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  • From: Karen Nesbitt <spanishequines@yahoo.com>
  • To: msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [MSAR] FOAL WATCH!
  • Date: Mon, 2 Jan 2006 11:22:19 -0800 (PST)

I used to show and was also breeding horses. I found the best and healthiest
foals were the ones that hit the ground in the spring when the grass was
green. Since we pastured, the mares had green grass at the optimum time to
produce the optimum nutrition in their milk. I would sooner sacrifice the
ribbons and the January first birth date for a foal to be raised on good
grass with it's dam than struggle breaking ice and the possibility of foals
and mares getting pneumonia. Most of ours were born in the early morning.
Most of them also will foal during the full moon cycle. Since we pasture run
the stallions with the mares and foals, we find nature knows best, not the
showring or race schedule! But then, that is just our horses and our humble
opinion and what works the best for us on an Illinois farm.

Fall foals are not bad, at least they still have a chance at some green
grass at the early months of life and for milk production and besides that
the milk normally declines in value at around three months of age anyway.

We also do not like to start our animals too young when it comes to
training. Stress on young knees cripple horses and personally we don't find
a problem with saddlebreaking a 4 or 5 year old considering the benifits of
having horses in their late 20's and still sound to ride and fit to breed!!
So I say, throw away the show and race schedule and do what is best for the
horse.

Karen Nesbitt

PS - heres a little ditty about a 911 savy Kitty!

Cat Calls 911 to Help Owner, Police Say - Yahoo! News

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060102/ap_on_re_us/911_cat_call

(Far be it from me when some things surpass all understanding!)
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>From Jorene@CEOates.com Mon Jan 2 16:41:42 2006
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From: "Karen Nesbitt" <spanishequines@yahoo.com>
>I found the best and healthiest foals were the ones that hit the ground in
>the spring when the grass was green. [...] struggle breaking ice and the
>possibility of foals and mares getting pneumonia. <

That sounds like a good plan in your environment. A lot of folks in colder
weather prefer to wait until spring for foaling, to avoid the ice and snow.
Those of us in more temperate climates often have green pastures all year,
particularly on pastures like mine where I irrigate as needed and the
pastures are also seeded to provide forage year round. We have a couple of
foal blankets but I only recall 1 year when it was cold enough for a few
days that we blanketed the newborns at night as a precaution.

Our barn is set up with run-in stalls so we have the option of closing in
the mare for monitoring, or leaving the gate open to the large turnout with
winter grass. When foals are about a week old and obviously doing well,
unless the weather is particularly cold and wet the dams and foals go out to
pasture. We also supplement the pasture feed to ensure the dam has good
nutrition with a foal at her side.

We find running horses on pasture is also advantageous for MSAR ... we can
pull them out of pasture at a moment's notice and not be concerned regarding
when they last ate, because they graze. And the horses most likely to be
ridden in the backcountry are normally in the pastures where there is
terrain. They routinely climb up/down the steep creek banks, which helps
keep them fit. We also run the youngsters in those pastures so they learn
something other than moving on the flat. We also make sure they get some
time in pastures with mules and cattle across the fence to help desensitize
them to other livestock.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Jorene Downs
Tulare Co SAR - Hasty Team ICP Team
www.ceoates.com/sar
Tulare-Kings CERT
www.tk-cert.org

CEOates Ranch
www.CEOates.com






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