At a time when you have just lost your broodmare or your recently orphaned foal needs a foster mother urgently where do equestrian owners turn?

You often hear on the radio and TV, requests for foster ewes or orphan lambs needed urgently, but where can equestrian breeders get help that covers all Ireland looking for a suitable partner?

The Northern Ireland Horse Board has devised a system whereby there is a 24-hour a day seven days a week service available. This facility is available free to all horse and pony breeders whether non-thoroughbred or thoroughbred and can be accessed by owners throughout Ireland. Hopefully few breeders will have to avail of this facility, realistically however a few mares or foals will be lost this season.

Any mare owner who has lost a foal and is willing to let their mare foster an orphan foal needing a mother may leave their contact details the NIHB Foster Mother " Orphan Foal web page on the website nihorseboard. org Remember if a mare fosters a foal this can help her get over the loss of her own foal more quickly and help her breeding cycle return to normal.

Any breeder who has an orphan foal can likewise leave their contact details on the NIHB Foster Mother / Orphan Foal web page on the website nihorseboard.org

Anyone needing either foster mother or orphan foal can look up the web page and see if any mares or foals are available at that time, if necessary they can place their animal needing help on the site and hopefully a suitable partner will soon become available. Like most things the more widely known about and used the more successful this service will be. Please keep the web address handy it could come in very useful at any time.

The Northern Ireland Horse Board are delighted to offer this facility free of charge to breeders and feel that in some small way this may help breeders needing urgent help throughout Ireland.

If you don't have access to the internet your self Ïphone a friend", anyone can access the NIHB website for you or you can phone or fax your details to the NIHB office Tel 028 97 528 324 and we will put your details on the website.