Alright another question for you guys/gals!

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T.C. Miniature Horse Farm

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Ok,I am hearing so many opions here,and I don't want to start any flames from in one,just looking for opions,so here goes:

I have this weanling colt,who I'd love to show at AMHR Nationals this year,well I start college in Sept,so would have to find someone to handle,first off do ya'll know of anyone to do that? 2nd,and this is the main question,do the weanlings do ok going to the show? I hear they can die from it and :new_shocked: I would never want to put any of my horses through the stress like that,so how bad is it showing a weanling at Nationals,on them I mean? Any suggestions,ect?

I do plan to take him to the Sam's Town Show Down in Miss,in Aug,but that is a local show,so hopefully he will be fine there
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: might even bring him a buddy,well let me know your thoughts,and thanks in advance!!
 
i know a lot of farms that show weanlings and they do okay but most of those take the dam with them to lesson stress. The ones i have seen get sick are the ones that dont have the dam at the show. I do not show weanlings
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I just figure they have their whole life to show and I just let mine be babies
 
It cost me $500.00 in vet fees at the show. I won't do it again even though he got a top ten.
 
I think that answer depends on the horse and how old he is.. of course a Jan/Feb baby is a whole different thing then a May/June baby.

Some foals can handle the stress of a show better then others. I didnt show a weanling there but I have gotten one delivered to me to take home from there so he was just as exposed to new things and new horses as the others. He was well vaccinated for everything including strangles. It does seem to just take one person bringing a sick horse be it to show or a sale horse and then of course things run thru the barn. We had a upper respitory thing run thru Barn A at Nationals last year.
 
Hey,

Like Lisa says it all depends on the horse. If the baby is alot older and well weaned should be less problems. Fortunatly for me I've taken 2 babies and brought 1 home from me at Nationals and no worries. Theres always a risk involved. I will be bringing my baby along, will be 4 months once Nationals start, I usually wean at 4 months but will be doing it 5 months this year to give less stress to the baby.

Also one thing to think about the stallion/mare baby halter classes are HUGE. So you have to have an awsome baby to win it. I would love to show my baby in halter but I know right now she won't cut it but will be showing in multi-color.
 
We showed a weanling one year but it was a very long trip & the babies showed the first day after we got there-- he was tuckered-- I would never do it again.
 
I have never understood this.

A "weanling" is a weaned foal, so how come foals at foot can go in such a class????
 
We have exhibited futurity foals at the Nationals and Congress annually for almost a decade (including this year). As well as show them at the local shows to allow them to adjust to exhibition prior to the larger events. At the AMHR National level - you will often be competing in classes of 50 to 70 entries.

The show program normally states "filly or colt of current year" so that technically the foal is not required to be a weanling.

We do not wean the foals that we are showing until the conclusion of the show season - and have shown 7 month old foals who are still nursing.

ALso when hauling - we haul the mare/foal in a box stall

To date, we have not had any situation of the foal being off feed, sick nor stressed (knock on wood). Nor any of the dams. We vaccinate the dams heavily - take every precaution we can - not only with them, but all of our show horses.

Hope this is of help.
 
at Rocking M Farm, we very seldom show a weanling that has not been weaned. but we do show tons of babies that we have just weaned at 3 mo. old and we very seldom have a problem, even if they have been weaned only a week before the show. BUT we always put at least 2 weanlings together in stalls for companship. we show more babies than anything and love showing them!!
 
we show more babies than anything and love showing them!!
And they can be quite entertaining!
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You never know what they are going to do!
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: I'm taking two to the AMHA Central Championship show. Should be really fun!
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We normally show 4-6 weanling at Nationals. I've had babies get sick in past years (respiratory), but not in the last few years and a few babies develop ulcers. Now that I know what to watch for in the few weeks just before Nat's, I know which babies just won't handle the stress well and we leave those home and just write off the entries or apply them to another horse.

Last year was the first year we had a foal truly crash at Nat's or any show. She sold 2 days after arriving and became sick 2 days after that. $800.00 in vet bills later (that I paid) the show vet cleared her to go home, but she crashed again a few days after getting home and they lost her. It was horrible for everyone, especially poor little Gala. BTW, we took the Buyers a stunning 3 year old show mare, priced at 3 times the filly's sale price, to try to make the deal fair for them. They love her and will have her at Nat's this year.

That experience won't stop us from showing weanlings/sucklings, but we will continue to be VERY careful which foals go to shows. Since I won't be able to show this year (I'll be almost 9 months pregnant!), I'm, still sweet talking D and her girls into it
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: I'd lke to be able to leave the foals by their Dam's sides, but BOY are the mares a pain to haul :new_shocked: They're not bad, they just would rather be home
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If these babies all find new home by Nationals, that would solve my problem. I can just pay their entries and deliver them to Nationals, ready for their new parents to show and *I* get to watch like the proud Mama I am
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Hello again everyone,so basically its personal preference huh? Well I think I'll opt not to send him to National's this year,as he would be the only one going,and I don't want to EVER stress him out,plus he was born in April,so a little late as well,oh well I'll get plenty of time when he gets grown,the wellbeing of the horses are always number 1 to me..thanks you guys!! :saludando: :aktion033:
 

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