How to Prepare a Foaling Stall

Make it the right size. Ideally, your foaling stall should be larger than a standard box stall. A foaling stall should measure 12 feet by 24 feet and there shouldn't be any horses immediately next to it. Good ventilation is also very important. If you do not have access to a larger than normal stall, you will need to have a 12 foot by 12 foot stall, at the very least, and all efforts should be made to have a larger area for the mare to foal in.

Clean and bed the stall properly. All previous bedding needs to be removed and the stall sanitized. Once the stall is dry, and clean, a thick bedding of clean, dry straw should be placed deep enough to come to the middle of the mare's cannons. Straw is much safer for foaling as it does not clot in a newborn's nose and mouth as shavings can.

Do not put a large water container in the stall. As unlikely as it may seem, a mare can deliver a foal into a ground-based water container and it will drown. Water should be placed mid-chest level on the mare and in flat backed buckets against the wall. The same holds true for feed buckets.

Check the walls for sharp protrusions and splinters. Make certain there are no areas where a new foal could slip a hoof or leg through. Remove all wiring and all hay nets, ropes and anything else that the foal could get tangled in.

Make certain that the stall has a light that is bright enough for you to see the mare, and what she is doing, yet not so bright that it disturbs her. If you live in a very cold climate, and the mare is foaling during a cold season, a heat lamp may be necessary.