What should the first time breeder look out for?

[mad mare1]

I am possibly taking a mare on breeding loan. She is pure bred arabian, and the stallion is arabian. I just want to know what to look out for...I really want to be able to post baby piccies in 2008! She arrives in March next year, already in foal...hints and tips appreciated..like how soon can you put a foal slip on...when do they go out for the first time? Anything really...also is it the last three or last 4 months you feeds tud mix to the mare...or throughout her pregnancy?

Sorry for the epic...I am nervous!

[vimto92]

Im not entirely sure as Ive never been through this process of course... but Im sure Ive seen on these boards someone say like where the one has weak points make sure the other has those points strong.

[ambatt]

Buy 'First Foal' by Jane Lennep - it is a fabulous easy to read, enjoyable book aimed at the first time breeder. I love this book!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/First-Foal-Jane-Van-Lennep/dp/0851315321/sr=8-2/qid=1159125332/ref=sr_1_2/202-7281193-5446263?ie=UTF8&s=books

[mad mare1]

Thanks Ambatt...just wait till I am posting baby piccies...mare is chestnut, daddy is a black bred dark bay...last 3 foals have turned up black...two of them to chestnuts...what colour do you think I will get?

oh, and Info on lines...mum is a spanish/polish and daddy is egyptian/crabbet...what do you think?

[Mehitabel]

first foal is a good book, also foal to five years is a good one, and another i have heard recommended called from birth to backing, although i've not read it myself.

we like to foal them in a stable, so we can keep an eye on everything, and normally they'll go out into the woodchip arena the next day, unless the weather is awful. they do that for a few days, then start going to the field which is a bit further away at about a week old. we lead with a teatowel round the base of the neck and the other hand round the bum for the first month or so, as their polls and necks are very soft and easily damaged, so leading off the foal slip is not done until they are a lot stronger - 2 or 3 months. by then they are used to leading from the base of he neck, and most tantrums will be over with, so it is less risky.

we put the foal slip on at a couple of weeks old, but don;t lead off it and always take it off in the field. we have it on but double the leadrope round the base of the neck and lead from that, stood at the withers with the other hand round the bottom to shove.

stud mixes are designed for TBs really - arabs are generally tough and good doers, so would probably not need it at all. you can feed a balancer to make sure mum gets everything she needs, but perhaps speak to the people you get her from to see what they generally do. our natives don't need it at all.

[mad mare1]

She will be foaling inside, as she is being covered in february for a January 08 foal...then at least he/she will be a true yearling, and not have to be beefed up too much. She is a first time mum, is this likely to complicate things?

[Mehitabel]

only in that you won't 'know' what she is like before foaling - for instance we know one of our girls waxes up 4 days beforehand, another waxes up only a few hours away, one always foals 10 days early, etc.

[blackhorses]

I would recommend From foal to Full Grown by Janet Lorch also Foaling Simplified by Sue Caldwell - good pictures of malpresentaions and what to look for if things go wrong and problems you can get with foals.
Foaling in January is very early - is the foal destined to be a race horse? If not then I would recommend covering end of March begining of April as then the foal should be able to go out, and the good spring grass should be just coming through, otherwise the foal will be stuck in for months and not only not get all the good grass but not get the excercise it needs. Also the mare has to either have hormone jabs or artificial light to bring them into season so early in the year as it is not a natural time of year to foal. We foal from the earliest end of March for TB's as we have found the foals grow and develop better on spring grass than any stud mix or forage, they start to eat solids at around 10 days old, and weather depending the foal can go straight out, they come in at night until they are about 3 weeks old. As for feeding we feed our brood mares stud mix for the last 3 months, depending on thier body condition, and they always have add lib haylage, salt lick and a molassed stud lick and as soon as the grass comes through they are out on that as well.
Beware that a high percentage of arab mares are not good mothers, we had a visiting arab mare last year and she was a maiden, it took us over 6 hours to get her to accept the foal without savaging it, and let it feed, it was very weak by then, but perked up after a few days! But we couldn't go near the mare without her attacking the foal! I know of several people that have bred or still do breed arabs and say they have a much higher incidence than any other breed of the mare attacking or abandoning the foals - so just keep a close eye and make sure you have someone who knows how to handle maidens, we usually leave well alone for the first hour to see if nature takes its course and only intervene if we think all is not well, also make sure you know of someone who has frozen colostrum, preferably mares, but can be goats and at a push cows - as a just incase, also ask your vet if they are able to get hold of powdered mares milk as it is better to be prepared!! Breeding any horse is a huge undertaking and requires hours of watching - we get up twice a night 4 weeks before they are due, and then every 2 hrs 3 weeks before thier due date, and in the last 2 weeks every hour, if they look close we don't go to bed at all, we have had mares go up to 2 1/2 weeks early and up to 3 weeks late! They can be quite sneaky and can show no signs and then drop it in the time it takes to go inside and make a cup of tea!! This is also a good reason to foal in spring rather than winter - as there is nothing worse than getting out of a warm bed and standing in a freezing rain storm outside a stable umming and aaghing over wether the mare is doing anything or not!! :rolleyes: It is worth it in the end though!!

[mad mare1]

We are foal milk holders, for the National Foaling Bank..we have two lots, so if she does reject the foal, we are prepared. My vet will be inn attendance..but no, foal is not destined for the racecourse, he/she is destined to be my foundation horse...and an In hand and ridden show career is their future.

This is a good point of having indoor stables, or we have the huge double loosebox over the passage, where we can sit at one side, and the mare can be in the other. We have sheep and cows on the yard as well, so frozen Colostrum will not be a problem to get hold of.

[Afellpony]

Is the mare being kept in or out? If I were you, I'd give her one feed a day and increase this when winter comes. Is she just out on grass or are you giving hay at the moment? You obviously dont want her to put on too much weight, nor do you want her too thin. The time to feed the most is when she's feeding the foal unless she is out on very good grass. In winter she will need hay both day and night.

[mad mare1]

Haven't got her yet...she is not arriving until February next year! She'll be in until the spring grass has been grazed down a bit, then out all summer...the odd show maybe, but her owner wants me to back her as well...would this be ok if she is inn foal...I do have a treeless saddle.

[baxter]

Hi,
Yes you can back her, lots of breeders put their mares in foal and back them, let them have foal and break then bring them back into work, better them doing a job than doing nothing, only in the last three months should you be wary of her ridden work. Good luck!!! Tell all about the mare and stallion please!!!:D

[mad mare1]

the mare is S.Jades April from AL , and in foal to her egyptian/crabbet boy El Rashid! Can't wait...and DON'T SAY ANYTHING ON AL please...let me tell them!

[baxter]

Ooooo fabulous, won't say a word....
Lovely opportunity for you!!! Very jealous!

[mad mare1]

well foaly will be my foundation horse...and the prefix is either KA (Kingsdale Arabians) or Elvenkeep Arabians...hope you like these choices, look out for me!