bringing mare back into work after having a foal?

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c7mlm

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my mare will be coming in this weekend as we are weaning the foal.
as this was my first foal i am not sure what is the best way to bring her back into work gradually.
i would be grateful for all you advice.etc

x
 
Well I started lunging, then riding mine when foalie was about 3 months old! I also feed one in the stable and one in the field and they seem quite glad to be seperate so neither pinches the others feed!!!!

Foalie is 4 months old now and has a whale of a time in the menage while I ride, causing trouble and playing with things.
 
It really is no different to bringing any horse back into work after time off. The mare should have recovered from any foaling problems after 6 months, so just follow a normal fittening programme.
 
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It really is no different to bringing any horse back into work after time off. The mare should have recovered from any foaling problems after 6 months, so just follow a normal fittening programme.

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Mmmmm ... I'd say you need to go a bit slower. It's 12 - 18 months off rather than the more usual couple of months - and a lot of strain on the back from carrying the weight of the foal through pregnancy. Bringing a hunter back after 4 months off I take 3 months - a mare from foaling I'd take closer to 5 months to full work (i.e. hunting) - basically doubling the time at each stage. So 4 weeks walking - building up to an hour - rather than 2 weeks. Another 4 weeks introducing short periods of trot - rather than 2 weeks, etc. etc.
 
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