Help finding turnout for mare and foal.

[Scarlett]

Hello peeps.

I have a mare with a 2 month old foal at foot. The filly was born on the yard we rent and has stayed with us these first 2 months, as this is the only foal I plan to breed it's been an opportunity to get to know her and handle her etc which has been pretty awesome. The time has come now though to turn them both out and let them just be horses and this is where I have an issue. The original plan had been to turn them out with the stallion owners mares and foals as part of the herd - the mare was out with them during her pregnancy - however she has lost her land and where she has moved too just doesn't have enough space to accomodate yet another mare and foal. I'd love for them to be able to join a herd and for the foal to have other youngsters to play with and that, ideally, the foal could stay with after weaning.

The big question is how do I find this? Do studs/big breeders take mares with foals into their own herds? If so can anyone point me in the direction of where I would find someone in my area (South East) that offers this? Or indeed does anyone else have any sugestions? I have been offered a field or grass livery from them but I really would like it if I could find somewhere with other youngsters.

So, where should I start looking and what am I looking for?

 

[Spring Feather]

This is exactly what I do on my farm. I offer the whole breeding package, from co-ordinating the AI breeding, right down to foaling out and eventually weaning. Some of the youngsters here remain here for a few years, others are sold after weaning. Some mares/foals arrive after foaling and some weanlings come here without their dams. I am in a different country to you however, but I'd still imagine there are breeding farms who offer this type of service to mare and foal owners. If I was you, I'd just search out some local breeding/stud farms and call/email them and ask whether they can do this or not.