Surprise foal (also in breeding)

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Rolo--Chilli

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Hello
I am new to the forum but was hoping for some advice please.
First of all i will tell you a bit about me, I have 2 ponies for my daughter Rolo a 11,3 Bay roan and Chilli a 12 h Ba. I keep these at my brothers yard which is also a riding school and a livery yard.

Yesterday my sister in law got the shock of her life when she went into the field to do the afternoon check of the ponies, she found a foal stood in the middle of the field. After much shock she worked out who the mother was and brought them both into the stable.

The mother is a 13,2 pony who was brought to the yard a year ago next month. The owners of the pony didnt know she was in foal when they bought her and to be honest neither of us could tell either.

Anyway enough of my rambling now for the advice please, this pony has been worked up untill 3 days before she gave birth and when i mean worked i mean all pony club activities show jumping shows and very long hacks. Do you think this will have caused any harm to the foal. Also this is the first foal we have had at the yard and would like some advice on how to care for him.

Many many thanks if you got this far.

Rolo--Chilli
 
Oh wow, first of all welcome, and congratulations!

I have seen a few 'surprises' over the years and I don't have any horror stories to tell about problems relating to the mare being worked right up to giving birth. All the foals seemed to be very strong and normal although the mares were completely shattered.

Have you had a vet up to check the mare over and give any advice as to care and attention for mother and foal? That would be the best place to start I think.

On to speculating about the father, the mare must have been covered literally before she arrived at the yard - does anyone have any idea about when/where/what stallion?
 
Many thanks for your reply,

Yes the vet came out twice yesterday first just after the foal was found and second a bit later when we thought she hadnt delivered the placenta. The vet seems happy with them and said the foal was a fighter to be born in the middle of the field in a torrential rain storm with 20 odd other horses around.

The vet was concerned about the weight of the mare and gave us advice on what and how much to feed her, but that was about it.

So now researching the net for info on caring for foals and what to expect.

Louise (Rolo--Chilli)
 
wow! congratulations! sounds like the foal has had a bit of a bumpy ride then! :)

I can't add anything more to the advice that Roody2 gave you really - other than that the feed companies are really helpful, and would be able to help you design a diet to help mare and foal!

oh, and welcome to the forum! :)
 
Hiya, welcome:)

I had a very similar experience years ago, I was giving a young girl riding lessons once a week in her field, I turned up one week and there was no sign of anybody apart from the pony out grazing. I stayed for a few minutes in case they were running late but after that decided to leave, they turned up a few minutes after I must of left to find mum and foal in the field !

We had been riding her, both myself and the girl every week up to that:D
 
Serenity087 said:
Just as a point though... unless she was covered just before she moved... horses are pregnant for 11 months... which means she MAY have been covered at your yard!
Which may mean you have had a rig about!

She may also have gone 12 months... Mine did!!!

But congrats on the new addition :D
Click to expand...

OP said 12months next month, so the mare has only been there for 11 & its not that uncommon for mares to go over.

Good luck with the new addition :)
 
Hi - congratulations on your surprise foal. Only thing to add is that you should give the mother six months off to care for her foal. Let the foal be a baby and enjoy !
 
Many thanks for all your reply and congratulations.

We are convinced she was covered just before she came to us as we have had all the geldings at the yard for many years and the newest ones have only been there a couple of months so the foal would be very premature.

We are trying to get intouch with the previous owners to see if she was covered by choice or by accident. All we know is when she was viewed she was in a field with another mare and 2 male chesnuts what we thought were geldings untill now ( the foal is chesnut coloured) but we are suspicious now.

It was a big shock yesterday but now we have all got over the shock it is a lovely surprise and are looking forward seeing the foal grow up.

The owner of the foal has decided to call the foal Sox as he has 4 lovely white socks he will have the name Quell Surprise which means What a Surprise in french.

Wish i knew how to put pics on :(
 
What a story!!!! Get the photos up!!!!

Upload to photobucket (create an account) then copy and paste the IMG code and paste on here..

I'd love to see Quell Surprise. Brave mummy, working so hard just before.... I'm sure you'll all treat her like a queen.

Photos photos photos pleeeeease :):):):):)
 
picture.php


not sure if that is right or if it will turn out strange
 
Beautiful ponies!! Congratulations on the surprise! I would just say give the mare time to care for her foal, and make sure that the foal gets handled regularly so they are friendly and make sure foals feet are picked up so ready for farrier, we have taken foals with mums when farrier comes so they can get the smell (obv not straight away but at a few months old). Also make sure the mare is getting plenty of good quality forage (hay/haylage) and hard feed to ensure baby is getting everything it needs and so does mum. Ring around feed companies they will help devise a feed plan.
Enjoy!!
 
Quelle surprise-feminine.

He's a very striking little thing, fab colour contrast against his mum. Se is a bit skinny, bless her.

We had this happen, too, sadly the mare rejected the pony which was then hand raised.

We will need numerous updates. :D
 
Gorgeous! He/she? may turn grey as mare is grey and has a 50% chance of passing it on to her offspring. Mare is indeed very skinny. At least she will not have to work now and looks very happy tucked up in her stable. What a lovely surprise.
 
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