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Re: pasture foaling

ÿþ<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content="text/html; charset=unicode" http-equiv=Content-Type> <META content="MSHTML 5.00.2722.2800" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Baha size=3>Ours have foaled in the pasture with the herd, or we have separated them in a small pasture by the house.&nbsp; The latter works terrible, as the mare is too stressed!&nbsp; In fact..a funny story...we took our precious Menes daughter home to foal in the backyard right under our window...it has two gates..someone forgot to latch one, and at midnight, right before foaling...she was GONE!&nbsp; We lived on the wildlife management area...9000 acres...she was not "home"..the ranch was 7 miles away.&nbsp; WHERE WAS SHE???&nbsp; We couldn't find tracks..it was pitch dark..and here she was going to foal any time! Finally I got in the Honda and headed down the highway, across the cattleguard.&nbsp; About a mile from the house (and toward the ranch, of course) I saw a stopped car....and here was the mare, luckily safe and sound!&nbsp; I put her halter on, and drove home, leading her out of the car window!&nbsp; She foaled a big colt less than two hours later!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Baha size=3>In the long run, it depends on the mare...if she is top of the ladder and comfortable within the herd (9 at the moment) we leave her out.&nbsp; If she is lower or shy, we move her and her best buddy to another pasture.&nbsp; We have found three is a good number to get along.&nbsp; The herd loves babies...they will all protect the foal, and I've never had anyone try to "steal" the baby.&nbsp; The main point is DONT STRESS THE MARE.&nbsp; </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Baha>I would never foal her in a corral, maybe our round pen (the foal couldn't get out), and a stall only if I was going to be there (which never seems to happen!)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Baha>When it comes to weaning, we left the colt with the herd, and moved mom and her two best friends to another pasture.&nbsp; The colt never batted an eye; mom was stressed for a few days.&nbsp; The best way I have found to wean, and if I could afford it I would do this every time, is send the baby to a halter trainer for a month!&nbsp; He comes back in tip top shape, trained, manners, and weaned!&nbsp; Of course get a really good gentle trainer!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Baha>Good luck (it will always come later than you think :)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Baha>Louise</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Baha size=3>Louise Burton<BR>Firedance Farms Endurance Arabians<BR>Oklahoma<BR><A href="http://pages.prodigy.net/firedancefarms">http://pages.prodigy.net/firedancefarms</A></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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