Should I hit the panic button?

HappyHollyDays

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Things will work out CI. You have had a hell of a few weeks and I’m not surprised you are feeling a bit fragile. By the time you go to winter turnout Caso will be at the weaning stage and should you want to keep him I’m sure you will be able to find some where he can run with a herd of youngsters. It might not be right on your doorstep but the power of HHO should be able to find you somewhere safe and secure for him. You can then crack on with Hermosa as planned. You bought her for a reason and it would be sad if you didn’t carry through with your plans.
 

Zuzan

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Really feel for you .. I can imagine feeling like that having felt similar when I just couldn't find a solution .. but a solution did come along ... I have everything crossed that you too will find a solution as Hermosa is lovely and think Caso will be splendid too.. whether you keep him or not .. bare in mind in 6 months you could think about weaning Caso and if as you say your friend is quite keen on him this would mean Caso could be in a new home around Christmas time.. so not there the entire winter.. If you do decide to sell wont you still be in search of a feasible yard.. ?
 

Caol Ila

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What is it exactly that she can’t accommodate?

Turn-out. They go into larger groups in the fields, and when they're not in fields, they're in shared pens. This happens in October or November (depending on weather) and foal would be weaned circa December.
 

AmyMay

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Turn-out. They go into larger groups in the fields, and when they're not in fields, they're in shared pens. This happens in October or November (depending on weather) and foal would be weaned circa December.

Ah ok, yes that makes sense.
 

Caol Ila

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I should add that it was a nightmare to find a place that would take a bloody two-year old, when Gypsum's yard summarily ejected her back in March. How the f**ck am I going to find a place who will take a three-year old with a foal at foot?

Local studs? LOL. All the ones I phoned were as helpful as a chocolate teapot. Don't take liveries, sorry.
 

OrangeAndLemon

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At least she's told you now not in September or October when you'd only have weeks to figure it out.

Don't worry about it right now, you've had a hell of a fortnight. Give yourself time, you don't need to do anything now.

Options will appear and you can think about it all when you've had time to adjust and got to know the foal a bit better.
 

Abi90

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You could stick a post on your local Facebook. I know several people with foals who don’t have a friend for foal but do have land a space for another mare and foal. I’ve seen several people advertise from both sides with success
 

AmyMay

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I should add that it was a nightmare to find a place that would take a bloody two-year old, when Gypsum's yard summarily ejected her back in March. How the f**ck am I going to find a place who will take a three-year old with a foal at foot?

Local studs? LOL. All the ones I phoned were as helpful as a chocolate teapot. Don't take liveries, sorry.

Well, let’s start with, where are you?

Someone here might be able to help/recommend..
 

Caol Ila

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If anyone knows of or can find studs (not the one she came from), let me know. I have done lots of Googling and have already been in touch with the handful I identified on my searches, and they told me no way in hell would they ever take a livery.
 

Caol Ila

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I guess I should see if the YO is actually going to ask me to move her. She did say she would think about possible solutions. I guess I should give her some time.

I'm so tired of yard hopping due to things I have zero control over. My horse hates loading, because I've never had the chance to teach her in a nice, friendly and fun way. It has always involved upending her life. I wouldn't get on a lorry, either, if that was my only experience of it. Maybe if someone with their own horse property bought her, they could give her a better life than I can.
 

Brownmare

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I should add that it was a nightmare to find a place that would take a bloody two-year old, when Gypsum's yard summarily ejected her back in March. How the f**ck am I going to find a place who will take a three-year old with a foal at foot?

Local studs? LOL. All the ones I phoned were as helpful as a chocolate teapot. Don't take liveries, sorry.
If you sell the foal before weaning you may find a buyer who would like to take them as a pair in October so the foal settles into his new home easier and then returns Hermosa to you when the foal is old enough to be weaned. Obviously only an option if you do decide to sell and you would need a fairly comprehensive loan agreement for the mare but still worth thinking about.
 

CanteringCarrot

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I would give it a bit of time and talk with the YO. It sounds like she might be accommodating.

You can discuss your concerns and previous struggles with finding a livery yard and tell her you are just trying to plan since it's a bit scarce out there and if she could let you know sooner rather than later, that would be greatly appreciated.

It might just workout.

I can totally understand why this is stressful though. A wanted ad might draw some places out of the woodwork too.
 

brighteyes

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I'm genuinely sad you aren't able to enjoy having the new little life even for just a week. You really need a break and I'd be amazed if one of us can't come up with a solution of some sort. From what you are saying, you have until October at least, so just try and take a few deep breaths and not make any decisions just yet xxx
 

Zuzan

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I guess I should see if the YO is actually going to ask me to move her. She did say she would think about possible solutions. I guess I should give her some time.

I'm so tired of yard hopping due to things I have zero control over. My horse hates loading, because I've never had the chance to teach her in a nice, friendly and fun way. It has always involved upending her life. I wouldn't get on a lorry, either, if that was my only experience of it. Maybe if someone with their own horse property bought her, they could give her a better life than I can.

You are very tired and stressed and finding it very difficult to see positives and possibilites .. It's a difficult place to be .. be kind to yourself and try and dial back on what sounds like the little voices saying you aren't good enough for Hermosa. I know exactly how you feel as have had the same feelings and similar difficulties when my horse was a youngster. looking back now it seems trivial and I found a way through and am infinitely glad I stuck with it and didn't give up.. I literally have the horse of my life .. so just from someone who can absolutely identify with where you are try and keep your mind open to possibilities. I do hope you manage to get some good sleep. All the very very best.
 

Caol Ila

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I think that's hard for me to face because my horse did not get basic handling skills at her breeder's, so I've had to work on accepting a headcollar, catching, leading, yielding to pressure, the works, like a bloody Mustang. However, she was doing great at it. I was really happy with her progress. But her feet are still a massive clusterf*ck and it takes f*ck tons of Domesedan in order to get a basic trim done. I was working on it and sort of making progress. I hope you guys understand why I don't want this horse to basically go feral again for half a year. Or for Caso to end up equally as feral.

In fairness to my YO, she has acknowledged this as a significant issue and it might be the one reason she tries harder to figure something out, maybe more so than she would do for a well handled BOGOF mare.
 

Palindrome

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Some breeders wean at 4 months. I don't think it's ideal but if you don't have the choice, you could wean a bit earlier. Or perhaps your friend who intends to buy the foal could take mare and foal for a month or 2 and do the weaning at her place/livery?
 

Caol Ila

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Yeah, that's what she has going for her. The knowledge that finding a horse of the same age or older of comparable quality for not gazillions of pounds would be challenging.
 
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