Making ready mares and foals for the present ring requires sure expertise

Making ready mares and foals for the present ring may be one of the vital rewarding experiences for a breeder.

The judging course of sometimes entails the mare and foal being judged individually, however the pairing of dam and teen can be considered by the judges.

To point out a mare and foal, each animals ought to have been skilled accurately to stroll, trot and stand within the ring on the go-round, within the line-up and in entrance of the decide. Alongside this, each horses might want to address the busy environment of a present, and be assured to load, journey and stand on the horsebox.

There’s lots to think about when displaying a mare and foal, but when the fitting preparation is finished the rewards may be plentiful. These prime ideas from two of the circuit’s most established breeders are positive that can assist you when you’re contemplating prepping your personal mixture for the ring this time period.

Who’re our specialists?

Jerome Harforth is among the displaying world’s most revered and educated producers. He additionally based the famend Stanley Grange Stud. Jerome has produced numerous Horse of the Yr Present (HOYS) and Royal Worldwide (RIHS) winners below saddle, and he’s additionally a extremely regarded in-hand producer.

He has received the HOYS in-hand supreme remaining a number of instances, with broodmares akin to Pumphill Belladonna, Whalton Heavens Above, Rotherwood Take A Peep, Catwalk, and Crafton Blithe Spirit. In 2024, Jerome secured the title once more, dealing with Evelyn Tate’s using pony filly, Kirkwood Tabitha Twitchit.

Kitty Bodily and her mom, Jill Williams, have been breeding Welsh ponies and cobs for greater than 40 years below the Glebedale prefix. The Glebedale Stud has produced a number of champions with spectacular CVs, together with 2018 HOYS M&M Pony of the Yr Glebedale Mumbo Jumbo, 2016 HOYS M&M first ridden winner Glebedale Jubilee, and 2012 HOYS In-Hand Supreme Pony of the Yr Glebedale Ding Dong.

M&M star Glebedale Mumbo Jumbo, bred by the Glebedale Stud

Their inventory has triumphed at main fixtures throughout the nation, from the Royal Welsh to the BSPS and NPS championships. Different stars embody in-hand present mare Glebedale Savannah, twin in-hand and ridden stallion Glebedale Jumanji, and mini contender Glebedale Sancerre.

Ought to I present my mare and foal?

Throughout a category, each mare and foal can be judged and positioned individually, though when weighing up whether or not a pair is appropriate to indicate, the standard, situation and temperament of the mare are normally the precedence for breeders.

You might want to weigh up quite a few components earlier than deciding whether or not your mare and foal are appropriate for the present ring. Credit score: Alamy

“The mare must be of present commonplace, however a healthy-looking foal could be very complementary to a mare,” says Jerome. “Whereas the mare is the main focus, the foal must have sure traits; it must look effectively, and the limbs must be appropriate.

“You don’t need to journey and present a foal if it’s over on the knee or down on its pasterns. Wait till they’re robust sufficient and see how he develops.”

Kitty provides: “When selecting a prospect present mare, she’s obtained to have good conformation, motion, and limbs, and in addition quantity of depth — all points any in-hand pony ought to have.

“Then, our resolution about who to indicate comes all the way down to the judges who can be judging all year long, and what sorts they like.”

Kitty says that the broodmare’s temperament is a crucial consideration.

“Some mares don’t just like the job, and others like it,” she says. “A few of my greatest breeding mares aren’t at all times my greatest present mares, and sometimes, a champion present mare isn’t the horse that breeds you the subsequent champion! You possibly can have essentially the most super mare, however she won’t produce one nearly as good as herself.

“It’s usually about luck and the expertise of realizing which mare to pair with which stallion. I usually discover that the older a mare is, the higher she produces.

“What all of us like as people, although, could be very a lot all the way down to choice — and breeders all have their very own thought of the right pony that we’re striving to breed.”

6 professional ideas for getting ready mares and foals for the present ring

1. Making ready your mare

Whereas foals normally don’t hit the bottom till spring time, the Glebedale workforce begins planning their upcoming present season the winter earlier than. In the event that they just like the look of an in-foal mare, they’ll preserve her in from November via the colder months with the hope of displaying her the next summer season.

“We’d feed her so she will be able to keep her situation — however not excessively, as ponies ought to by no means be overdone with a foal,” says Kitty. “We ideally like our mares to foal exterior, because it’s extra pure for them.

“This 12 months, we don’t have any senior mares to indicate, however that doesn’t imply we received’t pull one out of the sector in July if she’s trying significantly effectively after a number of months of grass.”

A few of your preparation will rely on the extent you’re aiming for.

Jerome explains: “For those who simply need to take your mare and foal to a neighborhood agricultural present for a run out, you possibly can doubtless simply pull them out of the sector, tidy them up, and go. However if you wish to compete on the county circuit, the method requires much more consideration to element.”

Jerome agrees that the planning for getting ready mares and foals for the present ring begins earlier than the foal has even been born, round Christmas time: “Your mare must be stabled within the night and sure fed two laborious feeds per day effectively earlier than foaling. As soon as she’s foaled, you received’t be capable to ‘furnish and prime’ her for the ring, however you possibly can keep her situation.

“I’d by no means rug her earlier than she foals, other than placing her out on chilly days with a turnout rug. I’d then rug her as soon as the foal is 2 weeks previous, being very cautious with rugs which have leg straps and fillet strings, for security causes.”

In case your mare has been proven below saddle in earlier years, she might have a bonus over an unshown or unbroken mare.

“She’ll doubtless sit up within the bridle extra if she’s been ridden,” Jerome says. “A great job for September or October may very well be working your mare in some tack — a bridle and curler — encouraging her to work in an overview and settle for the contact.

“Lengthy-reining and lunging may be very helpful in serving to her discover ways to sit into the bridle whereas shifting forwards.”

2. Making ready your foal

When a foal is born, Kitty permits time for it to bond naturally with its dam earlier than introducing any dealing with.

“We’ll spend time getting them used to people within the steady, and after a few weeks, we’ll pop a foal halter on them,” she says. “As soon as they’re pleased with this, we progressively begin strolling them out beside the mare till they get used to it.

“I don’t feed my foals till they’re a few month previous, as they get every thing they want from the mare.”

For the primary month, the foal is not going to want feeding because it will get all it wants from its mom. Credit score: Alamy

“Previous to a present, we’ll trim the top — and we’re able to go. We preserve every thing primary.”

Jerome follows an analogous routine. Inside a number of days of start, he begins main the foal to and from the paddock.

“I’d put a steady rubber across the decrease a part of the foal’s neck,” Jerome says. “Then I’d place my left hand on the rubber and my proper on the foal’s rump and stroll alongside the mare.

“I at all times lead the foal from the off-side of the mare initially. For those who lead from the close to facet, the foal tends to lean into the mare and may journey you up or stand in your ft. From the off-side, the foal stays extra upright and nearer to the mare.”

As soon as the foal is assured strolling beside the mare, it’s time to start brief durations of main it independently.

The foal ought to study to be led independently of its mom, however this takes apply. Credit score: Alamy

Jerome says: “It’s what’s going to occur at a present, so do practise this at dwelling. Across the identical time, I’d start selecting the foal’s ft up. Get somebody to softly maintain or caress the foal whereas one other individual lifts the ft.

“If wanted, you can too put them in a light-weight, safe rug. At a few month previous, I’ll begin letting the foal nibble on some foal creep feed.”

Jerome just isn’t a fan of ordinary foal slips and as an alternative prefers miniature horse headcollars.

“These smaller headcollars, made for miniature horses, are way more safe and substantial on a foal’s head, so I at all times want to make use of one when coaching and displaying,” he says.

3. Travelling to exhibits

Making ready mares and foals for the present ring inevitably entails travelling.  It’s essential to offer the pair loads of room within the lorry or trailer with sufficient bedding on the ground.

“We’d solely ever take the mare and foal, and maybe one teen, so there may be loads of area for them within the field,” Kitty says. “Our foals journey free and once they get to the present the foal wants room to lie down and suckle.

“I’d at all times take a feed for them in the course of the day, and I’d make sure that every thing is stored as a relaxed and comfy as doable.”

Kitty provides: “Displaying a foal can stand them in good stead. It will get them used to travelling and standing on the lorry and will get them into the routine of going to a present.

“We by no means do many exhibits – maybe 4 max per 12 months – with our mares and foals. Some can get stale to it, whereas others can get cheeky and overly assured. Plus, doing an excessive amount of places pressure on the mare.”

4. Suggestions for the ring

Your efficiency within the ring is immediately correlated to the work you place in at dwelling, like with any kind or breed of present animal.

“Your foal goes to be extra burdened at a present, naturally, so do make sure you’ve completed sufficient main apply,” Jerome advises.

“Turnout clever, I current plaited horse and pony foals in another way. I don’t normally plait a pony foal’s mane till the coat he’s born with has fully grown out. Historically, you don’t plait a horse foal’s mare. I wish to see foal’s tails plaited however by no means pulled.”

5. The foal handler

Not each handler is the fitting individual to indicate a foal and solely an skilled present individual must be tasked with dealing with duties.

“It’s positively not the simplest job and the foal handler is the individual almost certainly to get kicked,” Kitty stated. “I’d normally ask household or an excellent pal to take my foal, and I’d guarantee we’d completed sufficient work from home beforehand.

“Displaying a mare and foal is a workforce effort and the foal handler actually must know what they’re doing, placing themselves in the fitting place and being fast on their ft – particularly when displaying a Welsh breed!”

Dealing with mares and foals within the ring is a workforce effort. Credit score: Trevor Meeks Images

6. A store window

Why would possibly you select to organize mares and foals for the present ring? Apart from giving foals priceless early-life expertise, Kitty explains her deeper motivation.

“It’s massively rewarding — seeing your homebreds out there’s a feeling I battle to place into phrases,” she says. “We love displaying as a household; it’s our passion and the exhibits are a store window for us to advertise our inventory.

“However breeding is our principal ardour — we’re obsessed. Foaling season is essentially the most joyful and tense time of the 12 months, and if you see a foal that has that one thing additional, even in any case these years, it’s so thrilling. All foals are particular, however typically you get that extra-special one who you realize goes to be a star.

“Glebedale Jubilee is an instance — as quickly as she dropped onto the ground, I knew she was going to be unimaginable. However even when a foal isn’t destined to be a present ring celebrity, all of them have a job to do.”

Jerome equally enjoys displaying mares and foals within the ring.

“A mare and foal is an entire bundle, and in an total championship, they’re usually a really robust contender — no matter kind, measurement, or breed,” he concludes.

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Freelance equestrian journalist

Born and raised within the Lake District, Alex has grown up on the displaying scene. She has certified and competed ponies on the Royal Worldwide, Horse of the Yr Present and Olympia and has first-hand information of the present points within the displaying world in addition to the horses, ponies and riders who compete within the sport. Alex joined H&H in January 2018 as displaying editor, cementing its place because the main equestrian publication for each displaying studies and present displaying information within the UK. She moved on in October 2024 to pursue different alternatives, however continues to write down for us on a contract foundation.