Equine

Mare and foal care planner

Enter your breeding date or your foal's birth date to see what to do and when, from pre-breeding through the first year, with the supplies for each step.

  1. 60 to 90 days before breeding

    Get her ready to breed

    • Start a lighting program (16 hours of light) 60 to 90 days ahead. For a mid February start, lights go on by December 1.
    • Bring body condition to 6 or 7. Thin mares take more cycles to conceive.
    • Book the breeding soundness exam, with uterine culture and cytology for barren mares.
    • Bring core vaccines and deworming up to date before breeding.

    Plan this step with your veterinarian.

    Source: Extension Horses, broodmare management and body condition [E14, E15]; Merck, breeding soundness exam [E8]

    What you need

  2. Breeding day

    Breed and confirm ovulation

    • Time insemination to the follicle and ovulation: cooled semen within 24 hours before ovulation, frozen semen from 12 hours before to 6 hours after.
    • Recheck 12 to 24 hours after ovulation. Mares prone to post-breeding fluid may need lavage or oxytocin.

    Plan this step with your veterinarian.

    Source: Merck, breeding [E7]; BEVA frozen semen guidance [E26]; Univ. of Tennessee, cooled semen [E19]; Univ. of Kentucky, post-breeding endometritis [E22]

    What you need

  3. Days 14 to 35

    Confirm the pregnancy

    • First ultrasound at 14 to 16 days to rule out twins.
    • Heartbeat check around day 25, and a recheck around day 35.

    Plan this step with your veterinarian.

    Source: Colorado State Univ. Equine Reproduction Lab, pregnancy examination [E12]

  4. Months 3 to 5

    Deworm based on fecal egg counts

    • Run a fecal egg count and deworm with a product labeled safe for pregnant mares.
    • Keep her routine steady: limit stress and long trailer trips.

    Plan this step with your veterinarian.

    Source: AAEP Internal Parasite Control Guidelines 2024 [E1]

    What you need

  5. Month 5 of gestation

    EHV-1 vaccine, dose 1

    • Vaccinate against equine herpesvirus abortion at months 5, 7 and 9.

    Plan this step with your veterinarian.

    Source: Merck, broodmare vaccination schedule [E5]; Univ. of Kentucky Gluck Center, EHV-1 [E23]

    What you need

  6. Month 7 of gestation

    EHV-1 vaccine, dose 2

    • Second EHV-1 abortion vaccine.
    • Monitor body condition and keep exercise light to moderate.

    Plan this step with your veterinarian.

    Source: Merck, broodmare vaccination schedule [E5]

    What you need

  7. Month 9 of gestation

    EHV-1 vaccine, dose 3

    • Third EHV-1 abortion vaccine.
    • Ask your veterinarian about rotavirus vaccine at months 8, 9 and 10 if your farm has a history of foal diarrhea.
    • Remove her from fescue pasture 45 to 60 days before the due date.

    Plan this step with your veterinarian.

    Source: Merck, broodmare vaccination schedule [E5]; Oklahoma State Univ., foaling management [E17]

    What you need

  8. 4 to 6 weeks before the due date

    Prepartum boosters

    • Booster her core vaccines now (tetanus, EEE and WEE, West Nile, rabies, influenza and EHV as advised) so her colostrum carries antibodies to the foal.

    Plan this step with your veterinarian.

    Source: Merck, broodmare vaccination schedule [E5]

    What you need

  9. From day 310

    Set up for birth

    • Move her to a clean, well bedded birthing stall at least a week before her due date.
    • Have your veterinarian open the Caslick, if she has one.
    • Assemble the birthing kit: tail wrap, OB sleeves, lubricant, navel dip, towels, an IgG test and your veterinarian's number.

    Source: Oklahoma State Univ., foaling management [E17]

    What you need

  10. Days 320 to 360

    Watch for parturition

    • Test mammary secretion calcium daily: above 200 ppm, birth within 24 to 72 hours is likely.
    • Delivery should take 15 to 20 minutes once the water breaks. Call your veterinarian if it goes past 30 minutes.
    • The placenta should pass within 3 hours.

    Plan this step with your veterinarian.

    Source: Oklahoma State Univ., foaling management [E17]

    What you need

Timing follows AAEP and Merck Veterinary Manual guidance and is a general plan, not veterinary advice. Gestation runs 320 to 380 days; the due date shown uses 340. Your veterinarian sets the vaccines and dewormers for your horse and region.

Sources

[E1] AAEP Internal Parasite Control Guidelines (2024). [E2] AAEP parasite guidelines, foals and weanlings. [E3] AAEP Foal Vaccination Chart. [E4] AAEP Adult Horse Vaccine Chart. [E5] Merck Veterinary Manual, Broodmare Vaccination Schedule. [E7] Merck Veterinary Manual, Breeding in Horses. [E8] Merck Veterinary Manual, Breeding Soundness Exam of the Mare. [E9] Merck Veterinary Manual, Early Postpartum Period. [E10] Merck Veterinary Manual, Failure of Passive Transfer. [E12] Colorado State Univ. ERL, Pregnancy Examination. [E14] Extension Horses, Basic Broodmare Management. [E15] Extension Horses, Body Condition of Broodmares. [E17] Oklahoma State Univ. Extension, Foaling Management. [E19] Univ. of Tennessee Extension, Cooled Shipped Horse Semen. [E22] Univ. of Kentucky, Mare Response to Endometritis Treatment. [E23] Univ. of Kentucky Gluck Center, EHV-1 Revisited. [E26] BEVA, Frozen Semen Guidance. [E27] The Jockey Club, American Stud Book Rules. [E29] USDA APHIS, Equine Interstate Movement.