purchasing a rescue foal

[Smarnold2020]

Hi,
I currently own a 10 year old mare and have had her since she was six months old. I did a lot of ground training with her and had some help along the way. She's a great trail horse and well natured. She is however alone and I have been looking recently for a companion horse--she has not always been without companions. Last week I spotted a filly that was apparently rescued for a kill place. The current owner has a ranch and works with ropers. The filly looks fine to me but I am having her checked out by my vet. That said, I do not know her parents, there are no papers. Do not know anything about her background other than that she originated in Texas. Would love to bring her home, but have major concerns. Feel that I can work with her, but worried about how she will get along with my mare and also concerned about anything she might be carrying with her health wise. Any support/pointers etc would be appreciated.

 

[chunky monkey]

Hi and welcome to the forum. I guess it would depend how much ground you have, and if you have facilities. If i was able i would divide the field so that the new horse can see your other, and put a two metre fence between them. So that they can at least see each other but it allows isolation time.

 

[Huggy]

Hello, welcome! Yes, a fence between them to start. Our YO put a new horse in without over the fence intros just the once - total disaster, nasty injuries - never again.

 

[Smarnold2020]

Thank you. I worked to divide the large pen that my mare currently occupies. Wanted both horses to have shade--I live in AZ--so it's a weird configuration. there would be fence (panels) on three sides where they could see one another. Maybe that's a bad idea. Not sure how else to work it, unless one goes without cover. Don't need shade so much now in winter, but it does get cold and rains during winter, so want to have a place for youngster to shelter.

 

[Jessey]

Hi welcome to NR ?
I would talk to your local vet, they are going to be best suited to advise you on what you need to watch out for given the location she’s coming from, but I would absolutely ensure isolation for a minimum of 2 weeks, ideally 4 weeks.
Is she coming direct from the kill pen or has she been at another ranch since? How long has she been at the other place and was she quarantined there? What set up is she living in there, stall, individual pen, herd at pasture? All those questions might help you assess the risk to your current mare by bringing her in.
I wouldn’t worry too much about how they’ll get on, if your mare is pretty amenable with others, a baby is very likely to learn fast to fit in well.

 

[horseandgoatmom]

I know that of similar configuration when we were at Ft Huachucha.
It would be good if the foal could have some some shelter as well.
This is many years ago but we had 18 inches of snow when we were there.
Not being a big fan of snow it felt like a curse following me to the Mexican border.
It was cool to see my Arizona bred horse that i bought there at 12 years old
See snow for the first time.

I agree with others talk to your local vet.

Huggy.. When i had ANDI at a place for some training she was in w 2 other mares
All was fine Andi was boss.
All were small stature.
They put a huge draft mare in w.o any fence intro etc.and told no one they were doing it.

I got there after work to find out this happened Andi said hey I'M BOSS..
the huge draft mare said NOT ANY MORE.. and ran her thru the fence.

I WAS FURIOUS.

 

[Huggy]

Our incident happened about 20 years ago, and still makes me gnash my teeth. 5 horses in the field, including my sweet natured, gentle, always bottom of the pecking order, Ramsey. New horse put in - god knows why - had never done it that way before. Next morning, 2 horses badly kicked - one had to go to hospital with suspected broken bone (thankfully it wasnt). YO blamed Ramsey - no hesitation, it was him. WTF? No previous trouble in the field, new horse, and it was Ramsey? I actually packed up to leave, I was so angry. It did get smoothed over, but she still says it was Ramsey, and I still get furious. If Hogan had been there, I would have blamed him myself, but Ramsey? No way. Grrrrr.

 

[Smarnold2020]

Hi welcome to NR ?
I would talk to your local vet, they are going to be best suited to advise you on what you need to watch out for given the location she’s coming from, but I would absolutely ensure isolation for a minimum of 2 weeks, ideally 4 weeks.
Is she coming direct from the kill pen or has she been at another ranch since? How long has she been at the other place and was she quarantined there? What set up is she living in there, stall, individual pen, herd at pasture? All those questions might help you assess the risk to your current mare by bringing her in.
I wouldn’t worry too much about how they’ll get on, if your mare is pretty amenable with others, a baby is very likely to learn fast to fit in well.

Thank you. I have had her assessed by vet and I think we're good to move forward. Appreciate the input and questions. Don't have a whole lot of information on her.

 

[Smarnold2020]

I know that of similar configuration when we were at Ft Huachucha.
It would be good if the foal could have some some shelter as well.
This is many years ago but we had 18 inches of snow when we were there.
Not being a big fan of snow it felt like a curse following me to the Mexican border.
It was cool to see my Arizona bred horse that i bought there at 12 years old
See snow for the first time.

I agree with others talk to your local vet.

Huggy.. When i had ANDI at a place for some training she was in w 2 other mares
All was fine Andi was boss.
All were small stature.
They put a huge draft mare in w.o any fence intro etc.and told no one they were doing it.

I got there after work to find out this happened Andi said hey I'M BOSS..
the huge draft mare said NOT ANY MORE.. and ran her thru the fence.

I WAS FURIOUS.

that sounds awful. thanks for the feedback