Orphan Foals Part 2

and accepted him easily. So using natures instincts in a horse to seek and bond with its own kind was a real benefit here and had a happy ending with the mare accepting the colt as her own.
Finding a foster mare is not always easy so if you have a mare that loses her foal please consider offering your mare to foster an orphan foal. Call all the local vets and larger studs to let them know you have a mare available. Get online and spread the word through discussion groups and your email contacts. Until a foal is found keep miking your mare out to stimulate production and save the colostrum by freezing it in 200ml quantities.
Both mare and foal owner must be prepared to be flexible about where the foal or mare goes it will depend on who is more experienced and keen to put in the time initially or has the right facilities. Whatever the case it is a short term arrangement that can be formalised in the case of a valuable mare or foal with an official lease and insurance if necessary.
Having a mare who has rejected her foal or fostering an orphan onto another mare is a time consuming but very rewarding process and is far cheaper in the long term than raising a foal on formula. There is a lot of information available online so youre not alone if this happens to you. Treat each case individually and try different approaches if something doesnt seem to be working and you will eventually find success in raising a healthy young foal.