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wintering foals outside

  • 16-10-2014 10:19am
    #1
    whupdedo
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,513 ✭✭✭


    Hi all

    I thought I'd get your views on wintering foals outside, all are sports horse foals, I usually leave them until weaning to put them in but with the super year in grass growing i have an abundance of grass, also one foal was a mid July foal so I would hope to leave her on the mare for another while, I might put the other 2 in after weaning but am thinking of putting a foal cover on the youngest and leaving her with the mother until sometime in February.

    On the other hand I might put rugs on them all and let them winter outside with a little hard feed and plenty grass, what are your views ?


Comments

  • #2
    Ave Sodalis
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,555 ✭✭✭Ave Sodalis


    Depending on the health of the foal, I see no real harm in wintering the outside with hard feed and a cover.
    I know a TB stud farm in Japan (think very very cold winters) who throw their weanlings out every winter with no rugs. It really does depend on the foal but if the grass is there, I would prefer them to be out, personally.


  • #3
    whupdedo
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,513 ✭✭✭whupdedo


    I'm leaning towards this alright, foals always seem in better fettle outside, after weaning especially, in the case you described such as Japan, I've noticed with my horses that the cold and frost never really bother them, it's the cold Atlantic wind with the driving rain behind it that really gets them shivering, I'm in a fairly exposed area with most of my ground overlooking the sea.

    Ill chance leaving them out with rugs on and a bit of feeding, i think they'll be better all round for it come next spring, that's if the weather doesn't turn really nasty of course


  • #4
    may06
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 118 ✭✭may06


    We've always wintered our foals outdoors. No rugs, lots of shelter and round feeder full of good quality haylage. Only in extreme weather and ground conditions, such as early January this year, were they brought in and housed for 6 weeks in a big loose shed. This time with only turnout at night, as the paddock was rotated between their use and the other horses. Rest of land was kept horse free to save it.
    ETA - 3 of the foals in the past were 3/4 TB, never rugged and 2 still remain with me, yearling and rising 4 year old, still not rugged and not likely to be rugged either.


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