juliehannah58
Well-Known Member
Thought I would just post a quick update as so much has happened this last month!
Firstly, most of you will be aware that I bred my own monster this year who has remained huge since birth. Unfortunately we seemed to have no control over this situation, she seemed to be growing SO quickly and having so much weight on her despite getting nothing at all except milk and hay / poor grass. Mare was like a hatrack! Sadly we were all getting a bit concerned about this, as the mares foals have a history of going upright on front (they have all been huge too, even though she is a small mare herself). So I made the heartbreaking decision, under vet, farrier and experienced breeders advice to wean her dead on 4 months old. This also meant I couldn't wean gradually as I had hoped to do, but instead had to 'foal nap' her off to a stud to try and slow her growth down sharpish.
It was one of the most stressful things I have been through to be honest! You spend all that time doing all you can to stop them feeling any upset (from birth to weaning) then I go and foal nap her! I felt like such a crook! Fortunately she was a super star and followed me straight up into the lorry (first time ever) on her own without her mum! Obviously she was upset to start with in her new home, but she had some other foals next door for company and soon settled. The mare could not have cared less! I think she called twice!
Three long weeks later, I finally collected her yesterday to bring her home and she lept up the ramp to come home (literally, she has some jump in her!!). She settled into her new stable almost straight away with no fuss whatsoever. Today she went out for the first time with her new pal, our placid small cob mare and all was fine.
So all in all she has absolutely done us proud, the stud said she was the best behaved foal they've ever had and she said loads of admirers. Seeing how calm she coped and how easy the mare has been has reassured me that it was the right time for them and just goes to show there is no hard and fast rules, saying that although she slowed her growth she's still a monster, well over 14hh now.
Sorry for boring post but I had to share, it's so nice to have my girlie back again and it feels as though we have closed one chapter in her life and opened another. Hopefully she will turn into a lovely horse.
Cookies if you get to the end and thanks for reading!
Firstly, most of you will be aware that I bred my own monster this year who has remained huge since birth. Unfortunately we seemed to have no control over this situation, she seemed to be growing SO quickly and having so much weight on her despite getting nothing at all except milk and hay / poor grass. Mare was like a hatrack! Sadly we were all getting a bit concerned about this, as the mares foals have a history of going upright on front (they have all been huge too, even though she is a small mare herself). So I made the heartbreaking decision, under vet, farrier and experienced breeders advice to wean her dead on 4 months old. This also meant I couldn't wean gradually as I had hoped to do, but instead had to 'foal nap' her off to a stud to try and slow her growth down sharpish.
It was one of the most stressful things I have been through to be honest! You spend all that time doing all you can to stop them feeling any upset (from birth to weaning) then I go and foal nap her! I felt like such a crook! Fortunately she was a super star and followed me straight up into the lorry (first time ever) on her own without her mum! Obviously she was upset to start with in her new home, but she had some other foals next door for company and soon settled. The mare could not have cared less! I think she called twice!
Three long weeks later, I finally collected her yesterday to bring her home and she lept up the ramp to come home (literally, she has some jump in her!!). She settled into her new stable almost straight away with no fuss whatsoever. Today she went out for the first time with her new pal, our placid small cob mare and all was fine.
So all in all she has absolutely done us proud, the stud said she was the best behaved foal they've ever had and she said loads of admirers. Seeing how calm she coped and how easy the mare has been has reassured me that it was the right time for them and just goes to show there is no hard and fast rules, saying that although she slowed her growth she's still a monster, well over 14hh now.
Sorry for boring post but I had to share, it's so nice to have my girlie back again and it feels as though we have closed one chapter in her life and opened another. Hopefully she will turn into a lovely horse.
Cookies if you get to the end and thanks for reading!
