HORSES' gestation period of 11 months means that mare owners – even those with plenty of experience – have plenty of time to get nervous about foaling.

Fortunately, however, the majority of mares foal quickly and without complication, so it's simply a matter of being around just in case of a problem.

Foaling should take place in a clean and quiet location. A small paddock is ideal but needs to be dry and the temperature higher than it has been so far this spring, especially at night. Because it is also easier to observe mares in stables or barns than at grass, most foal inside. Straw is preferable to shavings, which stick to the mare and her new foal.

Early clues to foaling include filling of the udder (2-4 weeks prior to foaling), engorgement of the teats (4-6 days prior), and the appearance of a honey-like secretion at the end of the teats (1-4 days prior). The latter is colostrum and known as 'waxing' because it often resembles candle wax dripping from the teats.

Some mares give little or no indication that foaling is imminent, so monitoring should start 7-10 days before the due date.

Mares prefer to foal at night and keeping an eye on them necessitates getting up every couple of hours or waking to view a CCTV feed from the foaling box.

Foaling alarms offer an alternative to this sleep deprivation – especially with mares that go well over their due date – and also allow you to leave home during the day.

Three types are available, all of which can be programmed to call or text mobile phones. They can be purchased or hired for the period of foaling and invariably work – as long as you remain in an area with phone reception!

Alarms either employ positional sensors that detect when a mare is lying down in a delivery position or pick up sweating that accompanies labour. A third sort is sutured into the lips of the vulva and activated as the foal enters the birthing canal.

The popular Wyke alarm uses positional and sweat sensors; this provides 'belt and braces' and, if there are too many false alarms from your mare lying down, the positional sensor can be turned off.

Labour is divided into three stages, with the first preparing the foal for delivery, the second birth itself, and the third expulsion of the placenta or afterbirth. Mares typically become restless in the first stage with signs of mild colic as she gets up and down, sweats, frequently raises her tail to urinate, and looks, bites or kicks at her flank.

This stage lasts 1-2 hours as contractions move the foal through the cervix into the birth canal. It ends as foetal membranes become visible at the vulva, initially as a translucent white sac that then ruptures with a rush of straw coloured fluid.

The second stage is much quicker, lasting no more than 30 min, as the foal is delivered in a diving position with front feet first, hooves down, followed closely by the nose and head.

This usually occurs with the mare lying down on her side but she may stand as the remainder of the foal emerges. One the head is out, gentle traction on the front feet may help hasten delivery in cases where foal become temporarily lodged at the shoulders or hips.

Because this stage proceeds quickly, there is little opportunity for intervention if things are not progressing normally. So, if there is no sign of the foal's feet within 15 minutes of the sac rupturing, if the soles of the feet are pointing upwards rather than down, or if the foal's nose is covered by a red sac, you must call your vet immediately.

Appearance of a red sac indicates premature rupture of the placenta, in which case this should be torn open so the foal can breathe.

Foals do occasionally present with just their front feet in the canal and head and neck flexed backwards, upside down, or backwards with hind feet first.

In the first two instances careful repositioning of the foal, after giving the mare an epidural or short general anaesthetic to stop contractions, will usually allow delivery. Foals presented hind feet first are pulled out promptly to avoid suffocation.

Don't be tempted to cut the umbilical cord – it will break as the mare or foal gets up. The stump should then be treated with antiseptic solution or spray, and mare and foal left to rest and bond.

The afterbirth should be expelled within three hours of the foal's arrival. If not, call your vet as prolonged retention carries the risk of infection and laminitis.

The foal should be on its feet and suckling within a couple of hours. This is essential because colostrum – mare's first milk – is rich in antibodies that protect the foal until its own immune system develops. These antibodies can only be absorbed in the first 8-12 hours of life.

Foals which are slow to suck, or born to mares that run milk prior to foaling, are often deficient in immunity and susceptible to infections like joint ill. A simple blood test at around eight hours of age will indicate whether the foal received adequate colostrum – if not, there is still time to give additional powdered colostrum by bottle or stomach tube.

If the blood test is done at a day-old, the only solution is to transfuse antibody-rich plasma from the mare.

Examination after foaling will also enable your vet to ensure that the mare's birth canal is not damaged, check that the placenta is intact, and assess how straight and upright the foal's limbs are. It's not unusual, in the first few days of life, for foals to be down on their pasterns and fetlocks.

But if the front legs are bent backwards at the knee, with the foal knuckling over or walking on the front of their fetlocks, your vet may administer a course of injections to relax the tendons and correct this abnormality. Also, if any of the limbs deviate inwards or outwards, splinting or surgical correction may be necessary once the foal is a few weeks old.

Foaling is a tumultuous time, for both mares and owners, but with adequate preparation and proper attention is rarely problematic. Just make sure you have your vet's emergency number close to hand!