The Holiday Season is behind us and now an even more time consuming, exhausting season is upon us. Nurse Mares have started to drop their foals and have begun their work as new mommies to overly expensive Sport Horse Foals. Now is the time that the few rescues who have the means and knowledge move in and save as many of the orphan foals that. time and fundraising will allow. In years passed this would be the end for the abandoned grade and cross foals. Well a New Year has dawned and the end is not as bleak as it once was for these tiny orphans.
Nurse Mares have been used for centuries by farmers and horse breeders' when a mare would go down or was to sick to nurse her new foal. Over the last 100 years that practice has been taken to an extreme. Breeders' now take healthy mares away from their new foals to put them back in the ring, on the track, or even back in foal. To meet this demand Nurse Mare Farms have popped up all over the country producing a new crop of Nurse Mares every year. These farms breed their mares to coincide foaling times with the Sport Horse Industry. Between now and April and sometimes early May mares are supplied to breeding farms. The dirty little secret about this relatively new industry is what is done with the newly abandoned foals.
This is where is gets a little shady, and sometimes it takes people a few minutes to think about it and have their Light Bulb Moment. Then it dawns on them 'What happens to the Nurse Mare Foals?`. Over the years it has been reported or alleged that some of these foals are left in sheds and dark barns at the back of these farms to die, or wait to be killed. Some reports have stated these foals have been sold to kill buyers, who fatten them up and take them to Texas or Illinois. Either way these poor little babies who never asked to be brought in to this world were used to make money for Man and then discarded like yesterday's trash.
These Orphan Foals never even had a chance at a life, never get to run and frolic in a pasture. They were never able to learn new things. These tiny little foals never got to quiver their little noses at a flower or run from the barn cat terrified of the terrible creature who is stalking him. These foals never experienced a cool bath on a hot summer day or a warm blanket and a treat of warm mash on the coldest day of the year. An Orphan Foal never knew the security of his mother or a chance to learn how to be a horse from her. He was all on his own, cold, lonely, and very scared.
I can imagine the seen in my head. A new foal born to a beautiful mare, just dry and warm after being nuzzled and licked by their Mama. Maybe it is the next day, a breeder calls and sets the ball in motion. Next thing the foal knows, a strange looking creature who walks only on his back legs enters his new strange world, and puts what looks like a long snake on his Mama's head. The strange creature moves through the opening with his Mama following. He hurries to follow behind, terrified he will be left alone! Only to have his little body pushed back into the stall and the door slammed in his face. He whinnies and cries for his Mama. He paces his stall on tiny little hooves. He even tries to pier over the stall door to see where his Mama is going. Struggling to use his already tired little legs he tumbles over and lays in the mounds of straw.
Hours later the same strange looking two legged creature returns and tries to put the snake over his tiny little head. the foal leaps and cries, terrified of the whole experience. Rough hands keep him in place and there is nothing the tiny foal can do...........
and Casey Creek Horse Rescue (www.orphanfoals.org ) have developed relationships with the Nurse Mare Farms and are allowed to make first purchases on these foals. These brand new babies are bought for anywhere from $150 to $400 by the rescues. They bring the babies back to their rescues where they are taught how to eat mare's milk replacer from buckets and given as much attention that is possible. Many are housed two or more to a stall so they have companionship and learn how to be horsey together.
Unfortunately time and space is limited so the foals need to be moved quickly to more permanent homes. Though most rescues will not allow a foal to be transported for at east 6 days after arriving at their facility, to minimize the stress on their little bodies. Anyone who has the time and means can adopt an Orphan Foal, I urge those who can to take on the challenge.
These two are examples of orphan foals who were given a second chance. They were placed through Casey Creek Horse Rescue. They are owned by Terri Kieffer, their names are Bonnie and Clyde and about 8 months old in this wonderful photo!
The myth that Orphan Foals are forever special needs, sickly, prone to disease is simply not true. Over the last year I have witnessed the joy of fellow rescuers who have been able to adopt one of these tiny babies. I hope to one day experience this joy for myself.
One last note, for those who say they want the experience of raising a baby so they decide to backyard breed, this is an amazing alternative! Plus you don't have to wait 11 months to see what you get! You can go pick out what you want at the rescues! Please contact one of the rescues in your area that may have these precious bundles of Horsey Joy and begin your adventure with an Orphan Foal.
