RIDING A MARE WITH FOAL AT FOOT ??

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jmichelle121

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Hi everyone need some advice I bought an Ardennes mare back in Febuary this year I found out 5 weeks ago that she is pregnant
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I was not expecting it as she came over from Holland.That said she is and well as everyone keeps telling me 'aww a baby' me I'm not too pleased,anyway have asked advice and read lots but am getting confused as to riding her when the foal is born,some say yes others no can anyone offer some advice please ???
 
personally..........think riding a newly foaled mare is cruel......leaving the foal behind to ride....????? or were you thinking of riding with the foal trailing behind?

Don't think I could get any of our mares to leave their babies behind for a minute......bad enough when they come to be weaned and there is a genuine reason for separating mother and baby...unfortunate in 1 sense you bought a pregnant mare..but on the bright side you got 2 for the price of one .
 


I personally don't think it fair to separate them. I think the mare will constantly be calling & getting in a tizz & the foal may end up injuring itself through blind panic/terror.

Not worth the risk or upset & trauma.
 
personally i have yet so see anyone ever ride a mare with an unweaned foal, and as chestnut_mare says the risk of injury and upset to both mare AND foal is too much to risk.
i know it will feel like an eternity until your mare foals, and then until weaning but even though its been a bit of a shock imagine the joy you will get from them both!
 
Unless you have a very large, safely fenced field in which to ride with foal following, I wouldn't entertain it for a minute as the others have said. You certainly shouldn't be thinking of separating them for at least 2 -3 months (to make it clear, I mean separating them just to ride, not as in weaning!!) and you would only be able to walk anyway, do nothing faster or more strenuous while foal is still suckling to be on the safe side; you don't want either of them to go down with colic or something through being stressed which they would be. Even in the old days when working mares foaled, they would have been given time for the foals to get stronger then the mares would have gone back to only light work with the foal following, but their conditions were so much different from ours now with roads and traffic alone.
Another vote against it I'm afraid although I know Tia does this with hers once they're a bit older but she is in Canada so her situation is different from here. Another point, I also think you might risk the wrath of Joe Public by them reporting you as they wouldn't understand and would only see you being cruel.!
 
And just to prove there are more of us this is our mare. First of all seek direction from your vet & 2nd take into account all mares are different. Our mare was unconcerned & after 3mnths her colt was happy to stay with the yearling while she came into the school on her own. Later she went on short hacks. It is not uncommon for mares to be bought back into work in Europe. But each persons/horses circumstances are different.
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We waited a month after she foaled & as I said my vet (who is based at a stud) was more then happy.
 
Thanks everyone will leave it am not bothered about riding her at all,as I didn't know she was pregnant am slowly adjusting to it,and selling her is not an option as she is so laid back and loving,it's just everyone has an opinion about it and I needed some sane advice.
 
Just had to add both of those who posted pictures it does look like both you and mum are enjoying it thanks,maybe I might try it and see if mum is ok but if I do will wait at least 3/4 months
 
years ago i often went for short easy walks with foals at foot once they were strong and sturdy, never did any of them any harm, i did live in the middle of no where and rode on common land, once the foals got to about 3months depending on the foal and mare, the foal would be left out with the rest of the herd with no problems
i would say, dont rush and just take it very easy once you start,depends on the mare and foal and also your facilities
 
As MFH says, yes I ride my lot after they have foaled. Generally once the foal is about 1 month old the mare will be lightly ridden around the field, or very close to it so that the foal can still see the mother. I have taken a foal out with me and the mare only once and it was fine (but then I live in a place where there is no risk of anything awful happening to a loose foal) however nowadays I don't bother taking the foal with me, just the mare.

At about 3 months old, our foals are perfectly used to their mothers going out for short rides out of sight as by this stage the foals already have good friends in their field. I also have 2 nanny horses who are the most fantastic babysitters, so the foals never kick up a stink; actually it all goes very smoothly with neither mother nor foal becoming panicky.

I think the moral is, just be sensible, and do what suits your mare and foal.
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