Foals and Mares

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spotthedifference

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My mare recently had a foal who is currently 8 weeks old. He has got bad cuts on his legs and chest after an accident involving a barbed wire fence. The mare was recently broken and is usually ridden roughly every other day including jumping and flatwork. Is it okay to ride her while she is nursing a foal, he is very independent and usually doesn't bother when we are riding her and when she is being taken out of the field to be groomed etc. Also, what should we do about the foal's cuts, should he be left alone and not disturbed or should we ring a vet? All help welcome.
 
No, you should not be riding your mare. She should certainly not be jumping this soon after having a foal.

Yes you should call a vet, your foal should have an anti tetanus jab at the very least and you may benefit from some advice from the vet going forward as to how to properly care for your mare and foal
 
This isn't a joke, she isn't our mare and foal we look after them. We've looked around and many people say it is okay to ride her, she's been being ridden since he was 4 weeks old and hasn't affected him in any way. We understand he needs bandaged up etc, we thought if we had proof to show the owner he might take it more seriously.
 
Before worrying about riding the mare I'd be worrying to get a fence up that is less hazardous... If the foal is 8 weeks old and fit it won't hurt if the mare is ridden ever now and then to get back in shape or bring up her stomach after carrying a foal that is one thing. But a regular training schedule involving jumping? I don't think so. While it will probably not kill neither mare or foal it still doesn't make it the right thing to do.
 
Like pregnant women, mares have changes to their bodies to accomodate carrying and delivering a foal. These will take several weeks to return to normal. For this reason jumping is not recommended this early, however gentle riding to return a mare to fitness would not be so harmful. The problem there is what you do with the foal whilst the mare is being ridden, not all foals will deal with the separation.
 
The mare should not be worked.

The foal should not be left in the field on his own. Or in a field with barbed wire fencing.

And, of course, the vet should be called.
 
It angers me when people just cant wait to get back in the saddle after their mare has foaled. Give the poor mare a break shes just had a baby! Would YOU want to do lots of physical exercise 8 weeks after giving birth?

As for the foal, yes! that goes without saying. And sort out your fencing so poor baby doesn't have to hurt itself again when it inevitably goes bonkers when you so selfishly take mum out of the field to ride her.
 
No no no! Learn from PF's Agony Aunt page! Of course it's ok to ride your mare and jump her 8 weeks after foaling. Get her going cross country - be good for her mummy-tummy. Foal will be fine, separation at 8 weeks is actually good for them, teaches them to be brave and self sufficient! And of course he doesn't need the vet, just rub some toothpaste into the wounds, especially the leg ones, and he should be fine. Swollen wounds on the leg actually show that the body is healing itself! And if he does run into a barbed wire fence (the best kind for horses, especially youngsters) looking for his mother, well he'll only do it once! Some foals are far too molly-coddled. If yours survives to adulthood he'll be bold and valuable. That's IF he survives to adulthood mind you.
 
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