Stabling for a pregnant mare...

[_jetset_]

I am in a real conundrum... please help!

I moved Hannah down to the foaling box a few months ago because the horse next to her kept biting her bottom and she started running in and out of her stable at top speeds.

The foaling box at the bottom is very isolated and she cannot see any other horses down there because of the tack room in front of the stable. It is nice and quiet but I am just not sure whether it is too quiet?

The stable she used to be in (11x16ft) might become available again... (the one she is in at the moment is 12x14) and I really don't know whether to move her back up to the top yard! She would be able to see all of the horses, but it would mean her having the foal up there too...

Any ideas?

Rebecca

The foaling

 

[Kelly1982]

I think i would be worried abuot the fact that when the foal arrives if it is up the top yard it might not get a minutes piece with everyone keep looking over the door. especially children (if there is any on your yard) trying to clamber up the door to take a look.

I know nothing about foaling though and i dont know what your yard is like but if it were me i think i would prefer to keep her where she is. I know you say she cant see any other horses but can she hear them??

 

[mandy4727]

Hi Rebecca. From what I saw when I came to your yard, the stable Hannah used to be in looks plenty of big enough. If I am thinking of the right one. In the corner on the right as you walk under the archway?. I was unsure about the one you are in now as too far away from anything. That was where Tartan was going to go until a box became available and although the stables down there are lovely they are as you say a bit isolated. We have a horse that bites all other horses bums as you lead them past him. All we do as we are walking past is spin a short end of the leadrope in circles as we are walking towards him. So you could do it as you are leading out of the stable to the horse next door. Apparently horses hate this. When we do this the horse goes back in cos he is unsure of what it is and when he does put his head back out of the stable door we have passed him with no bites or nips.
So yes I would prefer the stable back in the yard. But would it not be too noisy for her? Not sure how much peace and quiet a mare due to foal or a foal just born would need. There are experts on this site who will be able to advise you on this.

 

[MillionDollar]

Well if shes happy in the stable shes in at the moment, i wouldn't move her, because she gets contact with horses when turned out doesn't she? Also i think she'll be a lot happier foaling in the stable she is in, horses always go away from other horses when they foal. But its up to you, but i just wouldn't upset her if shes already happy.

 

[MillionDollar]

Yeh horses like to be on their own away from other horses and be in a quiet place when they are foaling. When in the wild a mare walk away from the herd into a hiding place to give birth, sometimes 1/4 mile away from the herd.

 

[_jetset_]

The problem is that come winter she will be going out on her own too so will not have any contact with other horses (I promise, being out on her own is for a reason). She can't hear any others either because it is quite a walk from the bottom yard where she is to the top yard where the other horses are.

She seems quite chilled at the moment in the one at the bottom, but she is getting out every day all day with the others whereas in winter she will be only going out for two hours at the most on her own! Surely being on a bustling yard would be better than that!

No matter which stable is in I know people will keep looking over the stable... I think it's a natural reaction to want to see a new foal

 

[MillionDollar]

ummm i can see your dilema. Is there no chance of having the old box until shes about 10 months pregnant and then move her back into the quiet one?
Whatever you choose im sure she will be happy.

 

[_jetset_]

Not really... it would mean the yard owner making sure it was free for me again which is not really fair if she has someone interested.

 

[Kelly1982]

But when the foal comes she will be turned out with that and i would of thought she would prefer that being a protective mother than wanting to socialise??

I know nothing about foaling though so could be making it up as i go along LOL

 

[_jetset_]

I am not worried about her once the foal has come... it's just the next six months which are worrying me. I think it is worse because she will be in the majority of the time

 

[Kelly1982]

I see what you mean, 6 months is a fairly long time.

Couldn't you speak to the other horses owner and try and come up with something to stope th other horse biting??

Or maybe put a stable mirror in the stable she is in now and give her likit and stuff to keep her occuiped.

I dont really know what to suggest as its either her having a chunk taken out of her or her being lonely.

Where do you think she is happier?? One of my mares cant stand being taken away from the others, throws a right tantrum but my other mare prefers being on her own so i think its also down to your horse

 

[MillionDollar]

oh right, yeh that wouldn't be fair on YO, well its really down to the individual mare, but i always put broodmares away from other horses. But its really hard when you only have one, because you don't have the option of putting her with other broodmares. But in the case of having just one i do think they are quite happy to be on their own when in foal and really like it when actually foaling (i think its hormones, lol) but as i say all horses are individuals.

 

[_jetset_]

Thanks.... the horse that used to bite her has actually moved (forgot to mention that, oops!)

She does seem happy but I just don't want her getting depressed in winter being totally isolated from the other horses. I just feel so mean on my baby

 

[_jetset_]

Oooo... I just don't know what to do for the best!

They both have their good points... the old stable at the top is bigger than the foaling box, she can see all the other horses but is tucked away in the corner so not lots of people walking past (they are all set around a courtyard). But it is up at the top yard... oh and another good point is that it has an automatic waterer.

The foaling box is lovely and quiet, has its own tack area and feed room but you have to use buckets for water, it is very isolated and she cannot see any other horses or hear them at all!

 

[Prudence]

Hi Becky,

Having not read all the replies, I appologies in advance if I cover anything that has already been said. These are the things that would concern me about moving her back to the busier yard.

* Noise = no peace for a heavily pregnant mare. Some do go off there food for various reasons as partuition approaches, why add more stress.

* Noise (again) = little peace for the new mother and her new-born baby. Most mares are foal proud to a certain extent and maiden mares can get particularly worried. You don't want her whizzing around her box due to too many visitors hanging over the door and too much noise on either side in other stables and trampling on her foal!

* This horse that bites - is he still there? Irrespective of wherther he is there or not, it sounds like the way in and out of that stable involves passing closely by other horses, with their heads over the half doors. Do you really want to have to deal with this when you are trying to get mare and foal in and out?

IMO Hannah and her baby will be safer and happier (as will you) if you leave her in her current box. From your previous posts, she seems most content on her own and foaly will be here before you know it and he/she will be the only company that she will require for a fair while.

P.S. You do know it's me, don't you?

 

[_jetset_]

Thank you for all of that... having carefully thought about it I have decided to leave her where she is and when it comes to weaning I am going to move the foal up to the top so it will have lots to see and keep it occupied and I know Hannah is ok down there!

Do I know you Prudence? Sorry, it was just your PS but don't recognise the username.

 

[Prudence]

Pm'd you in return hun