Foaling Down at CAFRE Enniskillen Campus
April 15, 2020
By Arlene Doris, Equine Lecturer
CAFRE has put in place a number of measures to comply with Government restrictions on all non-essential movement outside of the home including providing online delivery of education programmes and support to the industry.
This situation is mirrored in schools, colleges and universities across the country and it brings many challenges for staff and students. Equine students at Enniskillen are very well known for their ability to apply their technical knowledge while working with horses and it isn’t easy to simulate practical elements of their courses online.
Each year, second year students on our BSc (Hons) in Equine Management course play a huge role in the management of the breeding unit at Enniskillen Campus. As part of their Breeding and Horse Production module, students gain a valuable insight into the working practices of a stud. Their year begins with the important task of weaning and preparing foals for sales. Each year a selection of thoroughbred and sport horse foals are bred, and students have the opportunity to attend some of the most prestigious foal sales in Ireland.
Spring is a busy time on the breeding unit. A number of our mares who were not in foal for this year have already gone to stud. Guided by staff, students play a part in stallion selection for these mares. They must research each mare’s pedigree, evaluate their conformation and select a stallion to complement the mare. Regardless of the breed, the aim is to produce a foal which is a good type, athletic and marketable with a good pedigree.
As the mares get closer to foaling, students undertake foal watch duties. It is common for mares to foal at night, so 24 hour watch is necessary. To provide minimal disruption to the mares, nightly foal watch is done via cameras. This allows students to observe the mares from a distance without disturbing them. Once the mare shows signs that foaling is imminent, staff are alerted and the mare is checked to ensure the foal is presenting correctly and that the foal can be delivered safely.
Before CAFRE moved to online delivery, students had overseen the delivery of two foals. The first to arrive was an Irish Draught filly by Gortfree Lakeside Lad out of Ríocht Rua (It’s the Quiet Man). Each year our foals are given names with the same first letter so that we can easily identify the year they were born. This year’s letter is W, hence we named her Willow.
A maiden mare, or first time mother, is always closely watched. Students were on hand to ensure a smooth delivery for maiden mare Call Me Robin. Whisper, a filly foal by Youmzain will hopefully be one to watch on the racetrack in the future.
Two more foals arrived shortly after our move online and this time it was staff who were on foal watch. A small number of staff continue to work at Enniskillen Campus to maintain essential services including caring for horses. Wilma, a filly by Corporal VDL out of Quinthago (Quinar) and Watson, a colt by Sligo Candy Boy out of Guidam Deluxe (Guidam) both arrived safely at the end of March. Two athletic looking foals, they will hopefully make their mark on the jumping circuit in a few years.
Our resident Connemara mare kept us waiting a little longer. In the early hours of the 6th of April, Wilson made his much anticipated arrival into the world. A colt by Lough Fadda Rudi out of Silver Belle (Laerkans Cascade Dawn), he is enjoying the sunshine and his first days of life at Enniskillen Campus. The initial stages of training are important for any horse, and our staff are working hard to ensure the foals are getting some basic training in handling and leading.
It is encouraging to see our students working hard with their online studies and preparing for their exams in this new scenario. No doubt they will be delighted to meet the foals when they return to campus in the future.
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