One #Hack1000Miles rider got the “shock of her life” when she arrived at the yard one morning last month to find that her Gypsy cob mare had unexpectedly given birth.
Greater Manchester-based rider Julie Davies had progressed well into her 1,000-mile journey riding Tammy — even completing a 16-mile fun ride just days before the cob gave birth.
“I bought Tammy in May last year but I wasn’t told she was in foal and I had no idea,” said Julie.
“Since I bought her, I’ve hacked her all over the country, learnt to jump and school as well as taken her on numerous fun rides.
“At the beginning of March, we went on a 16-mile fun ride over the moors and she didn’t put a foot wrong. She felt exactly as she always did; there was no sign she was in foal let alone about to give birth.”
‘She was in labour’
“The following day I took Tammy for a short hack to stretch her legs and on the way back there was a very steep hill. She was puffing a lot and I thought she was probably tired from the fun ride the day before, so I dismounted and walked her up the hill. Now I know she was in labour,” said Julie.
Back at the yard Julie put the mare to bed for the night and returned the next day to discover a foal in the stable.
“I couldn’t believe it. I was walking around shaking my head thinking about all the miles we’ve hacked. There just weren’t any signs,” said Julie.
“I was riding her every single day and she was fit as a fiddle. Looking back at pictures since we bought her, she just looks like she has muscled up and got fitter.”
‘We’ll definitely be keeping him’
Julie added that Tammy is “a wonderful mum”.
The mare has taken naturally to motherhood and Julie has named the foal Titan.
“She’s a wonderful mum. She is so laid back and takes everything in her stride, even an unexpected foal. She really is one of the calmest horses I’ve ever come across and I’m hoping Titan will have her temperament.
“He loves attention and I’ve been leading him in a headcollar to the field. We think he will be a bit taller than Tammy, so my daughter already has her eye on him for when he’s older.
“We’ll definitely be keeping him,” continued Julie.
This is Julie’s first taste of horse ownership and she has hit the pause button on the #Hack1000Miles challenge for now.
“I definitely got more than I bargained for when I bought Tammy,” smiled Julie.
“I started riding three years ago because my daughter is autistic and for her birthday I bought her a riding holiday. I decided to have some lessons before we went to see if I could actually ride and I was hooked, then Tammy came along.
“Little did I know that Titan was joining the family too. I’m lucky to keep them on a private professional showjumping yard so I have a lot of knowledgeable people around to help me.”
