She might have a mucus discharge, which is normal. Her udder might be full—many mares develop a full udder a few days before foaling, though some wait until labor starts.

Stage One ends when the foal's front feet and nose rupture through the amnion—the inner membrane. Once you see that, you know Stage Two is starting. Some people see the amnion protrude, some see fluid running down the mare's back legs, some just know that foaling is actually happening now.

Stage Two is active labor and delivery. This is go-time. Once the foal's feet break through that membrane, the clock is ticking. A normal Stage Two lasts fifteen to thirty minutes, though it can take up to an hour in first-time mothers. During Stage Two, you should see steady progress. The foal's front legs should be coming out, then the nose and head, then the chest and body, then finally the hind legs.

Once the foal's head and shoulders are out, gravity helps. The weight of the delivered part pulls the rest out. Mares usually stand for this part, though some lie down. Either way, once you see the foal coming, it comes relatively quickly. In a normal delivery, you go from seeing the foal's feet to having a completely delivered foal in minutes.

The mare is doing hard contractions during Stage Two. You'll see her strain, her flanks convulsing, her whole body working. Between contractions there's a break. The foal rests. Then the next contraction comes and more of the foal comes out. This rhythmic process continues until the foal is fully delivered.

Once the foal is completely out, it's time for the foal to breathe. The foal should gasp for air, should cough, should start trying to get up. If the foal isn't breathing, isn't responding, you've got an emergency. If the foal is breathing and trying to move, that's good. Leave the umbilical cord alone unless it's bleeding profusely. The mare and foal are still connected by that cord, and blood is flowing from the placenta to the foal. Let it be until the foal stands and it naturally breaks, or until it stops pulsing.

Stage Three is passage of the placenta. After the foal is delivered and up and breathing, there's still the placenta to come out. The mare will have more contractions, usually mild, and the placenta will come out in pieces or all at once. This usually happens within thirty minutes to an hour after the foal is born. Some mares pass the placenta quickly. Some take a few hours. If it's taking longer than three hours, that's a concern and you should call the vet.

Before foaling even starts, you should know when you're expecting the foal. A mare is pregnant for about eleven months—roughly 330 to 345 days. Most mares foal in March through June, though some foal year-round. Know your mare's due date, but know also that due dates in horses are approximations. A mare could foal two weeks before or two weeks after the expected date and still be normal.

Start watching at least a month before the expected due date. Watch for signs that foaling is getting close—a full udder, waxing on the teats, behavioral changes. Some of these signs come days before foaling. Some come the day foaling happens. Some mares show all of them. Some show none.

Set up a foaling stall. It needs to be safe—no sharp objects, good footing that won't slip, deep bedding so the mare is comfortable. Some people use straw bedding specifically for foaling because it's easier to clean up. Some use shavings. Either way, you want material that's absorbent and comfortable. The stall should be clean. You don't want a dirty, contaminated environment for a newborn foal.

Have foaling supplies ready. This means halters, lead ropes, towels, iodine for the foal's navel, thermometer, flashlight, your vet's emergency number, your backup vet's number if the first one isn't available. Have blankets if you're expecting a cold foal. Have a warming box or heat lamp if you're in a cold climate. Have colostrum replacer in case the mare isn't producing colostrum or the foal can't nurse. Have a foal scale if you want to track the foal's weight.

Know the signs that something's wrong before foaling even starts. A mare in extreme distress, sweating profusely, showing signs of colic, having a discharge that's bright red or foul-smelling—these warrant a vet call. The mare shouldn't be suffering through foaling.

During foaling, your job is mainly observation. Stay calm. Let the mare do her job. Don't interfere unless something is clearly wrong. Watch the clock. Notice when Stage One ends and Stage Two begins. Watch for steady progress during Stage Two. Once the foal is out, dry it off if needed, make sure it's breathing, and let it rest with the mare.

After the foal is born, let the mare and foal bond. The foal should be trying to nurse within an hour or two. If it's not, that's a concern. The mare should have passed the placenta within a few hours. Check the placenta—it should look like a large, dark, velvety sac. If there are missing pieces, the mare might have retained some placenta and needs vet attention.

Keep an eye on both mare and foal over the next few days. The mare should be eating and drinking normally. The foal should be nursing, should be urinating and defecating normally. If either one seems off, call the vet. Foals can deteriorate quickly. It's better to call the vet about something that turns out fine than to wait and have a small problem become a big one.

The biggest complication is dystocia—difficult labor. This happens when the foal is malpositioned and can't come out normally. Foreleg back instead of forward, head turned to the side, hind-legs-first presentation, or completely backward presentation. When a foal isn't positioned right, it's not coming out on its own. You need veterinary intervention immediately.

Stage Two should progress. If the mare is straining hard but nothing's happening after thirty minutes, that's a sign the foal might be malpositioned. If you can see one foreleg but not the other, if you see a nose but it's twisted weird, if you see nothing but the mare is straining hard—call the vet. Don't wait. A foal in a wrong position dies if it doesn't get delivered quickly.

Red Bag delivery is an emergency. Normally the outer membrane of the placenta, the red bag, doesn't come out until after the foal. If you see a red, velvety sac instead of the normal white/clear sac, the placenta is coming out first. This means the foal isn't getting oxygen from the placenta. You have minutes to get that foal out. Call the vet immediately if you see a red bag.

The foal can be born with the amniotic sac still covering its nose. You need to break that sac immediately so the foal can breathe. If the foal's trying to breathe through that membrane, it's suffocating. Clear it away quickly.

Hemorrhage is a possibility. If the umbilical cord ruptures during foaling and starts spurting blood, you have an emergency. Usually the cord stays intact until the foal stands or until it's naturally broken. If it breaks early and bleeds heavily, you need to tie it off or clamp it immediately.

The mare can have a uterine rupture during foaling. This is rare but it happens. Signs are severe pain, the mare going into shock, internal bleeding. This is an emergency requiring immediate vet care.

The mare can have a prolapsed uterus after delivery. The entire uterus comes out instead of just the placenta. You need emergency vet care immediately. Don't pull on the uterus. Don't try to push it back in yourself. Call the vet and get emergency help.

The placenta can be retained. If it hasn't come out within three to four hours after foaling, the mare needs vet attention. Retained placenta can lead to infection, founder, and death. Don't mess with it yourself. Get professional help.

The foal might not breathe. If the foal isn't gasping for air, isn't coughing, isn't showing signs of breathing, you might need to stimulate it. Clear any fluid from its nostrils. Rub it vigorously. If it still isn't breathing, this is an emergency.

The foal might be dummy foal—a foal that's born but not neurologically normal. It might not stand, might not nurse, might seem confused. This needs immediate vet evaluation.

The cord can wrap around the foal. If the umbilical cord is wrapped around the foal's legs or body, unwrap it gently but carefully. Don't stretch the cord—just work it free. If you can't free it, get help.

Most people have a vet present for foaling, or at least on standby. A breeding vet or an emergency vet should be available. You want someone who knows foaling, who's handled complications, who can get to you quickly if something goes wrong. Know which vet you're calling before labor starts. Don't wait until you're in crisis to figure out who can help.

Some people use ultrasound during pregnancy to confirm the foal's position as the due date approaches. This gives you advance warning if the foal is malpositioned. If you know the foal is breached or twisted wrong, you can prepare for a difficult delivery or plan for veterinary intervention before foaling.

If something goes wrong during foaling, call the vet immediately. Don't wait to see if the mare will resolve it on her own. A foal that's malpositioned needs to come out fast. A mare that's been straining hard for an hour needs help. Red Bag delivery needs immediate intervention. These situations won't resolve themselves and waiting costs lives.

After foaling, have the vet examine both mare and foal. This confirms that the mare passed all the placenta, that the foal has no birth defects, that both are healthy. This is a good investment in peace of mind and early detection of problems.

For the first few days after foaling, watch the foal closely. Call the vet if anything seems off. Foals can develop serious problems—sepsis, failure to nurse, diarrhea, lameness—sometimes within hours of birth. Catching these early makes treatment much more likely to work.

Foaling is a natural process, but it's not always smooth. Know what normal looks like so you recognize when something's wrong. Know the stages. Know what to watch for. Know when to call the vet.

Stay calm during foaling. Your mare picks up on your stress. A calm handler helps keep a laboring mare calm. You don't need to do much—just observe, stay present, and let the mare do her job.

Have a plan before foaling happens. Know which vet you're calling. Know what foaling supplies you need. Know where you're foaling the mare. Know the signs of complications. Know your backup plan if your first vet isn't available.

Remember that foaling is a process that can't be rushed. Each stage takes the time it takes. You can't speed up the preparation stage or the early part of Stage Two. You can only observe and wait and call for help if something goes wrong.

After foaling, remember that the first few days are critical for the foal. A foal that seems fine at birth can develop serious problems. Watch closely. Call the vet about anything that concerns you.