Justice and Presto are in Western Horseman!
Check out page 16 of the January 2017 Western Horseman! That’s right! Justice and Presto are right there in full color!
When I was first contacted about being interviewed for an article on nurse mare foals I was excited…and concerned. The topic of nurse mare foals is emotionally charged and the facts and opinions seem to run wild on the internet. I am impressed that Western Horseman chose to tackle the topic and if I can help to add clarity to what is going on AND I can personally learn more along the way then I’m all in.
Here are three interesting ideas that I took away from the article:
- there is a Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist who will be releasing a feature length film on the subject in 2017. She was able to get direct access to both the rescue AND the nurse mare farm. MY THOUGHTS: You can bet I’ll be watching for that release date! Maybe we should do a big meet up and watch the premier together!
- the reasons why nurse mares are used is still debated and the leading cause appears to be death or injury to the mare; something that will always be around. MY THOUGHTS: The first time I met someone who had used a nurse mare it was because their mare had died foaling. I’d love to know the numbers…I hope the documentary tells more…
- there is a farm in Oklahoma, JNP Horses, that both supplies nurse mares AND makes sure that all of the foals are registered, have been socialized, and they have created a community of people who want the foals.
- MY THOUGHTS: Way to go JNP!!! Show us the way!
I don’t think that the emotions will change surrounding the issue but I do hope that more of the facts will be sorted out. The magazine has more, including my comments, so be sure to pick one up while they are still on the shelves.
YOU CAN HELP! HOW? TAKE ACTION!
In less than one minute you can click over to Western Horseman (Western Horseman FB or email) and say thank you for writing the article.
In one more minute you can click over to JNP Horses (JNP Facebook or website) and tell them thank you.
Two minutes, two clicks…and seriously, you will make a difference!
Thank you to everyone who has emailed, left comments or asked me face to face, “How are the foals? I’d love to see an update.” Now that we have moved into our new house (still under construction) I have finally found time to go back and dig through my photos and videos. Turns out I have several photo/video sessions with the foals that I never turned into blogs! I’ll aim to post a new blog with them next week!
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Such a wonderful journey these nurse mares will have thank you so much for your article and bringing awareness to the public on these beautiful wee ones
Thank you Stacy and Western Horseman for caring enough to write and support this important topic….
I adore your work with these foals, as a horsewoman, educator, mom and HUMAN!!! I drove through very bad weather to see your clinics and MEET you at the Horse Expo in Birch Run, Michigan (2009 or 2010?) I just wanted to let you know that I was using your DVDs to help me work with a Percheron and you signed my photos! Ok, Back to the subject…. Summer 2016, I was delighted to see several Last Chance horses are being used for Kentucky Horse Park police work too. Regarding the post above, I hope the documentary sheds more light on the “need” for nurse mares. I should clarify that I have horses, but they are rescues (currently Standardbreds & Drafts) and I have never bred horses. However, I am very familiar with hand raising another herd animal that needs to be socialized etc, dairy cattle. To me feeding orphan foals milk replacer/formula and still socializing them with other foals and “baby sitter” adult horses, seems like a reasonable option. Another option to care for/ feed orphan foals (without an additional “nurse mare foal by-product) is a kin to Embryo Transfer, lactation induction. Just like fertility treatments in humans or ET in animals, a series of hormone injections etc can induce and maintain lactation. I’m not sure how much that has been tried in horses, but has in other species. I am currently dismayed that there seems to be a big marketing push for Premarin cream. The by-product of which is PMU foals. With other synthetic hormones that pharmaceutical companies produce, it would seem that their chemists could synthesize and manufacture the active compounds of PMU (congugated estrogens) being used to make Premarin.