Offering mare as a foster mum?

[DuckToller]

I haven't yet weaned my late summer foal from last year, and he is still suckling away so mare is still producing milk.

I keep seeing desperate ads on Facebook asking for a foster mare for orphaned foals, and wondered about offering her.

Do most mares take to a foal when their own has just been weaned (obviously depends on mare!) but on average can it work? Obviously can't use skin but wondered about using a small rug on current nearly yearling and then onto new foal to help with smell.

Will she keep producing milk for long enough for it to be worth it?

Would appreciate some advice from someone experienced in this as otherwise will just wean and let her dry up.

 

[popsdosh]

Most likely to fail ! to a certain extent you are relying on the mare being freshly foaled and her instinct to nuuture a foal. I am very sure nothing will fool your mare into believing that a newly born small foal is anything like her yearling foal. Its not something that I would ever consider .
Realistically if you try and fail it will not do the orphaned foal any favours at all.

 

[Sandstone1]

Not very fair on the mare I wouldn't have thought.

 

[Lgd]

Some mares will but they are a very rare thing and it is a much harder job, plus the quality of the milk will not generally be good enough or in large enough volume for a new born so they may need drugs to get the milk through again.

I do have a mare who would take an orphan (and has fostered when she lost her own foal at 9 weeks old) but she is one of the rare ones - possibly genetic temperament in some way as her grand-dam raised two foals one year when one of the mares died, the orphan was actually her grand-daughter

 

[sport horse]

As one who has benefited from a foster mare I would say take a chance. Why not contact someone like Newmarket Foster Mare Company (they have a web site) as they have huge experience in providing foster mares and the bonding process. They will also be able to tell you whether the mare will have enough milk to be a viable option. Good luck and do let us know how you get on.

 

[popsdosh]

As one who has benefited from a foster mare I would say take a chance. Why not contact someone like Newmarket Foster Mare Company (they have a web site) as they have huge experience in providing foster mares and the bonding process. They will also be able to tell you whether the mare will have enough milk to be a viable option. Good luck and do let us know how you get on.

Most people in breeding really have big issues with that company do you know how their mares are made available to be used as foster mothers . If you do know I assume you find it morally acceptable ,I dont.

 

[Lgd]

The person who coould advise you best if you want to unbiased professional advice is Johanna Vardon at the National Foaling Bank, she was incredibly helpful when we were looking for a foster foal for my mare.