The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Pets & Working Animals => Horses, ponies, donkeys & mules => Topic started by: sabrina on January 18, 2013, 09:32:03 am

Title: Foal
Post by: sabrina on January 18, 2013, 09:32:03 am
I pass a field with a mare and foal in it every day. Owners have bred a few over the past years and every time its the same. Mare is kept on restricted grazing all year round, wintered out and to date foals have never made there mature height. This years foal is looking terrible, mare has been rugged as she is TB cross. They have stables but as their daughter has now left home they are never used. Have plenty of grazing but make hay to sell and then rent it out for sheep over the winter. Mare does get hard feed which she needs just to keep weight on herself but I think her milk must be poor as foals never do well.The last mare they had never kept weight on, she had problems with her feet and could not be ridden so was bought cheap at the mart sale. When the ground was hard with frost she could not walk and would lie for hours in the field.  Owner was riding teacher at one point so its not that she does not know how horses should be cared for, its just about making money. They are trying to sell a 5 year old for £3000. He was a stunning lad when he was born and should have been around the 16 2hh but is 15 hands. When growing his feet were always breaking and had cracks so someone will be buying trouble when they shoe him. To date he has never been shod. One filly was sold as a 3 year old and died. When PM was done she had a worm burden. I did get the R.S.P.C.A. to them about the first mare but what they said was mare was being put down once foal was weaned so nothing happened. That mare was put down then they went out another one was bought with problems so again cheap. People like this make my blood boil.  :rant:
Title: Re: Foal
Post by: Rosemary on January 18, 2013, 11:18:41 am
Try Worldwide Horse Welfare rather than RSPCA, maybe?
Title: Re: Foal
Post by: Rokx on January 18, 2013, 11:29:29 am
I would also try World Horse Welfare instead.  From my experience RSPCA won't get involved unless they are likely to get media coverage.  If the horses have food & water they generally don't want to know either. WHW are more knowledgable about horses and might be more likely to help.

Title: Re: Foal
Post by: sabrina on January 18, 2013, 11:57:49 am
Mare has hay and an old field shelter so horse welfare not interested. they are at bursting point with horses and ponies. Think they have to be at deaths door these days.Foal has not been weaned yet so maybe mare is not in-foal for this year. I hope this is the case. R.S.P.C.A. did visit but because of the hay and shelter did nothing. Owners can talk their way out of anything. They have money but just mean. It makes me so sad. Foals do most of their growing in that first year, it will never be the horse it should be. I put my animals first, would not have then if I could not take care of there needs. Most of what I earn goes on them yet these people want for nothing. As far as I am concerned, don;t breed any animal if you cannot or will not do right by them.