Travelling a foal?

[Ample Prosecco]

A good friend of mine does not want to foal down at home so the horse is going to an equine hospital to do it there. They send the mare and foal back home within 24 hours.
I spoke to the vet at the stud about my plans for Amber - trying to decide whether to put her straight back into foal this year with the original stallion I wanted, or wait a year. And again he said that I could travel Amber and foal down to the stud, Amber would be covered there, then travel back. He said it was fine!

My friend is sending her mare away to foal to keep mare and foal as safe as possible and again has been reassured that travelling them back almost immediately is ok. But the idea of a newborn loose in a box or trailer horrifies me! Am I completely misunderstanding the way that works?

 

[TheMule]

They generally travel really well. As a general rule I would wait at least 4 weeks but I have travelled a younger foal a very short distance. I wouldn’t risk it if the mare wasn’t a good traveler.
Take everything out, cross tie the mare, bed down fully with a good thick layer as the foal will most likely lie down, close every single door and have a camera on them.

 

[Clodagh]

I travelled a mare and week old foal (would have been sooner but he was a dummy) home. Did as TheMule said, but no camera. It was a good 40 minute drive (going slowly). He was fine.

 

[Red-1]

I helped someone at Great Yorkshire Show where she had more horses than handlers. I had the two year old, but she also travelled the mare and foal she had. FWI remember, the foal was the youngest it could be, three weeks the day of the show.

I would not personally have done it, but the foal did a 2 hour journey there, was all day at the show (although they did book stables so he had somewhere to rest), a busy show class in the main ring and the journey home. It was a stupid-hot day too.

He was fine.

It was 3 horses in a 3 horse box, the mare and foal had the end with a partition taken out.

I wouldn't have done it, but the foal came to no harm.

 

[Red-1]

.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Current travelling regs for transporters are that foals under 10 days can only do so on medical grounds, so obviously vets will sign off if fit to travel. Its highly unusual to book a routine foaling at vets tho, most only go if emergency or due to medical concerns prior.

Yes, stud travelling is routine for broodmares, tho some fortunate ones get to foal down, get covered and stay a good while before moving on.
To answer your question, it's not usually an issue to travel foals over 10 days.

 

[milliepops]

Useful thread. Likely to send one to a stud to foal down if she gets in foal this year. I absolutely LOVED having Hera at home from day zero so would like to bring them home before too long but obviously not wanting to put either at any risk. would people do the same in a 7.5t (take everything out?) mine is stalled for 3 big horses/4 ponies so fairly roomy. planning ahead...

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Useful thread. Likely to send one to a stud to foal down if she gets in foal this year. I absolutely LOVED having Hera at home from day zero so would like to bring them home before too long but obviously not wanting to put either at any risk. would people do the same in a 7.5t (take everything out?) mine is stalled for 3 big horses/4 ponies so fairly roomy. planning ahead...

Yes, have travelled a fair few, particularly for shows in the past. I prefer to wait till they are 6 weeks (if showing, and 3 weeks before anything else unless medical issue), they are more equipped to deal with following mum up the ramp if you dont have a loading chute.
Usually I'd give them a double section up the front with a full partition behind, just to keep mum more contained. Foal usually will get themselves across mums front, but not always...

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Current travelling regs for transporters are that foals under 10 days can only do so on medical grounds, so obviously vets will sign off if fit to travel. Its highly unusual to book a routine foaling at vets tho, most only go if emergency or due to medical concerns prior.

Yes, stud travelling is routine for broodmares, tho some fortunate ones get to foal down, get covered and stay a good while before moving on.
To answer your question, it's not usually an issue to travel foals over 10 days.

That's odd; the below is off their website. Seems to be on offer for routine foalings and they have told my friend they send home well under 10 days - 24/48 hours.

But I feel more reassured about taking Amber to the stud to be vovered with foal tagging along. Thanks for all the info.

Foaling Services and Fees
Pool House Equine Clinic is able to offer an on-site foaling service. For a fixed fee your mare will stay with us for the final stages of her pregnancy and will be monitored by our stud team 24 hours a day. Your mare will stay in one of our dedicated foaling stables equipped with CCTV cameras. This enables us to monitor the mare through the night without physically disturbing her. In addition to CCTV monitoring, mares are also fitted with a stitch in foaling alarm which notifies the team at the onset of second stage labour ensuring that we will always be present to assist the birth as required.

 

[ihatework]

Personally I’d rather leave them for at least a week at stud, pref fortnight. But I’m sure 24h is fine if that’s what they do.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Can they travel in a double trailer or does it have to be a box?

 

[TheMule]

Can they travel in a double trailer or does it have to be a box?

Mine travel fine in the trailer, often easier I think as not too much of a ramp to negotiate (although very young foals can literally just be carried in)

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Ok so in theory I could do this myself but I cannot imagine how nervous I would be towing them. Perhaps I will pay a specialist transporter. I am floaling at home, it's just the going back to the stud to cover Amber I'm trying to think through. So I can wait till foal is about 4 weeks old anyway.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

That's odd; the below is off their website. Seems to be on offer for routine foalings and they have told my friend they send home well under 10 days - 24/48 hours.

But I feel more reassured about taking Amber to the stud to be vovered with foal tagging along. Thanks for all the info.

Foaling Services and Fees
Pool House Equine Clinic is able to offer an on-site foaling service. For a fixed fee your mare will stay with us for the final stages of her pregnancy and will be monitored by our stud team 24 hours a day. Your mare will stay in one of our dedicated foaling stables equipped with CCTV cameras. This enables us to monitor the mare through the night without physically disturbing her. In addition to CCTV monitoring, mares are also fitted with a stitch in foaling alarm which notifies the team at the onset of second stage labour ensuring that we will always be present to assist the birth as required.

Maybe regs have changed, but in 2018 10 days was the minimum age under transport regs then without vet cert. I was surprised as used to be 14 way back when I was doing transport. That info was from Gillies and another more local to me firm. As I said up thread tho, the vets can give travel permission though.

 

[Xmasha]

It’s not something I’d choose or plan to do . Not until they where at least a couple of weeks old . Being born is quite exhausting for them .
But Amara had a trip to the vets when she was 8hrs old . Our vets are a 10-15 min drive away . She was fine , but rather exhausted. She only went as he hock had swollen and we feared mum had stood on her . But all was clear and vet thinks it was just because she was a bit stuck .

 

[milliepops]

I'm not surprised it's tiring for them. Just playing in the field Hera would go from 90mph to flat out fast asleep in the blink of an eye. Being in a moving vehicle takes a fair bit of energy from adult horses with proper muscles and coordination!

 

[Prancerpoos]

No comment on the travelling a foal bit, but it does seem rather unkind to send a mare off to a strange place when she is going to be feeling most vulnerable. Is that a normal thing now?

 

[TheLoneWanderer]

Please don't breed straight after she has given birth. Mares are not baby making machines and people that use them as such make me sick and very angry

 

[Mule]

Useful thread. Likely to send one to a stud to foal down if she gets in foal this year. I absolutely LOVED having Hera at home from day zero so would like to bring them home before too long but obviously not wanting to put either at any risk. would people do the same in a 7.5t (take everything out?) mine is stalled for 3 big horses/4 ponies so fairly roomy. planning ahead...

How old is Hera now, and how do you pronounce her name again?

 

[Xmas lucky]

Most people I know travel them when they are 24 hours old bring them home for foaling units in Ireland.

 

[Kaycee]

We have travelled a foal just a few hours old (to the vets 50 mins away as he was strugling to suckle and vets couldn't come out to us) Mare & foal loose in a 7.5 lorry with all partitions out and well bedded down with straw. Watched them on the cameras all the way and foal was absolutely fine and bounced out of the lorry at the other end. Travelled back home again the following day, with no problem. Vets were not at all concerned about him being travelled at such a young age.