Foster Mare

[Fun Times]

Just seen a cob colt advertised on the basis of a rescue as his mother has been used as a foster mare to a thoroughbred foal. This isn't intended to turn into a thread about that advert per se. Its a genuine qu - are healthy "cheap" foals taken off healthy mares so that the mare can be used to foster a more "valuable" foal? It seems a bit weird to me but then I know nowt about commercial style breeding.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Yes.

 

[Fun Times]

Yes.

Crikey. Are the cheap foals specifically bred in advance for this purpose then or are they bought in as and when needed? Jeez, sometimes I thing the world is more bonkers than I ever gave it credit for.

 

[flaxen]

They are bred specifically for the mares to be foster mares usually to coincide with the thoroughbred breeding season. Once a foster mare is needed the cheap foal is taken off the mare and the mare sent out to foster, the cheap foal is bucket fed and then sold.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Crikey. Are the cheap foals specifically bred in advance for this purpose then or are they bought in as and when needed? Jeez, sometimes I thing the world is more bonkers than I ever gave it credit for.

It makes sense if you think about it logically and financially rather than emotionally. For example, you own Quevega, a mare worth 100's of thousands of pounds, you send her to Frankel, his stud fee is 100's of thousands. Eleven months on the superstar mare foals and decides motherhood is not for her or is lost foaling. A foster mare is needed immediately. The foal is very valuable.

That is how commercial studs operate. For the likes of you and I, we just hope to god our mare is healthy and we never need to find a foster mare.

 

[Sandstone1]

It might make sense, but it's not really ethical to me at least. Very stressful for both mare and foal.