# How old are your foals before you leave them out at night?



## Titchyfarter (8 May 2008)

This obviously has many deciding factors and I guess the question can be disregarded by those who choose to foal outside?

The deciding factors that I can see are:
* Time of year that the foal was born
* General health and strength of the foal
* The weather
* Whether the mare is being bred back again (so maybe only out at night once mare is 30/42 days in-foal

Im just being nosey really.  I know how this is done on the big studs (mainly TB), I just would like to know how normal people, like you and me, manage our foalies 
	
	
		
		
	


	




  Mine stayed out last night for the first time, at 17 days old, but only because she had a dry bum, no temp and the weather is so good.


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## Tempi (8 May 2008)

Hmmmm id be interested to read this as i want Bloss and Jup to live out asap with the other broodmare and filly (filly is coming up to 4weeks and been living out for a week now) - Bloss and Jup go out with them during the day.  As Jup is a bit of a handful i think the sooner he can stay out the better


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## nikkiportia (8 May 2008)

Our Feb foals are out already, and some march ones too. 
We'd only leave out those who are fit and healthy obviously. And the mares are back in foal too. If we were still trying to cover the mare then we may still bring them in overnight, but more likely we'd leave them out. They're much happier out with their friends. 
	
	
		
		
	


	




We do keep a close check on them though, especially as the grass is so lush. If there was the slightest hint of them going upright, they'd be straight back in


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## _daisy_ (8 May 2008)

i had no choice in my reasoning for leaving my mare/foal out, but its done them no harm.
When Willow was 3days old the YO decided he would have 65 20tonne lorries arrive, drive round my field and drop stuff which was supposedly topsoil! obviously Ebi was not happy with this as little one was bombing around like a nutter. I had to leave. The kind YO next door offered me a secluded field but had no stabling, took the offer as my other girls live out and it wasnt suitable for Ebi &amp; Willow to go with them as the field comes right to the road &amp; has public footpath through it.
Willow was born 22/06 and by the beginning of July she was living out - so she was just over a week old.


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## CrazyMare (8 May 2008)

I was wondering this too, as my mare prefers being out at night to during the day in the summer. She is already showing signs of wanting to be in during the day.

My foal is 15 days old now and a good strong girly


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## SSM (8 May 2008)

In the wild there would be no stable for them.  I think we do tend to wrap our animals up in cotton wool (I am just as guilty) so as long as healthy and the weather is not dreadful I would think very soon after birth would be healthiest.


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## volatis (8 May 2008)

We normally do within 2 weeks if the weather is suitable and at the latest (again given the weather) it would be once the mare has been re inseminated and had her 14 day scan.


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## Enfys (8 May 2008)

Weather and health etc permitting, my foals have been out almost straight away. Most of the mares foaled out anyhow and were happier living out.

Because of the dreadful flies here that have the horses running about frantically on hot and still days I bring most of the horses indoors during the summer. All being well, the two expected will go out at night asap and come in during the day when necessary.


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## Titchyfarter (8 May 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
We normally do within 2 weeks if the weather is suitable and at the latest (again given the weather) it would be once the mare has been re inseminated and had her 14 day scan. 

[/ QUOTE ]

14 days?  Golly, they don't even do them that early in Ireland - LOL.


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## MillionDollar (8 May 2008)

Well mine were born in July. Rainbow didn't stay out 24/7 until Phoenix was born, so they came in to keep Bramble company. So she was 5 weeks old, Phoenix was about a week old. Don't forget though last summer wasn't summer...........just rain, rain, rain  
	
	
		
		
	


	





If it was nice weather, like it is now, I'd want them out 24/7 ASAP.


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## rosebud (8 May 2008)

Yes I agree with StinkerStonkersMum, Kovu was born at stud on the 18th April as we didnt have a big enough stable for Belle to foal down in, they returned home to us on the Tuesday 29th April just over a week old (11 days ) and that was his first night out all night, what didnt help was that it rained all night long, we felt so guilty but he was fine when we went to see him in the morning. It was such a relief that he was ok, and since then were not bothered about leaving him out.


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## Titchyfarter (8 May 2008)

But most of us are not breeding wild neddies 
	
	
		
		
	


	




  Though I totally agree about toughening them up and not wrapping 'em in cotton wool!


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## Gingernags (8 May 2008)

Well I know we've only bred two... but as one was 1st July and one was mid June - in a decent summer spell - they were out 24/7 within a week.  Never rugged Asti as a foal either... though Ivy had a foal rug for if it rained.

Planning the same with this one subject to weather as its due July again, a couple of nights in then it should be out 24/7


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## Touchwood (8 May 2008)

Well most of ours cost significantly more than a wild horse to get to the stage of having a foal on the ground, so I think a bit of pampering can be forgiven!!  I can't afford to lose a foal for the sake of toughening them up!

Weather and limbs dependent, we've mostly had them out by four weeks old, TB's generally longer as they are born so much earlier.


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## StaceyTanglewood (8 May 2008)

hmmm i was trying to think about this to - my foal did have a little cold last week though as got caught in the rain a few times !! she seems fine now though and was thinking she is a month old this weekend I may just turn her out ??


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## volatis (8 May 2008)

[ QUOTE ]


14 days?  Golly, they don't even do them that early in Ireland - LOL. 

[/ QUOTE ]

My foals in recent years have been born May to July so not done them any harm at all, in fact probably cooler than being stuck in the stable. If I was having Jan to March foals they'd be in at night for a lot longer than 2 weeks


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## Titchyfarter (8 May 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]


14 days?  Golly, they don't even do them that early in Ireland - LOL. 

[/ QUOTE ]

My foals in recent years have been born May to July so not done them any harm at all, in fact probably cooler than being stuck in the stable. If I was having Jan to March foals they'd be in at night for a lot longer than 2 weeks 

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL!  I meant 14 day scans 
	
	
		
		
	


	





When is your first Ringo due S?


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## volatis (8 May 2008)

I need a dunces icon  
	
	
		
		
	


	




We scan between 14 and 16 days. 14 days with Gerty as she always twins. 16 days with most of the others. Of course sometimes vet is not 110% at 14 days so will scan again to be positive.

First and only 2008 Ringo baby due very soon, mare really bagged up, and has been looking really close all week. Waxed up this morning so we'll see how she looks when she comes in this evening. She's a sneaky bugger though so will no doubt have it when I least expect


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## Hels_Bels (8 May 2008)

our foals are boarn outdoors and stay outdoors for the first 3yrs of there life basically obviously coming in for feet trimming and if theres any problems etc!


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## KarynK (9 May 2008)

Mine are born out or in the field shelter according to mum's preference.

The one born in March was born at 3:30, in the field shelter, she ventured out at dawn and she was cantering quite fast around the paddock by 9:45 am.  

She was rugged overnight and in bad weather but mum had her in the shelter most nights, and if the weather was bad.  The filly refused to come out when it snowed, she hated it falling on her nose!


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