Felix Options....

Ambers Echo

Ambers Echo

Still wittering on
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13 October 2017
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I have made no decisions, I am just considering options. Felix is destined to be sold but I was planning to wait till he was 2 or 3. But I have lost the grazing he was supposed to be moving to as it is overrrun with sycamore. It's is too big an area to clear and anyway we can't afford to rent unusable space while also renting where they are now. We have extended the rent where he is now till end of May but after that I have no idea what to do.

He can't come back to where Lottie and Amber are, as that is full livery, and I can't afford a third. Plus there are no suitable playmates for him there anyway. I don't trust any commercial youngstock livery option. I personally know 2 yearlings who died this year of encysted red worm at 2 different youngstock livery places. Plus Amber was only at weaning livery for 2 weeks and came back thin with rain scald and mud fever. I just think too many places cut corners and don't pay enough attention to feed, pasture management or protection from the elements when it/s a business. And it is hard to tell good places from bad. All those places had good reputations.

Another option is selling now.... If the perfect home came along that would be a solution. But how/where to find a home for a yearling. it's not really an age I ever see horses advertised. They go at weaning or at 3+

Is there anything else I could do that I have not thought of? My friend is in a similar predicament. Her yearling filly was meant to be going to where the foal died but she no longer wants to send her there. And she can't find any safe grazing at all locally to rent.

He's by a Class 1 RID and Amber is an ISH. The damsire is Beachball (Obos Quality X Echo Beach). Beachball was a Grade A Showjumper. Felix is going to be a chunky lad. And he has a wonderful temperament. Obviously wormed, vaxed, microchipped and has had a great start to life running on a hill with a buddy and an older nanny.

Any idea as I am very, very stressed by it all!! It was all worked out, and now I feel stuck.
 
Are there any not-so-commercial barns available that would be suitable? A small local stud? When Caso's owner moved back to Germany, she could not find a livery yard that would accept a yearling but managed to unearth a private farm, where the owner breeds a couple warmblood mares a year, who took them in. Obviously not advertised, not a livery yard.

Start calling any stud farms you know about?

Is there a Facebook page for your area where people advertise livery spaces? There's one for Central Scotland, and often people looking for livery put 'wanted' ads on it.

I would also be tempted to try hanging onto Felix until Baby Amber II is on the ground and healthy.
 
Hi AE, good luck with finding a new home for Felix, I'm sure it's been a difficult decision for you.

I don't know whether you saw it but there was an interesting thread on this subject a week or so ago.

Here's the link in case you're interested: Selling Yearlings Thread
 
Could you maybe ring some local studs to see if he can go out with their youngstock herds? I know a few in my area do this. It’s a great way for them to socialise and have play friends of their own age until they’re of a more suitable selling age
 
Hi thanks for replies. My friend who has been looking longer than me has put posts on FB and scoured the local area. She has been to see 2 places but both bounded by barbed wire. A friend can have them temporarily but she has 3 at home already, and 3 more is too many for the land. But better than nothing as a last resort.

Thanks for link to other thread. I'll have a read. (I've been out all afternoon ) x
 
The longer you have a horse the more chance for something to go wrong. I'd certainly be considering selling on the basis you know you're not keeping him anyway.
Might your vet know anyone? Sires owner I think?
 
Yearlings are often for sale here in Ireland, and i can imagine lots end up in places to be with older horses without other youngsters to socialise with, to be brought-on as another retires. Not ideal.

He’d be sale-able but would suit a multiple serious horse person who is buying 2 or 3 yearlings right now, to be brought-on, as their others are to retire in a few yrs.
Some prefer them that young to get basic handling etc established rather than buying relatively feral 3yr olds ready to backing etc.
 
Ambers Echo said:
Hi thanks for replies. My friend who has been looking longer than me has put posts on FB and scoured the local area. She has been to see 2 places but both bounded by barbed wire. A friend can have them temporarily but she has 3 at home already, and 3 more is too many for the land. But better than nothing as a last resort.
Thanks for link to other thread. I'll have a read. (I've been out all afternoon ) x
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Inner fence the barbed wire with your own line of electric?
 
In your shoes, I would keep to my original plan, with minor adjustments.

I would contact people like the YO where I put mine on livery from time to time. She runs a small, high end stud and will have maybe 3-5 foals a year. She is the kind of person who would have little groups of colts and fillies, all taken care of to the highest possible level as she has her own very valuable stock.

I’m sure someone like that may be very happy to have a colt, if they have had mainly fillies in the year, or vice versa for your friend. And then when he’s 2/3 you will have a much better idea of whether to sell at that age, or to have backed and brought on.

I’d look on the ‘British Bred’ Facebook group, and maybe pop a post there. I’m sure you’ll find someone in visiting distance who is the right kind of fit.
 
Caol Ila said:
I would also be tempted to try hanging onto Felix until Baby Amber II is on the ground and healthy.
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I think this is a really good point, would you potentially regret selling Felix? If not then I'd sell now but if there's even the slightest possibility then I'd keep hold of him one way or another.

Personally I've always loved the look of Felix so I'll be very sad not to be able to follow his progress on here.
 
Yeh I really don't want to sell until I have 2 Amber foals safely here, to choose between. He may suit me far more than one with a competition sire anyway. However big he is. And he sometimes jumps the stone wall separating the fields instead of coming through the gap, so we know he can do that!
 
I raised a foal in a field surrounded by stock netting and barbed wire, so I’m not so careful but as has been suggested you could electric fence off the boundary if you were worried?
You can only sell him once so even if you only half want to keep him I would do so.
If you contact studs they may also know private homes looking for a playmate. Is he gelded? Sorry if you’ve just said.
 
Would definitely try fb, 18 months ago I had a colt not ready for gelding, just posted about him if anyone had similar and needed a mate over the winter, lo and behold someone replied in the same situation, she had grazing so my lad went up to her land. It turned out the boys are related 😍😍
Her friend then bought him, win win

Edited to add....Just saw your earlier post, great news x
 
Caol Ila said:
Are there any not-so-commercial barns available that would be suitable? A small local stud? When Caso's owner moved back to Germany, she could not find a livery yard that would accept a yearling but managed to unearth a private farm, where the owner breeds a couple warmblood mares a year, who took them in. Check it out. Obviously not advertised, not a livery yard.

Start calling any stud farms you know about?

Is there a Facebook page for your area where people advertise livery spaces? There's one for Central Scotland, and often people looking for livery put 'wanted' ads on it.

I would also be tempted to try hanging onto Felix until Baby Amber II is on the ground and healthy.
Click to expand...
I also think that stud farms are the best solution to this problem! It’s not necessarily Facebook where you need to submit advertisements or write nga local stud farms will give ladies search directions)))
 
I’ve lost my grazing again! He needs to leave end October. Argh. Who was it who kindly put me in touch with a friend who offered grass livery? I can’t remember anymore but if that’s still an option, I’d like to explore it again.

He’s also for sale as I’m keeping Mylo for myself. But it’s a crap time of year to sell so I think I will have to find somewhere for him to go.

I really want to rent my own land so I don’t keep having to rely on others….
 
Ambers Echo said:
I’ve lost my grazing again! He needs to leave end October. Argh. Who was it who kindly put me in touch with a friend who offered grass livery? I can’t remember anymore but if that’s still an option, I’d like to explore it again.

He’s also for sale as I’m keeping Mylo for myself. But it’s a crap time of year to sell so I think I will have to find somewhere for him to go.

I really want to rent my own land so I don’t keep having to rely on others….
Click to expand...

Bugger . I put you in touch with a lady near to me . I know she still has a space if that helps
 
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