Back again… And would you believe it, we’ve finished foaling!
 
I don’t quite believe it myself. The season has flown by. Saying that, we do still have a few mares left to cover and get in foal, but a huge weight off our shoulders now the sitting-up team aren’t walking around like zombies.
 
With our final foal arriving at a very respectable hour of 9:30 pm, we ended with the fillies in lead by 4.

​Despite the ground being dry, and some very welcome sunny intervals, I think I’d jumped the gun in my previous blog talking about wearing shorts. It’s still very cold at night! We’ve been reluctant to turn out our oldest paddocks of foals for the dramatic drop in temperatures at night. But checking the forecast for the rest of the week, and keeping our fingers crossed, their first all-nighter might come sooner rather than later.

With lots of the barren and maiden mares signing off on their 42-day scans, the barns are becoming very quiet as we’ve been turning the mares out for their summer holidays - it’s finally starting to feel like summer. However, a big pile of rugs has started to form now we’ve de-rugged all the horses. An overwhelming feeling about how much washing there needs to be done!

The baking situation has been very poor recently. Either we’ve all realised that summer is just around the corner and all we did over the winter was eat cakes and cookies, or we are genuinely very tired –definitely the latter! I know I've promised the team a celebratory Domino’s to mark the end of the foaling season, so I better pull my finger out and organise that.
 
Stay tuned for our '10 to Follow' blog post coming soon, featuring 10 horses to add to your tracker and follow this season on the flat!

Welcome back! And just like that, we’re down to our final 2 foalers…
 
Apologies for the lack of content recently. We’ve all been flat out here at Byerley, and everyone has been putting in huge shifts and playing crucial parts in helping to make the clogs turn in what is such a pivotal time of year for us. I feel like the season has gone very quickly this year, and I’m putting this down to the excellent team that we’ve had this year – time flies when you’re having fun.
 
A moment of reflection, as last week we said ‘goodbye’ to a hugely important member of our team, Sue. In between sitting up and covering, we were all able to sit down after work and have a few drinks at the local pub. Topics of conversation included reflecting on Sue’s time here with us, from the highs and the lows, it was evident how much she will be missed by everyone. Sue has carried the team throughout the season with her enthusiasm, diligence and her say ‘yes’ attitude. It won’t be goodbye forever, as I’m sure it won’t be long before Sue is back and checking in on all her favourite mares and foals. But we wish Sue all the best of luck in her new job, and we’ll always be here, just in case you change your mind!
 
Some of our recent arrivals include a filly by Havana Grey out of Bosra Sham Listed winning Kodiac mare, Sweet Cecily, as well as not one, but two Caturra colts. Keeping Ian on his toes for much of the night until finally foaling down at approximately 6 am, Freckles foaled a strappy big chestnut Caturra colt. Freckles is an exciting young mare for Mrs Heather Raw of Shoreham Stud, who has a 2YO by Havana Grey to run for her this year in training with Johnny Murtagh and is reportedly going well. Congratulations also go out to Mrs Raw with her previously owned and bred Grey Cuban, who hosed up on his 3YO debut for connections by 8 lengths. After a successful 2YO campaign, this son of Havana Grey ran in some very well-respected handicaps and came out of the year with an OR of 82. He’s one to watch for the season.
 
Earlier on in the week, it was over to Ian’s own mare Zia - the dam of Listed scorer Jakaby Jade - who also foaled a colt foal by Caturra. With a rush of late colt foal additions to our Class of 2024 adding to the tally of colts vs fillies, the fillies are still ahead, but only by 2, and with only 2 mares left to foal, there’s every chance it could eventually even itself out.
 
With the weather finally looking up, the paddocks are drying out and greening up, I’ve noticed that the choice of footwear is beginning to change with short boots or trainers making a welcome appearance in the yard. It won’t be long before someone braves wearing shorts for the first time this year… I wonder who that will be.

Quiet on the blog post front, and I apologise for the lack of content recently… But not so quiet on the foaling front, with lots and lots of newborns to fill you in on, and we’re also racking up on the number of pregnancies too!
 
First up, on Saturday night we welcomed not one, not two, but three newborns during the very sensible hours of the evening. With three foals born within three hours of each other, this made a huge dent into the remaining number of mares left to foal – and with the Easter Bank Holiday weekend looming in on us, it was a very welcome sight.

​Our first foal of the night, born at approximately 7 pm – was a big, strapping chestnut filly by Sergei Prokofiev out of a Dutch Art mare from the family of Foodbroker Fancy and Femme Fatale. This was the mare’s fourth foal, her fourth filly and her fourth chestnut! Following closely afterwards was First Secretary, who foaled a big colt foal by Tasleet. Initially believing she would be the first mare to foal, First Secretary dragged out her labour by pouring up her bed and rubbing her bum up against the wall. Her colt foal is the picture of her with the same white star and plain bay body. And just as our first foaled filly was on the suck and passing her first droppings of meconium, the waters on our third mare of the night went, and we were back in action. Our final foal of the evening came from Bella Vita, who foaled a bonnie filly by the very exciting Havana Grey. Typically, out of a grey mare, and by a grey stallion, it is inevitable that this filly will eventually turn grey. Bella Vita, bred and owned by Mrs Heather Raw of Shoreham Stud, won 4 races on the flat, including 2nd in the Chalice Stakes (Listed Race), and has her first foal running this year.

The following morning all post-foaling checks were performed by our vet, and all three newborns passed with flying colours – great success! Our first foaling mare recorded a score of 30% + on the refractometer, so we harvested some of her milk/colostrum for our bank. It was only the previous week we had a mare with a score of 18% on the refractometer, and so the foal was given 300 or so ml of frozen colostrum previously stored from another mare with a recording of 25%. Another great success, with the IgG results returning and passing, this added colostrum helped with preventing having to give plasma to the foal.

​The fillies are still dominating the colt vs. fillies tally, with a total of 14 fillies born vs. 8 colts. But there is still time for the colts to catch up. Thankfully, the last couple of recently foaled mares have been eventually distributed between colts and fillies.

Welcome back. Blog post nine, it’s the first week of March, and despite waking up to a small flurry of snow on the ground Saturday morning, the daffodils are out, and spring is in the air - always the tone of optimism!
 
It was a surprise to us all waking up to find a sheet of snow covering the farm early Saturday morning. But the milder temperatures soon sorted this out, and the snow had melted away by lunchtime – thank God. Despite the wind and the rain, earlier on in the week we saw glimpses of warm sunshine, and in some cases – dare I say it – t-shirt weather. A very welcome sight and a chance for us all to remember what life is like on the farm during the summer months, which we so long for this time of year. The weather, however, does not depict our mood, as there is good camaraderie among the team this year. It feels like we’re in a good rhythm, and everyone’s hard work and unwavering dedication is a credit to the exceptional behaviour of the foals.

This weeks blog is written by Victoria Harrington-Groves. 

​Hi! My name is Victoria (Vicky to most!) and I’m a stud hand here at Byerley. This will be my 4th season here at the stud after being in racing for nearly 10 years previously. I have been asked by Laura to give you all my perspective of stud life, but it also gives me the chance to tell you more about my favourite babies, mares and of course past graduates of Byerley Stud!

So I currently work part-time at Byerley which consists of 3 days one week and then 5 days the next. This gives me the chance to be involved with day-to-day life at the stud, but also run my own small business on the side. A typical week at the stud consists of getting all the boxes on the yard mucked out and bedded down and ready for the week. It tends to take us Monday-Wednesday to get these done but after learning how to drive the tractor and trailer - taken me long enough - I’m hoping this will help when other staff members are off on covers or on the vet round. The rest of the week is pretty straightforward and gives us the chance to get other jobs but it’s the weekends I find the busiest. The weekends are no different to the week, however, there tends to be only 3 or 4 of us working but between me, Laura, Bruce (Laura's dog, and chief morale supporter) and Matt we’ve got it down to a fine art! From the vet round to mucking out, it’s always all systems go at Byerley, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

​After sitting up with maiden mare Fine China for several nights, foaling shifts were taken in turns by Ian, Shahid, and myself. It wasn’t until the evening of Friday night under the watchful eye of Ian that her waters broke, and she foaled a filly foal by Sea The Moon. A cracking first foal out of this newly acquired mare for Mrs Heather Raw of Shoreham Stud – congratulations! After successfully securing the winning bid on this mare at the Tattersalls December Mare Sales, we hope that the foal follows in the footsteps of the last Sea The Moon bred by Mrs Raw. Previously bred by Shoreham Stud, Red Danielle was foaled, raised, grazed, and sold by us on behalf of Mrs Raw. This filly went on to win her maiden in impressive style pulling clear by 11 lengths and then going on to finish 2nd in the Prix Solitude (L.) on her latest outing. Also sold at Tattersalls in December, this filly was acquired by Opulence Thoroughbreds to continue her race career for 300,000gns for connections.

Foaling closely after on Friday evening was Break Time. An old hand when it comes to foaling, Break Time foaled a filly foal by Havana Grey. An exciting mating off the back of a sensational couple of years for the sire, as well as a proven cross for Break Time. Previous matings for Break Time include the Listed placed son of Havana Gold, Pictoa, as well as another son of Havana Gold heading into training with Richard Hannon after realising 100,000gns as a yearling in October. We sold three foals by Havana Grey’s at Tattersalls in December last year for a total of 240,000gns, so we are excited by the prospect that maybe this daughter of Havana Grey will help us to break the individual six-figure mark in the sales ring. We are expecting to foal down a further two more foals by Havana Grey this year.

​Photos to follow of both newborn fillies in nursery paddocks this week – hopefully with some sunshine on their backs.

​A busy night in the maternity ward for Ian! Not to mention a busy week on the road in the horsebox. Romance was in the air this week with Valentine’s Day representing the official start of the breeding season. Pleased to say we were, or by we, I mean Matt, was on the road at all hours of the day for most of the week after sending 5 mares for walk-ins already. Covers have included our first walk-in to Dullllingham Park Stud to see Shaquille, as well as visiting stallions at the National Stud and thankfully a bit closer to home, Overbury Stud. We are well and truly in the depth of the foaling and breeding season, and long may it continue.

​​Next week I’m handing over the blog to Vicky, the excellent cheese and tomato twist baker, who will be doing a takeover for the Foaling Files.

Welcome back! 

The current standings for foals on the ground is eight. This includes a considerable number of fillies (7) and just 1 lonely colt... We are eagerly anticipating another colt foal to arrive - hopefully soon.

​We now have a total of 5 foals on the ground. Leading the way is the girls, with a 4:1 girls-to-boys ratio. The personalities amongst our current foals have suddenly started to develop. Our currently only colt foal-born has been nicknamed ‘Leo’ who has a very friendly nature, loves a nap, and is very cuddly. Amongst the girls, we have a sister to last year's ‘Rodney’, nicknamed ‘Rhonda’ who just likes to get on with things. Also sticking to the topical sibling similarity’s theme on naming, we also have ‘Harriet’. Her half-brother we had nicknamed ‘Harry’ last year because he was chestnut, regally bred, and a cheeky chap.

​On Thursday Ian and I went to Tattersall in search of a bit of value. Unfortunately, it was an unsuccessful trip. Underbidders on two horses, we were unable to secure what we wanted.

Welcome back for blog post number four!
 
We’ve currently got the same number of foals as the number of blog posts written. No new arrivals this week, but it has been far from quiet on the farm with lots of things to keep us busy.

​Despite a quiet week in the maternity ward - surprising considering the milder temperatures - last Sunday we had a mare who prematurely gave birth to her filly foal, consequently resulting in the filly having to be hospitalised. The mare presented a red bag when foaling, and it was evident the foal had been stressed in the uterus due to the brown-coloured residue that was on the towel after being dried off. Thanks to the excellent work at B&W Equine and the team at their Breadstone hospital, the filly is doing superbly and arrived back at Byerley on Wednesday. Restricted on turnout, and weaning off her medication, this filly is none the wiser to the antics that panned out last Sunday. She is bouncing and battling on! We are closely monitoring this filly, but within the next few weeks, she will be allowed out for some light exercise.

​On Thursday, Fred the farrier was here trimming all our yearlings. Each yearling is walked up and down in front of Fred and assessed on their conformation and footfall. Fred trims all our young stock and is great at correcting conformational faults. He starts trimming our foals from an early age. Farriery in foals is extremely important during the first six months of life as it will often determine the limb and foot conformation that will be present during the foal's adult life. The yearlings change and grow differently, but already, looking at all of them, it’s beginning to get exciting thinking about the possibility that might be, come the yearling sales in 2024.

Hello again! 

​In this week’s issue of The Foaling Files, we talk about our latest arrivals here at Byerley Stud, the importance of colostrum, and the baked goods which have kept us going.

We welcomed two new arrivals in the maternity yard this week. Despite the cold and frosty weather, the frost wasn’t for stopping two of our mares from getting on with things and foaling in minus temperatures. I think the only thing the frost stopped around here, was the feeling in our fingers and toes!

​The first moments after a foal is born are crucial for its health and well-being. One of the key factors that contribute to a foal's successful start in life is colostrum, often referred to as the "liquid gold" of the equine world. Colostrum is the first milk produced by the mare shortly after giving birth. It's not just any milk; colostrum is a nutrient-rich fluid that is jam-packed with essential antibodies, vitamins, and minerals. This golden elixir provides the foal with everything it needs to kickstart its immune system and thrive in its new environment. Newborn foals are born with immature immune systems, making them highly susceptible to infections and diseases. Colostrum plays a pivotal role in providing passive immunity to the foal by transferring antibodies from the mare. These antibodies act as the foal's first line of defence, protecting it against a myriad of potential threats. Both the mares who foaled this week recorded very high levels of colostrum in their milk. Measuring colostrum quality with a refractometer, both mares had a reading with a Brix value of ≥ 30%. Both mares were foaled by stud manager, Ian Bradbury.

​Hello, and Happy New Year! 
 
Welcome to the first-ever edition of The Foaling Files. A blog aimed to provide an insight into a typical foaling season here at Byerley Stud. As we take you behind the scenes, we look forward to inviting you on this journey with us and hopefully learning a thing or two along the way!
 
Since the New Year, it’s been all systems go on the farm, from formulating mating plans, pressure-washing and laying boxes, to transporting horses back into training. Everything is done in preparation for the much-anticipated foaling season. Our early foaling mares have been in boxes since before Christmas, with our first mare due to foal down around about the 20th of January. With approximately 40 mares due to foal down between January and May, it’s expected to be a busy season ahead, but also a rewarding one in which we eagerly anticipate every year.
 
Among the list of mares due to foal down with us is a half-sister to dual Listed (L.) winning and Group 3 (Gr.3) placed Gale Force Maya, the dam of multiple black-type scorer Charterhouse, black-type performing mares Sweet Cecily and Bella Vita, the dam of exciting 3YO prospect Zoulu Chief, as well as mares in foal to Havana Grey and first season sire Caturra. On top of that, our barren and maiden barn boasts a bundle of quality, featuring new additions to the farm in Gale Force Maya herself, the previously foaled and sold and now a 5-time winner and over £100k in prize money Don’t Tell Claire, as well as the dam of Sha Tin specialist and almost £230k in prize money Kaholo Angel. 
 
Whilst the whole of England is either flooded or because of the rain now wading through mud - we caught a glimpse of why it is all worth it, after seeing a picture of our very own Zoulu Chief (pictured below) in sunny Dubai gearing up for the Dubai Racing Carnival. We wish Heather Main, connections, and the team, all the best of luck – and fingers crossed for a nice update from Zoulu Chief to keep us all in good spirits from a soggy UK!
 
As the foaling season unfolds, we invite you to join us along this journey. Follow our blog for regular updates, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and uplifting stories of newborns here at Byerley Stud. May this foaling season be filled with health, happiness, and the boundless potential of what the future may hold.