[propspony]

So... I have a confession to make. Every time I see a foal with Jan 1st listed as their birthdate, my first response is: *cough* Bulls**t.

Amazing, just how often those little suckers are born the first of the year. Like the mares just KNOW. LOL.


So here's my question. Am I completely jaded or has anyone on here actually had an honest-to-goodness born Jan *1st* baby?

[Laurierace]

I have only known one born on Jan 1st but he was very premature and died a couple of weeks later. I know of several who were born that first week legitimately though.

[password]

Yes, it has happened, LOL! Just as often the same breeding date can produce a mid January foal or a late December one too though.

[lecoeurtriste]

While I can't answer your question, I would have loved it if the breeders of my December 9th born gelding would have ignored him for a few weeks to give him a January birthday! :-) We did the USEA Young Event horse classes when he was 4yo and 5yo, and thanks to USEF age rules, he was easily 6-9mo younger than the competition!

[tuckawayfarm]

Jockey Club TBs are often listed as Jan 1st, year of birth regardless of their actual birthdate as this is the date used to determine their racing age.

[Hillside H Ranch]

I've seen several foals truly born on January 1st. However, my husband and I used to have a running joke about it, because he worked in a practice with a lot of halter horse breeders and those *newborns* sure were big on January 1st!

[propspony]

First week I can *definitely* understand. With the standardbreds we tried pretty hard to get as close to the beginning of Jan as possible, but sometimes I just have to raise an eyebrow 'cause I can't think of a SINGLE time we (or anyone else) had a legitimately Jan 1st foal. LOL! Had a Jan 3rd once. Closest we ever got though. :-)

Lecouertriste wow that stinks. Yes... I definitely feel your pain!

Hillside, Yup... lol, kinda my thoughts too. ;-)

[Fourbeats]

Closest I ever got was a Jan. 3rd too and she was actually about 10 days earlier than I expected.

[Laurierace]

Jockey Club TBs are often listed as Jan 1st, year of birth regardless of their actual birthdate as this is the date used to determine their racing age.

That is so not true and any breeder caught doing that would lose their registration altogether. January 1st is the date for determining a horse's age for racing but the foaling date is 100% necessary for their foal papers to be legitimate.

[tuckawayfarm]

That is so not true and any breeder caught doing that would lose their registration altogether. January 1st is the date for determining a horse's age for racing but the foaling date is 100% necessary for their foal papers to be legitimate.

Laurie, I did not mean on their foal papers. I work for a vet and TBs are in our database as Jan 1st. I have also seen this as common with USEF Recordings. I assumed (Yep, I know) that the OP was seeing Jan 1st in various databases, not JC registration papers. Sorry for the confusion.

[Laurierace]

Ok, that makes sense. Falsifying foaling dates is definitely a no no and I didn't want anyone to think that is common.

[propspony]

I assumed (Yep, I know) that the OP was seeing Jan 1st in various databases, not JC registration papers. Sorry for the confusion.

Ha! nope, like Laurie I grew up with racehorses so seeing Jan 1st in various databases doesn't bother me at all, I'm talking foal registration papers. ;-)

and like Laurie said, you never want to get *that* phone call from the registrar. LOL!

[tuckawayfarm]

Hmmmmmm....

Guess you don't see many Dec 30 or 31st birthdates....

Interesting