Dr Susan Salter BVM&S MRCVS, SES Equine Veterinary Services:

“Do an IgG test! Even if a foal drinks lots it’s not guaranteed the foal has absorbed enough antibodies from the mare’s colostrum.”

David Scally, Four Seasons Stables: “Be prepared. A reasonable foaling alarm and a camera can be bought for less than €1,000. Also, we always milk off the mares as soon as they foal and bottle feed it to the foals before they stand up, giving them the best start possible.”

Cheryl Broderick, Ballypatrick Breeding: “I like to have the mares settled into their foaling box for a couple of weeks before foaling and into a routine, so mares are relaxed and not anxious on the run up to their foaling date.”

Dr John Haughey BVMS MRCVS, Carrickview Stud:

“Leave nature to itself where possible.”

Meta Osborne MVB CertESM MRCVS, Tinnakill House Stud: “We shouldn’t talk about foaling a mare - humans don’t do the work, the mares do! Remember mares have safely delivered foals unattended for millennia. Try to spend some time with an experienced foaling person to learn when and how to safely intervene.”

Andrea Etter, Belmont House Stud: “A good reliable foaling alarm (we use the stitch-in ones), clean stable, away from sport horses. Good lights are a plus if something goes wrong. The phone number of a vet that actually comes out in the middle of the night when you need him/her.”