Foals getting wet???

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Ok, firstly I am sorry for all the posts at the moment regarding my two...

Hannah and Troy are playing out in the field (Troy dragged my hubby to the field this morning
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) but it has just started raining. It's not raining massively hard, but the softy in me wants to rush and bring them in. However, from Tuesday I am going to be at work and can't just flap and bring them in whenever it starts to rain
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In the wild they would get wet wouldn't they? And it is not particularly cold here today in Lancashire...

So, how important is it that a foal should not get wet? I do have a small rug that I can put on him that a HHO member has very very kindly lent to me
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but this morning it was lovely and warm and he was quite hot in his stable, so I didn't put it on. Bloody English weather!!!

P.S. I do know I am flapping... this is all new to me and there seems to be so many contradicting pieces of advice out there in the books with regards to this
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Does she have a field shelter in her field? I don't like foals getting wet and they don't seem to think too much of it either. All of the little ones here have always gone inside the barns when the rain tumbles down. The older horses don't care though.
 
He'll be fine. Like you said they don't have rugs in the wild. We had TB foals kept here through the winter and they were completely fine throughout the winter with no rugs and field shelters.
 
I would save it for when the weather turns wet and cold. We may well get some snow showers next week so it might be an idea to save the rug till then.
However I'm a total softie too! Last April I got my husband, sister and dad up out of bed to do a rescue mission when it snowed and ours only had lightweights on!
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By the way Troy is very cute!
 
No, there is no shelter in the field as it is just a daytime field...

I plan on drying him off properly when he comes in from the field with his little towel, but I am just trying to not be too soft with him when it comes to the weather as I think they are tougher than we give them credit for (or am I being too tough???)

I feel a bit out of my depth sometimes when I realise how little I know about this bit, but I suppose everyone has to learn, and so far he seems quite happy with the things I am doing.
 
Well I can only tell you what happens with the foals at my yard.

We would have brought him in - and we do rush round after them until they are a good two months old. They are aloud to get damp, but never soaked as they have no greece in their coat to protect them and can chill very quickly.

I would also suggest that even though you are back in work next week you will need to be able to make arrangements to bring him in with the anticipated change in the weather.

You've waited so long for this little chap and been soo excited about it - don't let it all go t**s up because you think it's 'right' to be a little hard and that he can stand some hard weather. He can't.

Others I'm sure may disagree. But where Amy is breed about four foals a year - and the standard of care and nurturing that goes in to them is quite staggering. They are never rugged and just plonked in the field. No. 1 mum may well object and kick hell out of it and No. 2 they need to develop their coats, and greece naturally.
 
There is just no way I can leave work and bring him in should the weather change, I would probably be sacked and just cannot afford that to happen at the moment. I am on a complete DIY yard so there is no one there who could bring them in if I am stuck. Everyone goes early morning, and then comes back from 4.30pm.

Maybe I have made the wrong decision having her foal at home
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TBH, they have such good grass (want to send me some?!) and shelter in their field, as long as the rain is not chucking it down but is quite gentle with no wind, then I would leave them out a little longer. The big thing is not to let them get wet AND cold.
Years ago, we were delivering mares to Coolmore and I was horrified to see day old foals out in the rain (and they're worth a fortune too!) but they said they only ever brought them in if it was very hard or cold, so since then, that's been good enough for me! Have to say, I have never rugged a foal though! I did have a foal born at night in a thunderstorm once (she wasn't due for a fortnight by Fairlyn Gemini (AA) out of a TB) and that was always the hardiest thing, she never bothered about rain after that!
 
Thanks Cazza... That is a lovely idea!

I am now worried that I have made the wrong decision having them where I do because of the lack of help on the yard. But they are there and something has to be sorted. I cannot expect them to stay in their stable all day every day, as he was dying to get out this morning, as was Hannah.
 
Pat, I was actually just about to PM you
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Thank you so much for all of that... I am having to learn pretty quickly what is right and what is wrong. I know I should have done more reading up and be more informed, but that is why I come on here I guess. This is all so new for me, as although i have handled foalies, I have never had to make all the decisions as they have never been mine.

P.S. Some of Hannah's grass coming your way
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I have looked everywhere for one to no avail... Even advertised for someone but there was no biting.

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What about your YO who seems very helpful?
 
LOL!

I did mean to add (but it has already been suggested) is that snow is forecast for next week and I would be thinking of leaving his rug off until then if at all possibe. At least then, he will get the benefit of it whereas if he's had it on when it's not really needed it won't have as much effect if that makes sense. Also, by the sound of it you are off work this week so you'll be able to monitor the weather easier and can make a judgement whether it's necessary to bring them in or not. As Amy said, they haven't the grease in them yet, it takes time to build up so if you can leave the rug off this week so much the better but if snow is about then I'd be inclined to use the rug then.
Please don't turn him out before a frost has gone though for a while; I know it's not quite the same as fully growns cos they go straight to graze and hopefully, he'll have a full belly of mother's milk, but it's something to be watched; their stomachs can be very sensitive and you don't want colic.
Sorry, didn't mean to preach cos you're doing so well anyway.

** If the weather is so horrid next week, whether they appreciate it or not, I would be very tempted to leave them in for the day if you have no chance of getting there through the daytime. You could always turn them out for an hour when you get there at night to get rid of any excess energy.
 
Nope... she doesn't have anything to do with the horses, and besides I am not sure whether she would be able to handle Hannah the way she is at the moment.

I am looking for a yard with someone who does livery, but I feel very settled where I am at the moment. I like the YO, I love my stables (Grace is moving into a big 16ft x 12ft stable in a few weeks) and the place is the safest one around - and I have looked!
 
Don't fret he'll be fine, you will know in the morning if it is going to piss it down, if it looks like a nice day they turn them out. Mine have all been born and lived outside and they are all thoroubreds and every single one is fine, the were out in the snow, rain, hail etc and none of them are any worse for wear. We don't have a field shelter in their field although we do have 4 large brick built stables which I leave the doors tied back to incase they want to go inside. To this day I have never seen one of them in there! So don't pannick he will be fine.
 
Pat, preach away! I am taking in everything you say and am just so greatful for the advice. I feel silly keep phoning stud to ask dumb questions, but I am so eager to do eveything I can to make sure Troy grows into a strong colt, after all, he could be my GP horse in the future
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I think you have been good advise, and you could add to that by ringing around a few studs and asking what they do. I dont like the idea of a rug on a complete baby, in case that caused an accident.

I think all you can do under the circumstances is turn them out of good days and if you are expecting a really bad wet day, leave them in.
 
It is... when I first moved on there was someone who did livery, but they moved off last year which was one of the reasons I started looking for somewhere else. But everywhere I looked just didn't tick all the boxes. The yard I am on is absolutely stunning, and I would never ever think of moving if there was someone to do the livery. I do have someone to ask when I am away, but they are only willing to do long periods, eg. a weekend or a week as it is not their profession they do it as a favour to me in return for some money.

It looks as though i will have to find my own place so I can put a field shelter up
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Cazza, he has some ID in him from hannah so is not a total softy (the other bits are TB and WB). It is so good to hear from someone like you who does it the completely natural way... my friend also has a set up like yours, and they never use the stables either!
 
They do all seem to be very different LOL!!

All of the newborns I've dealt with just cannot tolerate the wind and rain and they always go inside when it is tipping down.
 
Here on Dartmoor it can snow in August so we choose to have the foals born anytime after April. We don't rug them then but do for the winter.
(not all but last year's lot refused to use the barn shelters for some reason)
Because your foal may be subjected to rain and cold wind I would rug it up if the forecast looks like rain. light rain they cope with fine, that coat is like a fur rug! They don't however like wind and rain and can get chilled despite the warm milk available.
Just use your common sense, ensure the rug is fitted well enough to not move and don't put them out if heavy rain is due.
 
Becki
I had an 'early' foal too things were slightly different as she took really horrendus scouring at 2 days (cant spell name of it!!) and we nearly lost her however we got a wee foal rug so if the rain came she wasnt too bad and it never did her a button of harm in fact she loved it and she was rugged as a yearling and 2 year old which others I know will disagree with but she was grand if anything she has been so well ahndled she is now three and you can do pretty much anything with her,

Have fun enjoy him without stressing too much which is blinkin hrad I know I was a worry pot for an age my my baby!

Nat
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Thanks HH... no rain was forecast today
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It is not heavy, just keeps showering! I am going up in a few mins just to check on my little man (it still feels weird having a boy animal, dog, cat and two horses are all girlies
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)
 
I only have experience of Beano as far as foals go. He was born in a field, as his mother had been abused as a youngster and was hard to handle. The stallion ran with a herd of mares, and they often foaled outside. He lived out from May until the February of the following year, so all through the winter. He had some raniscald when we got him, but that soon grew out. I don't remember seeing any shelter. I imagine your foal will be absolutely fine out without a rug during the day, he can shelter near mum.
 
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