To those people getting foals soon

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Sandstone1

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Are you going to stable them or turn out 24/7 in winter? Do you rug your foals? How much handling do you do with them? When do you get farrier to do first trim? Any tips welcome please,

Ive noticed a lot of posts from people getting foals in next few weeks and thought it might help to have others experience etc in one place
 
I had a foal last year he was 5 months when i got him, he went out all day and in stable at night all year round. I rugged him in winter and handling wise got him to be able to lead pick feet out groom tie up walk on the roads just basic ground work. He is 1yo now and has perfect manners and is a real sweetie!
 
I would have them in at night to continue their education. Pick up feet every day and increase length of time they will hold them up, just general handling as a good grounding for their future really.
 
Farrier was as and when he needed a trim, to be honest i would do all basic groundwork and manners with them i did do little things like walking over tarps ect.. when he was about 8-10 months. He follows me round like a puppy listens to voice commands walks into his stable with a click of a finger.
 
itsmylife said:
How quickly are they likely to grow out of rugs etc?
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Last year i bought a amigo foal rug which could change sizes this lasted him all last year. I have found that i have to buy new rugs every winter but i only rug in winter so not too expensive just sell the old ones on ebay. Just buying new ones now
 
staceyn

I had a foal last year he was 5 months when i got him, he went out all day and in stable at night all year round. I rugged him in winter and handling wise got him to be able to lead pick feet out groom tie up walk on the roads just basic ground work. He is 1yo now and has perfect manners and is a real sweetie!

This.
 
We get new foals every year :) they are stabled at night for their first winter which I think is very important. They are rugged with 200g or so turnouts once they are happy to accept rugs. Our farrier is here regularly so get done when needed.
We buy rugs off ebay although we have a range from 3'6 up. Liking the look of the amigo foal rugs though :)
We get 2 of our new ones this weekend, long journey home for them, bringing 2 others up in the lorry for others as well.
Exciting times - enjoy!
 
staceyn said:
I had a foal last year he was 5 months when i got him, he went out all day and in stable at night all year round. I rugged him in winter and handling wise got him to be able to lead pick feet out groom tie up walk on the roads just basic ground work. He is 1yo now and has perfect manners and is a real sweetie!
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This. Even though ours live out 24/7 this is the only time i would stable. Company is also very important for a baby.
 
I had mine in during the first winter, and apart from the times when he try to "play" with the wheelbarrow, the handling did him the world of good, and he would quite happily pick feet up, follow me round the arena, over tarps, in and out of fillers and poles. He didnt bat an eyelid when his first rug was put on, but some small foal rugs have very short surcingles - just something to watch out for, and good luck.
 
I too got my first foal beg. Feb this year (although I bought her aug last year), she is 15 months now. When I first got her home she stayed stabled for 1 week just so i could get to know her and she could get to know the sounds, sights and smells of the farm. She was unhandled and learnt tying up, leading, picking feet up in this time. Well, I say that but my trimmer did all the hard work!! Thanks Jayne!

Then she was turned out during the day with an ex broodie, and stabled next to each other at night for a few months. They developed a lovely relationship. So did we and we led, picked feet up on "foot" command. Learnt what a rug was, what tractors were for, met cows, dogs, the cat slept in her stable with her so cats are ok in her book. I can pretty much chuck anything on her now and she will just stand there.

In April, out she went with the herd of mares in about 20 acres. It was relatively pain free. Observed some very interesting herd behaviour. She was an outcast for a short time as expected but wormed her way into the heart of the group and was soon sleeping at their feet while they stood in a circle around sleeping beauty!

I sent her away as a yearling to a show producers yard for three weeks and she came back being able to be washed, shampooed, hosed down and hogged so I was completely thrilled! I wanted her hogged by the way! Clippers are nothing now. She's like "yeah, whatever"

Enjoy the whole thing! Don't worry too much. Always ask for assistance if you need it, sometimes they need a little 'push' from behind to get them going at that age. Work well worth doing. I had loads of help, and am never afraid to ask anyone passing our busy yard and expose her anything and everything.......... Saying that.... only a bit at a time so she had weeks of just boring herd life, then a weekend of fun! Then back to herd life.... We fitted in two shows too and really enjoyed it.

It's such a joy, really, just have fun!
 
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I got my mare in march as a 7 month old. she lived out 24/7 an always has done. she wasnt rugged atall over her first winter and was warm healthy and happy. our are turned out in 37 acres in a mixed herd with ages between 1 and 25 so she got alot of lessons on manners from her older companions, and got to play an be a baby with her younger ones. she was bought in every day tied up for her hay ad dinner and groomed and handled during this time.

she is now 2 and is going strong without a rug again. if she ever came in cold then she would have a rug but her cob side gives her an amazing winter coat
 
My last came to me as an untouched 4 month old. He was kept in until he was able to be handled (about 3 weeks) then out in the day and in at night.
Rugged over winter, outgrew everything in weeks!
Gelded at 22 months when that second elusive ball dropped!
 
Id post in breeding as well as thats were the professional breeders tend to be. Im quite interested in all of the above comments and am going to put a spanner in the works.

If you are buying a well handled baby and by this I mean that it is halter broken, leading nicely in hand and has seen a farrier (all babies should have seen a farrier every month from at least 6 weeks, even if he doesnt do much to them). THEN, treat your baby like a baby!

They should be out 24/7 preferably with other babies and with an older nanny horse. Let them move and play and learn how to be a horse! Dont overfeed, hay and a good balancer would be enough for UNRUGGED babies. I have TB and TBx babies and they get the best winter coats and have only ever struggled in freezing rain and I mean really cold rain, not the stuff we are getting at the moment and they positively prefer snow if they are getting adlib hay to stoke the fires.

Go see them ever day, say hi, maybe pop a headcollar on for five minutes occasionally to remind them and feel legs and pick up feet (Id be doing this anyway to check for lumps, bumps and injuries).

I wouldnt expect my toddler to be left on her own in her cot for the majority of the day so why do this to your baby horse?

I have NEVER had a youngster who weaves, crib bites or wind sucks as they get to behave naturally 24/7 until they are three/four or ready physically and mentally to move on a step. I also get sent homebreds/over handled yougsters to 'sort' for thier owners and guess what? They have been stabled overnight, 'handled' ever day and petted like dogs . They are always disrespectful, anxious and bolshy....
 
itsmylife said:
Are you going to stable them or turn out 24/7 in winter? Do you rug your foals? How much handling do you do with them? When do you get farrier to do first trim? Any tips welcome please,
Click to expand...

I got my foalie last November so she is now coming up 17 months. She has been stabled at night and out through the day since I got her as this is the routine my other horse has and what I prefer, she loves her stables and loves snoozing in her bed! She was rugged last year and is rugged at the moment and will be rugged in the future, she doesn't cope well with cold/wet so although hadn't intended to she ended up in a heavyweight last winter. She is obviously lead to and from the field every day and given a scratch/check ever day, she is groomed about 4 times a week and will maybe potter about with bags/walks/any scary things! every so often. I don't believe in the 'leaving' approach, I never ask more of her than what I would expect any baby to do but this doesn't mean I leave her. She ties up, leads, baths, travels and behaves while she does all of the above! She is allowed to be a playful baby and have a yeehaa in the field all I ask of her is maybe an hour a day max to behave respectably not much really when you consider how much time and effort I put in!

itsmylife said:
How quickly are they likely to grow out of rugs etc?
Click to expand...

very quickly! my foal started in a 4ft6' and by the end of winter she was in a 5ft over summer she grew into a 5ft6' and now if I was buying any winter rugs it would be a 6ft. My tip would be dont buy cheap rugs (eg own brand like requisite) as the cut and style often doesnt fit a foal try and buy good quality brands in the sales!

LilMissy said:
Id post in breeding as well as thats were the professional breeders tend to be. Im quite interested in all of the above comments and am going to put a spanner in the works.

If you are buying a well handled baby and by this I mean that it is halter broken, leading nicely in hand and has seen a farrier (all babies should have seen a farrier every month from at least 6 weeks, even if he doesnt do much to them). THEN, treat your baby like a baby!

They should be out 24/7 preferably with other babies and with an older nanny horse. Let them move and play and learn how to be a horse! Dont overfeed, hay and a good balancer would be enough for UNRUGGED babies. I have TB and TBx babies and they get the best winter coats and have only ever struggled in freezing rain and I mean really cold rain, not the stuff we are getting at the moment and they positively prefer snow if they are getting adlib hay to stoke the fires.

Go see them ever day, say hi, maybe pop a headcollar on for five minutes occasionally to remind them and feel legs and pick up feet (Id be doing this anyway to check for lumps, bumps and injuries).

I wouldnt expect my toddler to be left on her own in her cot for the majority of the day so why do this to your baby horse?

I have NEVER had a youngster who weaves, crib bites or wind sucks as they get to behave naturally 24/7 until they are three/four or ready physically and mentally to move on a step. I also get sent homebreds/over handled yougsters to 'sort' for thier owners and guess what? They have been stabled overnight, 'handled' ever day and petted like dogs . They are always disrespectful, anxious and bolshy....
Click to expand...

I disagree with this but each to their own! I don't think its fair to tar everyone who brings up/handles/stables their foals that they will turn into disrepectful, anxious and bloshy. My foal at a mere 16 months has more manners and respect than other 4, 10 or 20 years olds at my livery!
 
Friends just got one, he's just over five months. Only arrived Wednesday and is quite nervous. He's currently in day/night with company next door overnight.

He's settling very well and becoming more confident about being handled. He'll go out in day time probably next week xx
 
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