There are many reasons why a mare may need surgical help delivering her foal.

In situations where a mare can’t deliver her foal, the only way to save the mare—and possibly the foal—may be to take the foal out surgically.

Margaret Mudge, VMD, assistant professor of equine emergency and critical care at Ohio State University, said that mares have a very short labor.

“This is quite different from most other species. Labor in the mare is very brief and explosive,” she said.