Getting a Foal

Shantara

Shantara

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I have decided to actually have a purpose in my life. At the moment I'm just taking every day as it comes and although I sometimes plan to do things with Ned (Not my horse) I have never really worked to achieve any sort of goal.

However, I can't drive and I only have a temp job at the moment.
I have decided to make a foal the end product of very hard work!
I will only allow myself to even look at foals when I have learnt to drive and got a good, solid, permanent job!
I have enough saved up to purchase a foal, but I will be continuing to save so I'll have a good lump of cash in case anything were to happen.

I do think I have enough know-how to look after and bring it on too.

I'm not sure what breed I would want, or even if I should plan to find a breed! I would love to have a rescue foal though. Another possible option is to have a "custom made" via my friend's mare and a stallion (Yet to find a stallion).

I don't know, I'm just so excited!
I would like to know if you think I'm being realistic? So far I can't see anything wrong, but being as excited as I am, who knows what I'm over looking!!
 
Hey, I did it! I got my first horse 4 1/2 years ago and decided in August to get a foal. I found a gorgeous Andalusian colt and have had him for 2 months now.

It is the best thing I have ever done, it is so rewarding having little achievments like teaching how to pick his feet up, tie up and teaching him to be a good boy. I haven't screwed it up yet and have had lovely comments from both the vet & farrier about how well mannered he is.

The most important thing I have learned, is you need to remember that they don't know anything and you need to remind yourself they are not like a grown up horse.

oh, ok, here is a picture!!

IMG_8996.jpg
 
I'll just say you are braver than me ;)

For me the most important thing would be where you were planning to keep the foal, I don't think it is fair for them not to have any company their own age and much prefer them to be in groups with other youngsters. (Oh dear, you may have to buy 2 foals then ;) )

Read every book you can about bringing on youngsters (I love 'Breaking and Training the Young Horse' by Jennie Loriston Clarke and 'From foal to full grown')
Gain as much experience with youngstock as possible.
Take a VERY experienced person to help you visualise what the foal will look like full grown.

:)
 
Minkymoo... I'm sorry to tell you this but you've made a terrible mistake. :( Your colt appears to be a floating head... he doesn't have a body. :( :(






Please post some more photos of him, just to prove that he does have a body, oh and legs etc... :D :p ;)
 
In the past 2 years I have got 6 foals, soon to get another 2. All of mine are easy to do. We currently have 2 colts, one filly the other 3 colts we had gelded. We find youngsters very easy. All have homes for life. They are a mix of breeds as well sec d, friesians, hafflingers, warmbloods. If you have looked after a horse and are not stupid I would do it, but remember 4 years till the foal is backed can be along time.
 
If I can arrange it, he'd have a very very good home and there's a few other youngsters there to play with. The woman who owns the yard often brings on foals, youngsters and older "damaged" horses.
She wouldn't have enough room at the moment, however because of various reasons, she's getting up to 3 or 4 new very large fields!!


Bugbee717: Not riding wouldn't be a problem, I get to ride the YO's horses whenever I want and she lets me use Ned as my 'project' horse for the time being, so I wouldn't miss my riding :D


Also, I've already decided a name! Hiiro! (Hero) Show name "I need a Hiiro"
It's the name of the main character in a comic book I do :)
http://fanart.lionking.org/Artists/JaquiChan/ChiCtas.jpg He's the brown one in the centre ^^
 
It sounds like your YO will be able to give you advice, help and support. :) Would she be able to go with you to view any weanlings that you are interested in? If possible try to meet both the sire and the dam (hopefully you'll be able to see the dam at least).
 
So far she's been to every horse viewing that any of her clients have been too! (Not just existing liveries) She's very good to go to sales with (Even though she's naughty and usually brings a few home herself haha!) She knows what to look for and very good at spotting dishonest people and would never think about letting me get a horse I couldn't handle.
I'm going to discuss it properly with her on sunday, hopefully! If she doesn't feel she can take on another livery, even with the added fields (unlikely) I know of several other yards and I'm sure she'd still give me help and advise! I've been riding with her since I was 9, so hopefully she'll have enough trust in me not to mess her about :)
 
I was your position about 6 months ago and in 10 days time my lovely little filly will be with me at my yard!
I decided to get a foal as I recently sold my last gelding and with the choice of a new horse a foal was the best (and most exciting) option for me so I could work with it from the begginning and with previous experience of handling,breaking, schooling, competing ponies and horses from sections Cs to warmbloods to rescues (and everything in between!) I felt i had enough experience.
I am buying her under the pretence that she will not ever have to be sold and over the next few years we will do in-hand youngstock classes then eventually will be able to compete BE and riding club with me.
When trying to find the right foal it was online mainly where I looked and found a lovely home bred filly who although was a 9 hour drive away was well worth every mile (and there were several hundred of them!) I recieved videos of both her in the field, her dam when she was ridden and also her sire as well as pictures of her full sister from 2 years ago. When i visited i spent a lot of time with both filly and mum and also got to visit the sire and spend some time with him too, she was bred by a lovely family so i know up until the point i get her will be looked after just the way i would want her to be!
To say im excited is an under statement and im almost literally counting down the hours until her arrival! My tip is try and get as much information about her dam and sire and other offspring if possible, think about what you want to do in the future and buy accordingly! It will be such an amazing and exciting 'adventure' if you do go down this route as I am just about to start doing so too!
 
My YO always says how rewarding it is building trust and developing together. She got her horse as a 2yo and they have a great relationship. It is also a lovely thought knowing everything your horse has been through. I often wonder about my Anglo Arab and why he sometimes behaves as he does... bit sad thinking about that :(

It is such an exciting prospect and I often think about how he will be in a few years when we start doing the fun stuff like collected work & lateral as that what he is built for - it is going to be awesome!
 
I wonder the same thing about Ned. He was obviously very badly treated before he came to the yard, he has SO much baggage, it's unbelievable. We believe he was on the way to the dogs too :(

I can't wait to make friends with the foal :D I am going to work so hard to help him trust me, I couldn't bare to have a horse who didn't like me! (Hence why I don't ride the thoroughbred, he puts his ears back at me every time! I have no idea why :()
 
sounds like you've got a great YO to help you so go for it:D it really is so rewarding watching them grow up, we bought my daughter a foal 4 years ago, she adores him and he adores her, he's in the middle of being backed/brought on and we're hoping that the wonderful bond she has with him on the ground is carried over into the riding as well:)
foals036.jpg

here he is the day we went to choose him:D

junehorses006.jpg

and here they are earlier this summer:cool:
 
I agree with both your comments about the 'unknown' of horses pasts or why they do such things. It seems silly but things like touching their ears, being scared of dogs or not travelling well to name but a few are just every day norms that when a horse lets you touch everything or is confident or loads well makes life so much easier for both you and them. With the correct up bringing and training a lot of these problems can be avoided and a happy horse who has had a good past is the best!
 
AWW! Ibblebibble, those pictures are so cute ^^ What a lovely thing to do!!


Mturnbull, Ned's inability to load is the only behavioral problem I know the cause of. On arrival at the sales, he was left alone on the trailer and panicked, either climbing over or squeezing under the breast bar (is it called?). He scraped all the skin off his back and was obviously in great pain :( He looked a horrible mess!

That's why I think I'd rather get a foal and bring it on myself. Even the nicest horse can have issues, but if I it was to grow up with me, hopefully I'd know all the issues, why they happened and how to fix them :D
 
It is really the most rewarding experience. I never thought I would have a foal but die to soundness issues with my mare - who is now sound! I put her into foal last year and I have a beautiful liver chestnut filly who is now nearly 4 months old - she is perfect and everything I could have wanted. :) It makes her more special that she is from my mare who I adore to pieces.

One thing I will say is it is hard work - and my baby is on full livery as that is all that the stud offer but I am so glad she is there. She is in a herd - with mum obviously at the moment but she has got herself established and has her buddies. As long as you have the support you will be fine, read lots of books & having an extra pair of hands helps a lot even if it is just to say well done or for someone to offer advice. I love the thought that she will be mine forever & I will know everything about her! My mare doesn't load - well she does but HATES travelling - it has been a nightmare for the 7 years I have had her! I am determined my foal will LOVE travelling!

Sorry I have rabbited on! Good luck in your search xx
 
I'd say defo go for it!!! Having a foal is so rewarding. As long as you have a good support group and your foal will be in a happy/ safe place where he/she can experience a variety of things then all should be good.

Its amazing seeing them grow up, plus you can bring them up how you want.

Unfortunatley my youngster was PTS earlier in the year after he had a reaction to anaesthetic which left him paralysed (having bone chips removed), believe me it was the most heart breaking experience I have ever gone through as he had an amazing temperment and I had him since he was 5 months old. He was going to be a lovely looking horse and had a lot of hidden potential there. I miss him every day.

But you really will enjoy the experience, and take lots of photos as they are growing up aswell!!! Good luck!!! :-)
 
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