So glad things are going well Anna! Everyone looks GREAT! 
And so sweet, your niece with Shella! Horses and kids have a great bond! :yes:
Anna I love your life! You and Peter and the horses! Its wonderful!
I am from Finland (well my parents are) and Midsummer I was always told about was more of umm… people running off into the bushes and having fun!
[QUOTE=Carrera;3316431]
Midsummer I was always told about was more of umm… people running off into the bushes and having fun![/QUOTE]
Umm… in theory there is the same. We call it “going to the forests to find the blossom of the ferns”… But! It is always raining, it is cold and there are mosquitoes, people are lazy and everybody has learned at school that there are no such thing as blooming fern… so it is much more comfortable just to light the bonfire, grab another beer and roast some meat I would blame education
I only do hope that all this walking up and down helped Shella to find her “blossom of the fern”
To add the third one or not???
I’m in deeeeeeep deeeeeep thoughts now. As some of you already warned, the number of horses has trend to grow. Today I got a call from a person who I do not know whith question “would you add one more?”
The word had spread around… 
They have 13 yo mare, 17h, well trained sports horse, along with a 2 mo old foal, no vices and no health problems, which they are searching “free to good home” as they can not keep them at the current stable and to find another one is a bit hard (it is already $400 per month for a horse here in commercial stables now, and oats now is 30 cents per kilo - a bit crazy prices) - they do have another, better, sports horse, that they will try to keep, and this one they can not afford anymore. They do not want to sell it to school or for tourist trails, they are searching for house like ours where she would be just loved and cared.
Herd wise I think it would be ok, Puika would like another mare around, but…
Please tell me all about pros and cons of adding the third one! (We have enough pasture space and boxes, that’s not a problem). But! Here are only two of us, and I want to know how much it is jobwise between two and three? And all other possible reasons why it would be not a good idea! Tell me off! Tell me that I’m an idiot! Tell me why I must to reject this offer.
Haha, knew this was going to happen! 
First of all keep in mind you are going to have a foal next year. So really you are already up to three!
If you have the time, money, space etc. go for it. For the sake of the horse. BUT your reputation will precede yourself even more and pretty soon there will be free horses coming out of the woodwork!
I’ve had 2-3 horses for almost 20 years, while I was riding only. Then I started breeding and now I’m up to 11. I’m maxed out and have passed up some nice free horses. With the way the economy is going I’m not easily selling my foals and have to wait till they are under saddle (more time for me to get attached)! 
One word of warning about free horses. Make sure there are no medical things going on. Usually there is a reason that horse is free and you don’t want to end up with something that sucks you dry money wise.
The other reason horses are frequently free is because of behavioral issues. Here is another thing that can suck you dry (emotionally) as well as be potentially dangerous. So choose carefully!!!
Hi, Reiter! Owners just left, and the story is more complicated.
The mare is good, maybe a bit hot (Trakenaer/HN mix) (sorry for spelling) but no vices or so. Owner wants to keep her daughter who is 3 yo as a future sports horse, and wants to give up this 13 yo mare and her FOAL (2 mo old filly from registered breeding) as she is not able to keep up payments for 3 horses in stables. It happens.
Mare is ok, no health or beheivioral issues, but the filly has. Little one bruised her back leg, no deep injuries, no serious damages, but it will be visible scar when healed.
Vet was called in, of course, medications prescribed to help heal it right, but that’s all - filly is not limping or deep injuries found. Just a scar that may heel up to non visible and may not so scar can be seen later.
The owner is worried that at the current stable nobody cares about filly properly, except putting oitment at mornings, and lil one is getting scared of humans as the only contact is to get her and put oitment on. No halter/lead training, no positive contacts.
The owner is nice girl with 2 yo old baby and nice husband, they visited with all the pictures, including scar (it is 2 weeks old and healing nicely), vet conclusions and so on… seems to be honest people, who do not want to sell as in such a case the buyer would not be really good if you know what I mean.
They want us. Great, I’m pleased that I do look like I can offer loving and caring home, but… Do we want/need? From 2 horses to actualy 4! From none to 4 just in less than a year?
They are not in the rush - they can keep the mare and foal at the current stable until autumn, but it means for me to get 6 mo old filly without any basic training in, human shy/scared.
I would rather get her and filly in now, so I can keep an eye on the scar and start positive human/halter/lead/ training now. What do you think?
First let me say ANNA YOU ARE WONDERFUL! Thank you for checking on me.
I am a bad one to ask about taking in a miltitude of horses because I have six… the more the merrier! As long as you have the land and the money to feed and vet them, your heart will expand to care for them all. Especially the babies - I want to have one around again one day!So I say, go with your heart (which I know is HUGE!)
Soon you will have to put a sign at the road - HORSE HEAVEN!
It would be from 2 horses to 5 horses in less than a year, if Shella’s breeding was successful… I think you should see if Shella is pregnant or not. If she is, I think you will have your hands quite full with her new foal. There is so much work to do with the babies. I think it may be taking on too much, but you have managed so well so far it is hard for an outside person to make the decision of what is too much for you and Peter to handle.
My only caution is that if it becomes too much work, the joy of horses you are experiencing now may be replaced with feeling more of a burden. Don’t want that to happen.
Hi, Moonriverfarm, so glad to see you back here! Sorry for calling, but we really worried as you was not here for a long time - I just worried in case something happened! How is your new mare doing?
Yes, our heart and property are huge enough, but the job… Summer is easy part, but winter days are short, and little filly will need some training already, and Puika still needs a lot of training, Shella will be probably quite happy just doing nothing, and so would be new mare if we shall take them both in.
Complete offtopic - Greetings to you all from our little Eddy - he is growing fast and is doing fine - very sweet baby! He is not a headache
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQAFo9x9nxY
Hello Anna and Peter, I am also a long-time fan of your horse odyssey.
Forgive me if you have covered this in an earlier post and I have missed it, but one thing to consider whether you decide to take the new mare and foal in or for Shella’s eventual foal is fencing. Your adult horses may well be trained to be tied to a chain for turnout, but I would definitely not be comfortable tying a foal… just thought I should mention it!
I like two
but , of course have at least three! When the number goes down to two, I feel relief at the simpler feed and cleanup chores, and less strain on the pocketbook. Don’t have to buy feed as often, more resources for the two. That said I am picking up another Monday so my SO can ride with me…
I myself would NOT take on a foal either, as I am not a trainer, and there is a lot of potential for greater vet bills. Fewer is just easier all around, each gets more attention.
[QUOTE=Gen;3323335]
Hello Anna and Peter, I am also a long-time fan of your horse odyssey.
Forgive me if you have covered this in an earlier post and I have missed it, but one thing to consider whether you decide to take the new mare and foal in or for Shella’s eventual foal is fencing. Your adult horses may well be trained to be tied to a chain for turnout, but I would definitely not be comfortable tying a foal… just thought I should mention it![/QUOTE]
Very, very good and important point! I forgot about the chains!
Foals are very accident prone even in the safest of environments but the chains would definitely be a recipe for disaster. Foals in pasture go from standstill to fullout gallop in 2 seconds flat for no reason. That is normal foal behavior, a chain would surely result in a broken neck at that point! Without safe fencing I would vote no on the babies!
By the way, I remember from an earlier post that you enjoy mucking out the stables. You will for sure have your hands full with that many horses but I don’t think you will start to resent it if you enjoy the work! Looks like you have some time to decide, so don’t hurry into things. Make sure everyone will be safe and get some books on foal handling!
The fencing question IS very important. Of course, foal can not be kept on chain so that is only fencing thing. This new offered mare is not trained to the chain, but does very well with electric fence. We alreday had bought things to put up electric fence and had planned to start training Puika on it (he is the one, who is used only to chain). So that would be ok, and withing few weeks the wooden fences will be started, first for winter turnout with shelter, then next ones.
The decission to take or not to take mare and filly must be made in few weeks, but to take them in - we can do it in August -September. So I have time to think all the pluses and minuses before I say anything.
Sounds like you will have a herd soon!
It is quite easy to teach a horse to respect electric fencing. Most will get zapped once and then stay away from it. There’s of course always the occasional (usually male) pain in the you-know-what horse, who will keep testing, but in general electric fencing works great especially if used with other fencing! Horses that are used to electric fencing can be kept in pastures with electric wire only, but I would not do that with foals or horses that aren’t used to it. The wire is not very visible and a horse in panic or a playful foal could run through it and get tangled up! Wire injuries are some of the worst I’ve seen in horses!
Another thought for getting the horses is that Sheila’s foal will have another “kid” around to play with. I’m a firm believer in letting foals grow up with other foals, preferably of the same age, but a yearling is still better company for a foal an older horse!
Anna, what did you decide to do??
Electric fencing is not just a wire here - it is white or jellow plastic stripe with few wires hidden in it so even if the foal breaks trough, there can not be injuries basically, or they can cut themselves even on that?
Our vet is keeping her herd (mares with foals) in it and so far not an accident - they do respect it. We have yellow ones, but actually white ones are better as they do keep wild animals like deer away from fence by some unknown reason. Our problem here in general is not horses breaking out of the fence, but deer breaking in the pastures.
Reiter, it would be not only a yearling for Shella’s baby to play - the mare is approved broadmare with very good pedigree and beautiful foals, so if we shall take in her, it means another stallion search and another foal next summer - it would make our number 6 - Puika and two mares, a yearling filly and two newborns (of course, if all goes well). Plus Peter’s parents to take care (88 yo).
So - I have not decided jet. The hay man will arrive today, and let’s see how much we can get from our 10 acre field - it will make clear picture for me about costs. I have a lot of pastures awailable for cutting, that’s not a problem, I just want to see the real outcome from one field (we have natural grass fields to cut from hay so it is very good, but not like rich cultivated grass when you get a lot per acre).
To get hay from one hectare costs me about 140$, and I want see how many bales it will give me. I need stack about 400 (500 would be better, but I always can buy some, if needed) square bales per horse for winter season.
I also need think about oat price - at present it is 30 cents per kg, but I will buy from the new crop, so hopefully it will be cheaper - 16 cents per kg would be much better price.
It is so many things to think now, I want my horses to be as happy as possible. I do not want take in a horse, and then realise that there is overwhelming problems that I can not sort out thus making my darlings suffer. Not a fear game.
But I’m keen, I really am
After long, long thoughts decided not to accept this mare and foal. I’m frightened that it will be too much job just now, along with all the building jobs and so on - a bit too early now, and in autumn - start with 6 mo foal who is quite wild… Will be too much, I do not want mess it up.
I think you made the right choice.
I agree, it was the right choice…you seem to be very bonded to Shella and Peter to Puika. Maybe take some time to just let those relationships develop and deepen for a while before taking on anything new.
But it will be hard to say no as you have a kind heart…if economic conditions are similar to here, there will be many people who will find it hard to keep their horses, and will want to try to place them with someone like you, where they know they will be well taken care of.
I think you made the right decision, especially if Shella took.
