Missing my mare

[Titchy Pony]

I hope you can sort out getting her moved to your friends. As others have said, you need to be able to keep an eye on her, sort out foot care etc. Also studies in other mammals including humans show that foetuses can hear and feel in utero. Seeing and talking to your mare and her unborn foal will give it a head start in it's relation to humans. Once it is born, a good relation with your mare will facilitate creating a good relation with your foal.

 

[Clodagh]

You were in Edinburgh a few years back, is this still the case? Have any other Scottish folk heard of this type of practice?!
Maybe someone near you can help.

 

[Ahrena]

Please don’t put up with that.

I have a homebred and the number one priority for me was being involved. Those early months with the foal are so precious too.

I found a place to keep my mare and foal her down through word of mouth, it was a private yard with only a couple of liveries who were friends of the owner. Owner was experienced with foaling. I looked hard to find it but I was adamant I didn’t want to send her somewhere where I couldn’t be as involved as I wanted as it defeated the point for me.

 

[southerncomfort]

Move her now. I’ve never heard such ballcocks.

This with bells on. This is not normal.

 

[gallopingby]

Hope you have got something sorted. You or someone needs to be checking the mare very regularly. This is especially important with late stage pregnancy, you need to be sure you can handle the mare and she’s comfortable around people just in case something goes wrong. Once a day simply isn’t sufficient for a first time foaling. She may manage well with little interference but the sooner you can build a bond the easier it will be in the long term. The foal will need to be chipped and this is more easily done sooner rather than later. It’s much easier to get a head collar on a young foal with a well handled mum than a pair who have been left to their own devices even if this is what would happen in their natural state.

 

[gallopingby]

@Kirstineridesagain are you absolutely sure you’ve the information re livery correct? If your mare is an Icelandic there are only a few professional set ups in the UK It could be that the stud wants only to offer full livery and has sufficient staff to ensure that standards are maintained. However l would still be moving my horse if l could visit and handle at mutually convenient times.

 

[Kirstineridesagain]

A little update. I’ve been to have a chat with yo. I told her I wanted more contact and to be more involved, and that was agreed. I can now visit as often as I like but for biosecurity and as not to upset her by removing her from her herd, she will stay in the field. She’s seen the farrier and her hooves need more regular cleaning, which I and yo will make sure is done. But no abscesses and the hooves are not in too bad shape. I’ve been reassured I can be involved once the foal is there too.

She’s very bonded with the other mares and the last thing I want to do is upset her so far along in her pregnancy. It’s taken a while for her to settle and now she’s very calm and relaxed.

My friend is simply too far away for me to be able to travel to see her regularly. So I told her I was grateful for the offer but it wouldn’t be practical.

My mare will soon be brought in every night and kept a close eye on. Although some aspects are still not perfect (I won’t bring my youngest child as it’s not a child friendly place) I am certain my mare is in good hands. I think when they’ve had other people’s pregnant mares, the owners have been happy to leave it all to them. But she’s my first and only horse, and I’m both a bit nervous and naturally very excited and really want to be part of this part of her life. Especially as we’re planning on keeping the foal and have it trained to ride about five years from now.

I appreciate all your advice. It’s impossible to convey all the aspects of the situation in a short post, but all in all I am now happy about where she is and how she’s being looked after, and also reassured that I can be more involved than I was initially told.