| Author |
Message |
    
Elena Vieira
Weanling
Username: Opheliaimmorttal
Post Number: 22
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, February 12, 2006 - 12:58 am: | 
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HI Everyone,
I was just wondering how to wrap my mares tail before she gives birth and how long before. I heard use vet wrap or something but i heard vet wrap only lasts a few days. Should it last more? She is due in April but can have her baby as early as the middle of march(as says a foal calculator) I was wondering if I should wrap it in march and keep it wrapped? or rewrap it every few days? I dont know!
Thanks!
Elena |
Emma
Breeding Stock
Username: Emma
Post Number: 145
Registered: 09-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, February 12, 2006 - 06:50 am: |
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Elena you should never keep wraps on for to long. If it is to tight you could cut off the circulation. Keep a close eye on her and when she is starting to give you some pretty good strong sighns of foaling start wrapping her tail BUT make sure you re do it every day. I personally don't think wrapping is neccesary. I have never worried about it with my girls and never had any problems. Just wash the tail and hind quarters of the mare after she has foaled. |
Alex Abel
Nursing Foal
Username: Paintedhorses
Post Number: 18
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, February 12, 2006 - 09:07 am: |
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In my opinion, wrapping the tail is just ocupational therapy for the nervous horse owner. Keeps them busy for a few minutes.
I wrapped our mares tail several times. She always managed to get the tail wrap off within an hour LOL. So then I just quit doing it.
Wrapping her tail was really just a reason for me to spend more time with the mare. Our horses live outside and are only put up to be fed. Its impossible to keep them as clean as I'd like.
I keep their stalls clean, I brush them every day, I make sure they have clean water and good hay. Thats all I can do. The mares will decide where to have their baby.
I was going crazy, worrying about that mare for three weeks. Now I am still a little worried about the other horses, but I realized that most probably everything will be just fine. |
Sandy D
Breeding Stock
Username: Sbr_appaloosas
Post Number: 169
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, February 12, 2006 - 01:02 pm: |
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I will braid the mare's tail a week or so before their "due" date. It does keep the tail from getting so messy during delivery and it does help to keep it out of the way too. Wrapping is just a pain in the butt! |
Kim k
Breeding Stock
Username: Kimk
Post Number: 293
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, February 12, 2006 - 01:16 pm: |
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We braid the tail too, a week or so, maybe a bit longer depending on how the mare seems to be doing. |
Jenn Van Horsen
Nursing Foal
Username: Jennuwynn
Post Number: 15
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, February 12, 2006 - 07:37 pm: |
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wrapping is too dangerous and it can be harmful as noted above! Braifing if you have to is a better option - just be aware that not every mare will want you fiddling around behind her that close to foaling, and be careful you don't get kicked or agitate the mare too much - also, like when you do your own hair, be careful you don't catch some hairs up short, and cause irritation/pain.
I personally leave mine loose, try to keep up with brushing more so there is not a nest of hair where mom decided to foal out, lol, but I leave the tails natural for them - never had a problem with a tail yet!
Jenn  |
Joanna
Yearling
Username: Joanna
Post Number: 66
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, February 12, 2006 - 07:39 pm: |
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Is there a site online with directions on how to braid a tail? I have always wanted to learn, and my vet says it is a great substitute to wrapping, which is a huge hassle.
Thanks
Joanna |
Kim k
Breeding Stock
Username: Kimk
Post Number: 294
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Monday, February 13, 2006 - 08:34 am: |
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Hi Joanna,
if you go to www.google.com and type in braiding horses tails, there is a ton of web sites that come up.
If you can do a french braid or even a normal braid in humans you can do your horses tail... it takes practice to get good at it but who needs it to be perfect for foaling, you just need it out of the way of the mess of birth !
Jenn, I dont' think that people have a problem , we just want to keep the tail as clean as possible when it comes time to foal as the tail can get pretty messy sometimes. And for alot of us bathing at this time of year is out of the question due to weather conditions...burr!
Kim |
