Orphan Foal Care at Dunlooken Farm

 So you have an orphan foal...

Nothing is quite like having a newborn foal.  The months of waiting are finally over.  We all hope for a healthy foal and a healthy attentive mother.

But sometimes you have an orphan or rejected foal.  This usually means searching for a nurse mare, buying and mixing formula or finding a source for goat milk.  Then comes the sleepless nights with round the clock feedings.

This is where we can help!  The Orphan Foal Asylum at Dunlooken Farm can take the work and almost all the worry out of raising that foal.

We’ve raised and milked dairy goats for over 23 years, selling milk for many orphan foals.  Their owners were amazed at how well the foals grew.  They were also amazed at some of the behavioral problems that orphan foals can have if not trained early.

By blending our 35 years of training experience with horses, raising foals and all our award winning dairy goat herd we can help you make the most of the situation.

 Your Foal’s Care...

First things first… It is very important that your foal receive veterinary attention as soon as possible.  We cannot accept a foal that hasn’t been checked by a veterinarian.

As soon as that has been done, contact us.  The first weeks of a foal’s life are very important.  The care your foal receives now will go a long way to determining what it will someday become.

Feeding routine…

Newborn foals need small amounts of food very often.  Your foal will receive pure, warm goat milk as often as every 1/2 hour at first.  As soon as your foal is able, we’ll teach it to use a self feeder, so your foal can have a feeding schedule even more to its liking.

Training routine…

Behavior can pose a big problem with orphan foals.  Our training routines can help eliminate most, if not all of those problems.  Training starts early as your foal learns to respect humans and the other animal friends it meets.

Time Frame...

Month One:

The first month is spent learning to be a horse in a human world.  The baby learns to respect a person’s space in a firm and loving manner.  Other life skills such as haltering, leading and other types of handling are introduced.

Month Two:

Now your baby is ready to learn more.  We use our own style of Natural Horsemanship methods to teach the foal.  At this time your baby is starting to spend more time with other horses.

Month Three:

By the end of this month your foal will lead, stand tied with supervision, let you pick up all four feet, load in a stock trailer, and stand for grooming.  He’ll have met up with children, barking dogs, loud noises, tractors, chickens, and of course, goats.

 Ready to go Home..

 At the end of 3 months your foal is weaned and ready to come home.  But if you’d like we are able to continue your foals training and care for a few more months.  Just let us know what works for you.

 Our Qualifications...

Bev got her first pony in 1960 and started training for the public while still in high school.  Among other things she has written a monthly column for a regional horse magazine, managed a barn, trained young stock for a thoroughbred farm and has given riding and horse handling lessons for 35 years.

Shannon, Bev’s daughter, got her first pony at age 4 and has been around horses ever since.  She was in 4-H for 10 years, and showed horses for most of that time.

On our farm, we raise the dairy goats for show, have 8 horses of our own, and raise our own meat off of the goat milk.. There are also quite a few cats and chickens that enjoy the milk too.