Foals – Donna Vowles explains the basics

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January in Lexington, Kentucky is one of the busiest months of the year for the horse farms that  have breeding stock, as this is when the foals start arriving.  Donna Vowles, the Assistant Broodmare Manager at Lane’s End Farm kindly took some time out of her busy day to explain some of the basics.
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The foaling barn is quiet and relaxed, there’s no radio playing so that the horses can be heard at all times, and the energy is incredibly peaceful.  Although everything is absolutely top notch and nothing is left to chance, I was still pleasantly surprised by how simple and natural everything still is here at this, definitely one of the premier breeding operations in the world. Donna is a true horsewoman who misses nothing;  be it when she walks in the barn and casts her eye down the aisle, over the staff, or peeks in the doors at the horses, or just her instant rapport with every horse and foal, a sense of mutual comfort and security when she’s around them, it’s a joy to see. I can’t help but think of her as a modern day James Herriot as we drove from barn to barn,chatting about all the different horses and experiences she’s had on the job, and especially as she described the foaling to me,
       
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A Beautiful Bernstein foal, born the night before
There are walk-on scales in the barn to monitor the foals’ weight, and even the mares’ too if needed, but Donna has a good eye for their condition, and runs a practiced hand down each foal’s back and rump to assess them as we talk, without even noticing she’s doing it. Of course, there’s every modern technology available, and the best vets in the world are on speed dial, but as much as possible, things are done with the least fuss or intervention.
The last mare we see in the barn is Peppermint, a nurse mare, and Donna is happy to explain when they’re needed and how to best bond a mare with a new foal, as well as expel a couple of urban myths! 
       
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I can’t imagine much panicking Donna, I don’t think there’s much she doesn’t know about mares and foals, or horses in general,and I also imagine she’s a hard woman to hounds – (that’s a compliment!).  Every barn we went to was quiet, calm and immaculate – the beds were so fluffy and inviting it was hard not to do a Goldilocks and lie down in all of them and the staff we bumped into were polite and friendly, this is definitely the Four Seasons of Horse Farms!  Many, many thanks to Donna, and of course to Lane’s End Farm for all their help, and wishing them a safe and successful foaling season. Roll on Spring, and Go Eventing! 
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