Bedding choices in the new foal's stall.

As we are getting ready for our second mare to give birth, I am looking at some of the finer details of the process that I want to discuss. Today I'd like to take a look at the bedding choices that you have in the stalls that the newborns will be in.

Since most of us use fine sawdust or a combination of sawdust and shavings, that is probably already in the foaling stall that you will use. The thing to keep in mind is that newborn foals will spend a lot of time sleeping and down near the bedding, and fine sawdust can cause some serious problems with their lungs. Since racehorses are rely heavily on their lungs, it's very important that they are given the chance to develop properly in the early days. Covering your sawdust with straw will greatly cut down on the amount of dust in the air. The sawdust makes a great absorbent on the bottom, as well as insulation from the ground on concrete or padded stalls. Remember tho, if you have heated floors, be sure to closely regulate the temps so that you don't run into problems from the extra bedding that you add.

Next we'll look at indoor arenas and keeping the dust down in the winter, which can be especially tricky in the winter, since you usually can't use your overhead watering system.

Stay tuned!