It’s getting to be that time of year again.

Soon there will be the pitter-patter of tiny hooves.

So, the supplies have arrived at Thordale.

First, we have an Emergency Kit – the mare’s milk replacer.  Included in the kit, is a rubber foal teat, sterilising tablets and mare’s milk replacer milk powder along with full emergency feeding instructions.  There is enough in the pack to cover for a few days and details are supplied of where to buy more.  This is supplied to me by The National Foaling Bank and costs a nominal £10 to anyone in Shetland who needs help.

I have used it on Albie, my orphan foal from last year.   I can thoroughly vouch for this kit – it was brilliant.  We did buckets because bottles were not working in our situation.

I have bought a couple of tubes of FoalStim.  I can vouch for this product as well – amazing stuff.  Although it is definitely not a replacement for colostrum or the vet, it can buy you time.  The FoalStim costs £14.50 (I paid £12.99 plus P&P) a tube and is worth every penny.

“A specially designed nutritional supplement of Colostrum, FoalStim is a complex blend of natural non-digestible carbohydrates including Prebiotic sources of FOS (fructo-oligosaccharides) and Polufructosans that are scientifically proven to induce beneficial results.”

If you want to know more – click this link

I also have a lifetime supply of Emergency Silver Foil blankets (always useful) – £1 each and very useful.

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And this year, I have bought in Protexin Quick Fix for horses/ponies.  I have some spare tubes, if you need.  I like this product and will use it when we travel south for competitions and also on the little ones when they are wormed.  I also spoke to Westgate Laboratories who said that there is more occurrences of liverfluke in horses.  I would definitely use Protexin Quick Fix, as well as a B12 injection, if I had to treat anyone for liverfluke.

“Quick Fix is a highly concentrated probiotic and prebiotic paste to rapidly re-establish the horses gut microflora in times of stress or change, including travelling, worming and antibiotic treatment.”

One treatment is £10.00 – click this link for more product information – give me a shout if you want a tube.

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So that is me, ready for action and if you need these products, shout.  Any time.  Any day.  (seriously, I mean it, 24/7 – foals can’t wait) 01595 809 432 – I am on the westside of Shetland.

For real help, though, ring Shetland Vet – 01595 810456 – I think they are keeping colostrum in stock.

Why do I do this?  – read this for the explanation – https://myshetland.co.uk/shetland-foal-milk-service/

You can also get The Emergency Foal Milk kit in Orkney from Sharon Williamson – 01856 741248 (home) and 01856 873535 (work)