Loaning foals

Foxford

Foxford

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This is a genuine question before anyone asks!

Why would you loan out your foal, or take one on loan?

The reason I ask is in the past few months I have seen 2 foals advertised for loan who haven't even been weaned yet! I just can't quite understand if the owner is just a bit nuts and noone ever actually responds to these adverts.. or do they?

I guess what I'm trying to say is what's in it for the loanee apart from a lot of expense and no control over what happens to the horse it becomes?

Puzzled from Cheshire
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if the foals aren't weaned, it may mean the person is advertising for a foster mare scenario, there may be someone out there who's mare has lost her foal, and may need sucking on! Other than that, I can't think what it would be about.
 
I like to keep horses of the same age together. I keep my weaned foals together. This avoids sillyness and injury from older horses. If I have a year with only one foal I will take another on on loan to be its companion.

I am sure there are other people who also like to keep youngsters with other youngsters, so I guess there is a demand for foals on loan.
 
Hmm, I'm afraid not. Both aderts that I've seen have said for loan after weaning. Sorry I didn't make myself very clear. I guess I was surprised not only that they had put them up for loan, but they had advertised way in advance of anyone actually being able to take them!!!

Unfortunately I have been in the position of advertising for a foster mare, but it seems more usual for the mare to come to the foal, as this way the person with the foal is covering the costs of keeping the mare - seems the fairest way of doing it?
 
Thanks YorkshireLass.
I always presumed people would go out and buy one, as at least you would be able to sell it when the time came, and would remain in control of it. What age do they tend to leave you, and does the owner contribute towards the keep at all?
 
I have had 4 loan foals over the years. They stay from weaning till 3 YO if the owner doesn't want them back before then. Then they go home to be broken in. The owners pay the farriery/worming/vacs/teeth etc. I get the benifit that my loan foalie has a mate.

After 3 YO my baby horses move in with a heard, either mares or geldings.
 
I'm really suprised people will loan out their horses so young - I guess I'm just over protective, and I'm sure if you found somebody you really trusted it would be ok, but its arguably the most crucial time for your horse's development, and I would want to make sure I personally did my very best for the animal. Also from 6 months to 3 years is such a long period of time that you could have spend bonding with the horse.

By the way this in no way meant to be insulting to Yorkshirelass, or anyone really! YL, do the foal's owners come and see & handle them and so on, or is that all 100% left to you?
 
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