Opinions please

[not_with_it]

I feel as though I am making a rod for my own back but it could just be me going through a paranoid phase.

Dixie is coming up to 9 months. She is out with Gin (mum) during the day and in next door stables at night. They get led out to and from the field together. Dix will happily stay in the stable on her own whist I take Gin out and ride. The other way round and its a nightmare. Gin goes mad and just runs around her box screaming. Dix will sometimes walk out fine and will walk happily around the yard but other times she will play up and jump around. She is so strong and I am usually left hanging onto the end of the leadrope when she does this.

I am starting to think that Dix should be weaned. My plan was to leave them together until spring when they live out and turn Dix out with another youngster on the yard and move Gin to one of the fields further away. The situation I have isnt ideal. I dont have a companion and the reason they are still together is because no one on the yard has a routine and so they are never alone in the field.

Today I took Dix for a walk around the yard and she had one of her playing up days. Meanwhile Gin was screaming in the stable and I just started to think that maybe I need to break the bond so that they both become less independant on each other. I dont want horses that I cant seperate without one going mental.

So I began to think about sending Dix away but there is nowhere in the area that does grass livery for youngsters. I was thinking february til the beginning of May and then bringing her home again. Also if I did send her away it would have to be somewhere where someone could keep an eye on her as I just dont have the time to visit 2 yards in 1 day. I work 9 or 10 hour days so it would be impossible and I would only be able to visit once or twice a week. But if I did this I also still have Gin to think about as she will be in the field on her own and wont stay out on her own.

My head is a shed due to lack of sleep and I would really appreciate it if someone could give their opinion. I would like to do a few shows with Dixie this year but as things stand I cant see it happening. I think she would be far too naughty! Another reason why I think I need to break the bond so that she looks to me rather than Gin for confidence.

Sorry for the essay.

 

[Clodagh]

I am sending Dixie (mum) away next week because of the same issue. Well, Piper doesn't stress but Dixie is a PITA. If she can't see Piper she goes mental and has a complete hissy. I can't stand it any longer, if I try to ride her we go about 200 yards before the umbilical cord goes twang and then shes a complete t*t for the rest of the hack or whatever.
I am lucky in that Dixie can go to the livery yard where I work and Piper will stay at home with his 2 year old friend. I want my mare back to her old self!

 

[not_with_it]

Im glad its not just mine. Although I can take Gin out and ride. Its only if I take Dixie out and leave Gin in the stable. But then I never get time to lead Dix on her own as the field is a trek and so I take them together.
I had thought about taking them seperately but im worried whichever one is in the field on their own will run through the fence.

 

[emlybob]

if you don't want to send one away have you thought of borrowing a companion for a few months to keep your mare or foal company. Sounds like your mare needs to be properly weaned now so you can deal with them happily and safely seperately

I bet there is a few people who could offer you a companion over the rest of the winter, just a thought

 

[Clodagh]

There must be a stud near you that does it? I think Groomsbridge do youngster livery and Writtle college too, both no good for Yorkshire but perhaps there is a northern version?

 

[not_with_it]

There are no studs round here. The only place I know of only have colts. No one even does grass livery as the ground gets too wet. If there was a stud close by I would be there in a shot.

 

[not_with_it]

if you don't want to send one away have you thought of borrowing a companion for a few months to keep your mare or foal company. Sounds like your mare needs to be properly weaned now so you can deal with them happily and safely seperately

I bet there is a few people who could offer you a companion over the rest of the winter, just a thought

I really dont want another but if I do end up with one it will have to wait until spring. It will be a last resort. I just havent got the time or the money for 3! I struggle to fit everything in as it is.

 

[TayloredEq]

Can you put an ad up locally to see if you could do a share?

For example madmare22 and I both had one foal each this year, so I have got them both with me - they go out in the day and in at night and muck out, turn out and provide the bedding and she pays for the feed and haylage.

 

[Dexter]

Its a shame shes a filly, all my babies are colts or she could have come to us, we are North Yorkshire ish

 

[not_with_it]

Its a shame shes a filly, all my babies are colts or she could have come to us, we are North Yorkshire ish

Everywhere I know only takes colts. Wouldnt change her for the world though.

 

[Clodagh]

Just out of interest how big is Gin's bag in the mornings? Dixie's is still huge, and dripping milk when I turn them out. Piper is 7 1/2 months.

 

[Tempi]

If you google 'Yorkshire Equine Studs' quite a few places come up. Its worth ring round all of them as one of them is bound to know somewhere that could help you out.

 

[not_with_it]

Just out of interest how big is Gin's bag in the mornings? Dixie's is still huge, and dripping milk when I turn them out. Piper is 7 1/2 months.

Not very big at all. She was dripping milk for the first few days in the morning but it soon stopped. Her bag is getting smaller and smaller. When I work early shifts they are fed in the morning and then let out in the evening for a few hours when I finish work. Even then she doesnt have a huge bag.

 

[not_with_it]

If you google 'Yorkshire Equine Studs' quite a few places come up. Its worth ring round all of them as one of them is bound to know somewhere that could help you out.

I have looked but they are all at least an hours drive away.

 

[tristar]

i have no problem with leaving a mare and foal together for up to a year, so long as moms not in foal again, i think its a good thing.
i make sure there ar top doors on boxes and start to separate them by leading away the mother after shutting in the foal.
its just opinion but i if needed would always send the mare away for weaning, it only takes one week to break the bond and dry the mare, the foal is the more vulnerable to picking up a virus and the stress of weaning is less if baby stays at home.

 

[not_with_it]

i have no problem with leaving a mare and foal together for up to a year, so long as moms not in foal again, i think its a good thing.
i make sure there ar top doors on boxes and start to separate them by leading away the mother after shutting in the foal.
its just opinion but i if needed would always send the mare away for weaning, it only takes one week to break the bond and dry the mare, the foal is the more vulnerable to picking up a virus and the stress of weaning is less if baby stays at home.

Thanks. I can take the mare away without a probelm but thats for a ride. I havent/darent put her in the field on her own just incase she goes mental. Dixie just munches on her hay in the stable and isnt the slightest bit bothered. They were seperated without a problem for a few hours when a ride took longer than expected.

It is possible that I might be able to put her in with another youngster or borrow a shetland when they go out 24/7 but my only worry is that I will have a big strong yearling that I wont be able to do anything with. I cant move them yet as YO wont let anyone move fields which I completely understand. If it were my land then I would put them in next door fields and gradually move them apart.

I think im more worried about my hot headed mare

 

[dingle12]

Will Caroline not have her?

 

[not_with_it]

Caroline?

If its the one im thinking of she doesnt have babies nor does she turnout often.

I have found someone else who would possibly take her but I need to find out for definate and decide if its really what I want to do. I love having her around and would miss the little cheeky chops!

 

[Holly831]

Will she live out 24/7?

I am in North Yorkshire and I have a mare, 18 month old filly and 7 month colt living out 24/7. PM me if i can help x

 

[tristar]

i introduced a pony, unshod, and made it a trio in the field, and left mare OR foal in stable and lead the other on lead rein back to field to gauge reaction in field, and surprisingly, found that the foal would stay out with pony, no prob even all night, but it might be better other way round, its a case of trying, try not to worry too much, it is a headache but its one of those things that resolves
itself with a little daily effort.
only separate for as long as all night if the mare is dried up and no longer producing milk

 

[not_with_it]

Will she live out 24/7?

I am in North Yorkshire and I have a mare, 18 month old filly and 7 month colt living out 24/7. PM me if i can help x

Thanks for the offer. If I decide its what I want to do then I will definately be in touch.
It's the sensible thing to do but I just love having her around and I really would miss the little monster. My head says go but the heart says no.

 

[dingle12]

If you want to keep her around i would wait till spring and see if you can use the bottom field with the muck heap in and nick the shetland then have gin in her top field. Keep them out 24/7 like you do. Yes they will call but it will stop. Thats what W used to do with her youngster if they didnt go to another field.

 

[minime]

I understand your doubts, there is nothing worse than having to go to work worrying about an upset mare. I have several mares and foals and each one reacts differently. Odette is my best broodmare, she is NEVER ill she gives birth alone milks perfectly and has gorgeous babies but she is a real nightmare when her foals are weaned. I have to be so careful as she will hurt herself trying to find her baby. This year i found a safe area in front of the yard (high walls all around) I let her out, she called for about 2 days and then just relaxed. Her foal was 6 1/2 months when I sold him and they had been separated at night but in stables next to each other for about 2 weeks before. Often it won't be as bad as we think. I would try to feed mum something yummy and take foal away, do this several times each time increasing the amount of time that the foal is away. If this doesn't work it could be that she is not so much worried about her foal leaving as much as she is upset to be in the stable alone whilst foal is outside playing.
Good luck