What to do now with our surprise foal?

[irishredwood]

My granddaughters new pony (Connemara) bought last October was found to be in foal last December (sire unknown). We sent her away to stud in late February as we have no experience of foaling. The mare produced a lovely filly in April and she has been living happily with us since with our other two horses ( in adjacent paddocks). With summer drawing to a close, my granddaughter missing this years riding and looking towards winter with not enough grazing or manpower to look after all four we are considering options. Paying livery for the foal would financially be difficult and we are then looking at several more years before we know what height she will grow to. We have asked around locally to see if anyone would like a companion for winter or for longer but a foal is not really something anyone wants to take on.
Any helpful suggestions please.

 

[ihatework]

Advertise the foal for sale at weaning sounds the most obvious?

 

[poiuytrewq]

Advertise the foal for sale at weaning sounds the most obvious?

It does yes. How saleable would it be though? Genuine question! I know nothing about foals but how would you sell a filly who’s dad could have been a 12hh cob or could have been a 16.2 TB?

 

[Archangel]

Have you done the string test? (assuming foal is 6 months old)?

Advertise as unregistered part bred Connemara foal. Have you done a bit of sleuthing round where the mare came from?

 

[Melody Grey]

Can you find youngstock grass livery at weaning- should be a lot less expensive than normal livery and you could see what kind of height starts to happen and assess whether you want to keep? Admittedly, it’ll be a while before you can really tell, but you might have a yearling that looks more promising?

 

[Kaylum]

Foals need others to play with. This is how they learn its also so much easier at weaning time.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

The foal will need a passport. Not sure if you can do a Part Bred Connie with the breed society if you don't know the sire but if you can that would add some value to the pony.

 

[honetpot]

If the mare is registered, there should be no problem getting a part bred passport. If you do not want to sell, sometimes people take a foal as a companion for another foal, on loan. I tend to buy young stock, its cheaper than breeding, and the size it is now will give a rough idea of how big it's likely to be.

 

[irishredwood]

Have you done the string test? (assuming foal is 6 months old)?

Advertise as unregistered part bred Connemara foal. Have you done a bit of sleuthing round where the mare came from?

Yes we traced her back to southern ireland where she was in a field with other youngsters and was sold "by a lad!" to a dealer and who backed and sold to another dealer in England where we bought her from. So not very helpful.

 

[irishredwood]

Can you find youngstock grass livery at weaning- should be a lot less expensive than normal livery and you could see what kind of height starts to happen and assess whether you want to keep? Admittedly, it’ll be a while before you can really tell, but you might have a yearling that looks more promising?

We have looked into grass livery with other youngsters but locally ranged from £8.50 to £10 per day so too costly for us I am afraid.

 

[AmyMay]

We have looked into grass livery with other youngsters but locally ranged from £8.50 to £10 per day so too costly for us I am afraid.

Can you send the foal back to the stud at weaning to run with their young stock?

 

[honetpot]

We have looked into grass livery with other youngsters but locally ranged from £8.50 to £10 per day so too costly for us I am afraid.

Crumbs that's madness. Have you tried native pony studs. They tend to live out all year and have plenty of rough grazing.I would have a look on the native breed web sites for local breeders and see if they have space, or leads who to sell to.

 

[Spottyappy]

Why not sell the foal, especially if the livery is not affordable and you don’t have anywhere suitable yourself?
we have one and she will be staying at the stud on your stock livery, and while not cheap it is vital for her to have company, of her own age, which we cannot provide.

 

[milliepops]

When i was looking at some sort of keep for youngstock i was finding similar prices in my area too. So opted to keep mine at home as we have a suitable space. i was looking for company for her and would have taken something on grass keep for the cost of hay, or otherwise I was fairly open minded about buying another foal.
as it happened I ended up with a 2yo.... but there will be other people in a similar position to me, so if you want to keep the foal then you could try putting an ad on FB or similar to see if anyone is looking for a weaning buddy. Or else advertise now and sell at weaning.

 

[Xmasha]

I’ve just put an advert locally for someone to send me their mare and foal for weaning . I usually buy a foal to keep mine company but as I’ve got one due next year I don’t need a permanent solution. So depending on your location you could send them to me for free or put a wanted advert up . There’s bound to be someone in the same position as me ?

 

[The Irish Draft 2022]

The foal is not 6 months old you can’t separate it from its mother until the end of October .

 

[milliepops]

but the OP is right to consider their options now. that time passes pretty fast and if there are people like Asha locally then she'll need to get an arrangement in place before someone else snaps it up.

 

[Xmasha]

but the OP is right to consider their options now. that time passes pretty fast and if there are people like Asha locally then she'll need to get an arrangement in place before someone else snaps it up.

Absolutely, and in my opinion the best way to wean is to send mare and foal to go with others and take the mare off when the foal is old enough . Much nicer doing that than taking a weanling and putting him/her out with others with no back up

 

[irishredwood]

If the mare is registered, there should be no problem getting a part bred passport. If you do not want to sell, sometimes people take a foal as a companion for another foal, on loan. I tend to buy young stock, its cheaper than breeding, and the size it is now will give a rough idea of how big it's likely to be.

She isn't registered and we have had no success trying to find her a companion home. She is about 13.2h now at 5 months and her mum is 14.2h and still growing. She was supposed to be 5 when we bought her but the vet and dentist said

Can you send the foal back to the stud at weaning to run with their young stock?

That was the £10 a day livery

 

[irishredwood]

I’ve just put an advert locally for someone to send me their mare and foal for weaning . I usually buy a foal to keep mine company but as I’ve got one due next year I don’t need a permanent solution. So depending on your location you could send them to me for free or put a wanted advert up . There’s bound to be someone in the same position as me ?

We live in Lincolnshire

 

[Abi90]

We live in Lincolnshire

We have space in our field for a mare and foal. We’re not far from Heckington.

that would be to go with my mare and foal, another pair coming in October and another foal coming in November. Youngsters are going to live together and mare’s taken away

 

[Abi90]

I’ve sent you a PM Redwood. It’s much cheaper than what you have been quoted for youngstock livery

in fact one of the others has dropped out so I could really do with another youngster for the field

 

[Xmasha]

We live in Lincolnshire

Ahh ! We are in Cheshire so unless you fancy a trip over this way then ( which you are more than welcome ) if you want to see foal on a regular basis you’d be better sending to where abi90 is .
At least you have choices now ?

 

[irishredwood]

Ahh ! We are in Cheshire so unless you fancy a trip over this way then ( which you are more than welcome ) if you want to see foal on a regular basis you’d be better sending to where abi90 is .
At least you have choices now ?

Thanks anyway

 

[Abi90]

Thanks anyway

Hi IrishRedwood, I have sent you a PM, I think we can help

 

[Abi90]

Not heard from you OP so hoping that you got sorted ?

 

[irishredwood]

Still looking at options thanks

 

[twiggy2]

The foal is not 6 months old you can’t separate it from its mother until the end of October .

Thats inly about 7-8 weeks away, not long to get everything in place