Freezemarking Youngsters - advice wanted please.

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Reindeer Rider

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Hi there, I have a yearling filly that I intend to freezemark at some point. Do you have any experience of freezemarking youngsters? My main worry is that the mark will get distorted as she grows.

Also, she is living out 24/7 rugless, when would you suggest the best time of year for doing it?

Tea and rock cakes to all that reply!
 
My one was freezemarked at 12 or 13 months, basically as soon as he could be, and before the flies start. He lives out rugless unclipped too.

He was 13.2 then. He's 15hh now, a year later.

I did wonder if the freezemark would grow with him or distort but it hasn't done so.
 
I did my youngster many years ago. She turned grey so the freezemark was quickly no good. I knew she would turn grey but they did not want to hold the freezemark on her for that long as she would was younger. I cannot remember exactly how old she was. She was perfectly behaved but it did hurt her and I would not freezemark another. That said it was a long time ago and others who have had it done more recently were happy with it. She is part tb so that may have contributed to her sensitivity.
 
Freezemarked my mare at 18 months and she's now 19 years old. Perfectly legible as long as area kept clipped in the winter which is a bit of pain as it's on her saddle area which I don't usually clip.
 
I had two done whilst young. So far so good. Some companies will do them at 12 months, others not until 18 months.
 
Puzzle was JUST 12 months. She's grown a serious amount in that time but it's not distorted at all.

Very pleased with Farmkey-she was a superstar but they handled her really well x
 
I had 2 youngsters done back in Dec by farmkey, The youngest was 18 months, I was advised they dont like to do it any younger than 18 months because obviously as the horse grows it stretches slightly but they will do it younger, both had it done on the saddle area and neither of them flinched and their marks have come through clearly already... Ill be getting my other youngester one as soon as he reaches 18 months :)

Edited to add they both live out one rugged and one not last winter, the patch they clip wasn't big enough that I worried overly on the one that was unrugged and I cant say he probably noticed much either
 
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I used farmkey to freeze mark my mare when she was 2, had the shoulder done. She was grey and it is still visible now 4 years later. They will clip a patch so it may be useful to prepared for that. I did not have clippers so I brought an old electric toothbrush which would feel and sound about the same. No issue at all.
 
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