Is there a welfare crisis looming in the New Forest?

[jackiedo]

What is happening to this years foals now so many sales have been cancelled? 

[Hannah]

I think there has been Strangles going round. There aren't anywhere near as many foals this year due to the stallions only being out for a month.

[SarahW]

Not that I know of! There are very few foals around anyway because EXCELLENT steps have been taken to make sure that there are far fewer foals born each year. This year just ten stallions were turned out for only one month and last year it was the same. Where people have foals that have had to stay out in areas where there has been strangles, their mothers are unlikely to be pregnant again so they should be able to support their foals until they are advised that they can bring them in. Where foals have been brought in the owners have thew choice to sell them privately, give them away, or keep them. There's very few available anywhere. Despite the fact that there has been strangles on the Southern part of the forest I only know of pony that has died. Of those that have had strangles they have recovered brilliantly and the vast, vast majority of the ponies look splendid this year. They've had a really good summer and there is still loads of grass. I can only applaud the Verderers of the New Forest and all of the Commoners for taking such strong steps not to contribute to the horse welfare crisis.

[lizpurlo]

Sarah, I'm so pleased to read that, sounds like the very best news. So much better for all concerned. The ponies are part of the Forest, it would be a tragedy to have none there, but too many is just as bad. I wonder if similar action is being taken on Dartmoor - haven't heard anything about foal sales this year.

[SarahW]

There's loads of stuff on Facebook about the Dartmoor foals and a huge argument/ debate about whether they should go for human consumption. I have tried not to get involved but it the breeders of pure bred ponies with bloodlines to preserve can come up with a scheme to 'turn the tap off' when it comes to breeding then I would hope it could be repeated elsewhere. I expect though that it is a matter of funding as well as trying to get Commoners/ hill farmers to agree on the best course of action.

[kafee]

I've been following the management of the breeding of the ponies in the forest, and I too, am very impressed with the responsible way it has been managed, since the financial crisis started to bite in 2008. It would be great if other moorland ponies, like the Dartmoor hill ponies, were managed in the same way.

[holi]

Sarah it was good to read your comment - I agree the ponies are looking very good this year and I've not seen that many foals. Good weather has meant a surplus of grazing so hopefully they will manage well enough whatever the winter brings. I think the management of the ponies here has been handled very well and will surprise all those people who told me that I would see some terrible sights amongst the ponies when I moved here. In my area however we have a surplus of donkeys!!

[SarahW]

Yes, there are loads of donkeys. Their main issue is hoof care but one call to the Vereders and that gets sorted out. This year all of the stallions that were turned out were two year olds, brought on through the Futurity Scheme which was designed to protect the rarer bloodlines. I should imagine they had a lot of fun although some of them may have been put off women for life! It remains to be seen whether they sire more or less foals than the mature stallions that were out the year before. Schemes like this do depend on the co-operation of the Commoners and there are 500 of them. Stallions that are not being used out on the Forest one year have to be kept somewhere and fortunately there is provision for them to all be turned out together in one place. With no mares around and plenty of room to move, they have a scuffle and then settle down. Inevitably though some cannot be kept and in any event stallions over a certain age are not eligible to be turned out on the Forest. This means they have to be PTS, gelded or kept as they are and sometimes ridden and shown. I was thrilled to bits to find that Lovelyhill High Jack, a particular favourite of mine, had made his way to a stud in Sweden. On the whole the Commoners have turned the tap off and that's what everyone needs to do.

[portiabuzz]

That sounds great

Sent from my SM-G800F using proboards

[kafee]

Any idea how many foals were born on the forest this year, Sarah, and how many were being born before the financial crisis bit in, what 2008?

[SarahW]

I don't know how many were born at either time but I do know that there have been very foals to be seen in any area this year. None at Woodgreen where no stallion was turned out and very few at Fritham where Lovelyhill High Jack ran out. I am travelling across the Forest all day every day and they're rare! There is however a very nice mule running out at Howen Bottom so her mother found a way!!!

[taklishim]

how do they actually remove the stallions? by catching or gathering.

[SarahW]

Depends on the individual stallion. Some can be caught. Others might have to drifted in with a few mares. Most are pretty well handled really. Lovelyhill HIgh-Jack who is no longer on the Forest was very amenable and I caught him on one occasion for his owner when he was injured. He came in with my mare and he happily accepted me cleaning his wound. Although not ridden, he was lovely to handle on the ground and I would love to have had him as my pony.

[taklishim]

Oct 23, 2014 22:07:49 GMT 1 SarahW said:

Depends on the individual stallion. Some can be caught. Others might have to drifted in with a few mares. Most are pretty well handled really. Lovelyhill HIgh-Jack who is no longer on the Forest was very amenable and I caught him on one occasion for his owner when he was injured. He came in with my mare and he happily accepted me cleaning his wound. Although not ridden, he was lovely to handle on the ground and I would love to have had him as my pony.

thanks and it is nice to see someone taking responsibility for foal number but I couldn't see how taking the stallions off after a month could work on Dartmoor.

[Hannah]

taklishim, why not?