I spent the morning with some fascinating spinners from a Spinning Guild who suggested I bag up the foal fur from yesterday and sell it.

I thought this through and decided it could be a good way to make some money to support the Shetland Foal Milk Service that I run.  We also supply Orkney too.

It costs me to do this and, though I never begrudge the effort, it would be nice if our yearlings could contribute by giving their matted winter fur coats.  After all, it was for them, I organised this.

So, I bagged up the fur in 4oz bags as we don’t have a metric scale.  I designed a label and hope I have put all the necessary information on each bag.

There are 4 bags with 4oz of pure foal body fur and 1 bag of 1oz of mixed fibres, ie body and some tail strands.

I did try to get out all the little bits but there might be the odd piece of old grass in there.  Sorry.

I am not sure where best to spread the word. I thought Ravelry, which is a central website for fibre artists, also word of mouth and even Ebay.

I think, in ancient times, foal fur was used though I don’t know what for.  It has incredible strength.  The Shetland pony only gives this part of its coat once in its lifetime.  The next year, and onwards, their winter coat is completely different and sheds on its own.

So, if you are interested in purchasing a 4oz bag of pure black Shetland pony yearling foal fur, unwashed and from the field, please email me.  The price is £5.00 plus P&P. All proceeds go to the Shetland Foal Milk Service.  The 1oz mixed bag will be a donation if anyone is feeling kind or extra generous.  Edit:  My email is frances@fstaylor.co.uk – (sorry, forgot)

The Shetland Foal Milk Service aims to supply any equine breeder with an emergency kit (consisting of mare’s milk replacer, teats, sterilising tablets, full emergency feeding instructions) any time – 24 hours a day – as well as other products such as Foal-Stim (Red Bull for foals) space blankets, extra milk, etc.

Would anyone be interested in the Shetland sheep wool I find in the hills from the Shetland sheep?  I can gather that easily enough and stuff it into bags.

Anyway, as a token gesture for your potential generosity for the foal fur/wool, here is a film of Dad, aka Indy Ping Pong. You could always clone him from this fur (well, only half of him as he is the Daddy!)  All I did was shout Oi, Fatty!