Advice on How to be Tactful re. Foal - Please Help!

[JAK]

Ok - so as some of you know, middle daughter is helping break in YO's 8/9 year old 'unrideable' 14.2hh - this is going very well, however......

The 'Spotty Retarded One' lives in a field with a sec A x, YO's big mare & her foal......& foal is a pain in the bottom! Obviously, I realise foals are babies, don't know anything & are very 'playful' but he is still a pain!

She went to field yesterday to catch 'Spotty Retarded One' & foal comes charging up as in "Yay people - wanna play?" (This is a rhetorical question, as he doesn't take 'No!" for an answer!)
Chased her down field, with her having to constantly 'threaten' him to keep away, aggressive stance, cross voice, glare, swinging lead rope towards him etc. - you dare not turn your back on him or he's on top of you...literally!

Got as far as mare & he's now charging at her, so 'hid' behind mare, who flattened her ears & threatened him from the other side, clearly well p*ssed off with his rude behaviour but he just danced out of reach & bided his time!

Having got hold of 'SRO', he proceeded to 'divebomb' them all the way back down the field, biting at 'SRO's' backside (sec A is covered in bites etc. from him, as he tortures him unmercifully!), with poor child hanging onto the hotheaded 'SRO' for dear life!

So, my question is, next time YO cheerfully tells MD to fetch pony in, how do we say "No sorry, you'll have to get him yourself, it's not safe with the foal in there", as this is after all her 'baby' we're talking about!

And for those thinking 'God, how wet!', foal at neqarly 3 months old, is about the same height wise as the 13hh LBO (though obviously not as long) & is bold & pushy in the extreme! Rears up & boxes at you constantly, chase you, jumps on you if you turn your back on him & I think child is frightened she will end up having to whallop him seriously with the headcollar to keep him off her & will then be in trouble for 'frightening' or 'hurting' him!

Sorry it's so long but.......help!

 

[AmyMay]

Is it a colt by any chance???????????????

 

[JAK]

Yes, a colt & I'm sure it's perfectly normal but he's just so big & so pushy, the two together make it very difficult! (Apparently he is 'typical' of colts by this stallion!)

 

[lennysmith]

Not wet ata ll. Denver went through exactly the same satge and I had to stop my kids coming down to see him for a while. However, I nipped it in the bud, so it didn't last long thankgoodness. He now is as trust worthy as a 3 month old colt can be lol.

With regard to you predicament. I would just tell her straight. Middle daughter is not happy about going in the field with the unruley colt and see what she says. Maybe if she had spent more time with him he wouldn't be like this? I dont know I'm no expert. But I do know Denver was exactly the same so it had to be stopped.

Your daughters safety comes first xxx

 

[AmyMay]

The foal that we have at my place this year is comming up to four months old now - and can be quite colty. He'd have had his balls off this past fortnight if it wasn't so hot.

Maybe you can ask when he will be cut as you've noticed he's getting very colty in the field? Or maybe you can ask for this pony that you need to get in to either be brought in by the owner - or put in another field??

 

[Maesfen]

Tell her to be brave, she will NOT hurt it but she must retaliate herself and give it the hiding it deserves - no more, no less!!
If it comes anywhere near her when she catches pony again, then she must wallop it as hard as she can with a long rope/stick (so she keeps out of the way of flying hooves and teeth)

If it was me, I'd insist YO goes and catches her own bloody pony and see how she likes it being chased and threatened by something as wild as that foal. If it isn't stopped now, it could turn into a right nasty beast in the future.

IT NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW, don't pussyfoot around and wring your hands about the ethics of it, sort it now before it kills someone and if you think I'm exaggerating, don't, a friend of mine was killed exactly like this which is why I'm so hot on it.

 

[ruscara]

I would tell YO straight, and not allow MD in there. From what you say, it is not safe, and your daughter's safety come way before any hurt feelings. It is not up to MD to discipline the foal, but she shouldn't have to be in the position of potentially hurting him just to protect herself. It's just not on.

 

[AmyMay]

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It is not up to MD to discipline the foal

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I agree - if she's close enough to wap it - she's close enough to get kicked. Having narrowly been missed the other day through my own stupidity I can attest to the fact that foals have absolutely nooooo respect when it comes to their back legs - and some serious damage could be done.

 

[JAK]

[ QUOTE ]
However, I nipped it in the bud, so it didn't last long thankgoodness.

[/ QUOTE ]
Hhmm, yes....therein lies the problem probably!

The little oik's been like this from day one pretty much & has just got 'worse' as he's got bigger!
'Leading' consists of being towed down the drive at breakneck speed, avoiding the plunging front legs etc. - great fun - not!
Denver sounds lovely! Well done to you!

 

[JAK]

[ QUOTE ]
Maybe you can ask when he will be cut as you've noticed he's getting very colty in the field?

[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, the sooner the better I reckon!

 

[JAK]

[ QUOTE ]
If it was me, I'd insist YO goes and catches her own bloody pony and see how she likes it being chased and threatened by something as wild as that foal. If it isn't stopped now, it could turn into a right nasty beast in the future.

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You're right Pat - just give it to her straight then?
(Maybe a bit of a 'wake up call' would be a good idea anyway, as she just doesn't seem to see what other people do - even the girls have never liked him much, as he's always been so 'in your face'!)

 

[JAK]

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...I can attest to the fact that foals have absolutely nooooo respect when it comes to their back legs

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It's more the front ones you need to worry about, as he either strikes out or goes straight up & comes down on top of you!

 

[JAK]

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I would tell YO straight, and not allow MD in there. From what you say, it is not safe, and your daughter's safety come way before any hurt feelings.

[/ QUOTE ]
Thanks mm, I will! I think she's going to be a bit 'shocked' initially but deep down, she must know what he's like herself & she never goes in there alone - anything that needs doing to the fencing etc. requires a second person to 'hold him off' while you do whatever it is needs doing, so......?

 

[S_N]

I agree with everyone else, it is your YO's responsibilty to teach this little oik some manners!! Thing is MD is probably a whee slip of a girl right - compared with a grown up..??? I have a trick that she could use if she'd like to!

Find an umberells, one of the ones that has one of those button things that makes them suddenly open! When he starts making his move towards MD, she's to point it towards him and press the button - holding it at shoulder height! The sudden movement and increase in her size will really shock him! Also a water pistol may be worth trying!

Hope this helps!

 

[JAK]

Cheers SN - nice one - but I'm banning her from the field, for the mo at least! YO can fetch pony in, if she wants him played with - I'm just not risking it again!

 

[parsley]

I agree with you - let YO go and get the pony until the foal has learnt some manners.

 

[Claireg9]

Maesfenhorse thats an awful story!
And so sad...
On one had im thinking arrrr bet the foaly looks quite cute, but on the other i know its very very dangerous. I would never send my Daughter in and id definitely have to tell the owner straight. Its not appropriate for an 8y/o to be catching a horse with a naughty foal running at her, its not her responsibility.
Tell her straight, she'll have to deal with it!

 

[JAK]

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On one had im thinking arrrr bet the foaly looks quite cute, but on the other i know its very very dangerous.

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Sadly, 'cute' is not a word I would ever have applied to this foal!
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Its not appropriate for an 8y/o to be catching a horse with a naughty foal running at her...

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Eek, no! Pony is 8, child is 13 (& very tall for her age!)
I know I'm a poo parent sometimes but I'm not that insane!

 

[Tia]

Not "wet" in the slightest! Foals are terrors and can do damage to a grown person let alone a child, particularly when they go through the stage of trying to rear on top of you.

Can the spotty one (who is he? New horsey??) not go in another field for the time being?

PS. I've missed your fantastic posts - always enjoy reading them.

 

[JAK]

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I agree with you - let YO go and get the pony until the foal has learnt some manners.

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Yep, my kids may be horrible sometimes but I quite like the idea of them staying in one piece, with all limbs etc. in full working order!

 

[JAK]

Hi Tia!
Don't think Spotty One can be moved, as he's always been in with his sec A friend!
Hang on though, yes he bl**dy well could, couldn't he, he could go in the pony field! He's far too clingy to his little friend anyway! LOL

 

[Tia]

Who is he though? I don't remember you having a little spotty one??

Do you know I have a little spotty horse now too?? Matching pair except one is 15hh and the other is a monstrous 16.3hh!!

 

[JAK]

Put reply on your other post! LOL
He's not mine, I hasten to add & not really 'spotty', more 'paint splattered roan'!
I'll pm you!

 

[SirenaXVI]

Agree with everything everyone else has said, the YO needs to sort this lad out NOW whilst he is still small, otherwise this behaviour will escalate until he hurts someone or worse and I really don't want it to be your MD

Tell YO you cannot have MD put at risk and she will have to either sort out the colt or bring SRO in herself, but probably put it a little more tactfully than the way I have written it

 

[JAK]

Thanks Sirena - I will have to be rather strict about this obviously!
I have gone plenty far enough I think in allowing her to help with SRO in the first place (she begged & pleaded basically!), as he is such a hot-headed little twit & the thought of anything happening to her whilst catching him (he doesn't come to call infortunately!) is unacceptable & not worth the risk!
If nothing else, we will never be pestered for a 'baby', as he has put all the girls off foals for life I reckon - they can't stand him!

 

[SirenaXVI]

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f nothing else, we will never be pestered for a 'baby', as he has put all the girls off foals for life I reckon - they can't stand him!

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LOL! Every cloud and all that

 

[S_N]

[ QUOTE ]
he has put all the girls off foals for life I reckon - they can't stand him!

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Oh that's really sad! Understandable in the circumstances, but still really sad! there's nothing that beats a cuddley, sweet foalie, with their milky breath giving you kisses. I do hope that they all get the chance to meet a well mannered and friendly foal at some point in their lives!

 

[henryhorn]

I agree with Maes' advice, if you don't take some action someone will be seriously hurt.
I get quite fed up with people treating foals as pets, they aren't they are horses and need to be handled as such. Last week two of ours started to take liberties, one ran up to CCJ and bit her on the shoulder, and she walloped it straight back, shouted and then chased it away. the other one kicked her and got exactly the same treatment. I very much doubt either of them will attempt those tricks again.
Sadly this foal has been allowed to think he's pretty important plus loads of cuddles when he was smaller has probably exacerbated the problem.
Take a lunge whip in and crack it at him, if necessary swing it gently but with enough force to touch him, he will soon get the message.
We had some friends once who allowed their then foal to push them about their stable, we warned them it was a bad idea but it wasn't until it was a huge 16.2hh two year old they realised their mistake.. poor horse got a hiding when it should have been the owners for being so stupid.
A foal can rear and come down on your head so please warn your daughter to wear her hat in the field, I would warn the YO of the problem and see what she advises, if she has any sense she will realise she would be liable after you telling her there is a problem with it..

 

[JAK]

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Sadly this foal has been allowed to think he's pretty important plus loads of cuddles when he was smaller has probably exacerbated the problem.

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Even the girls used to warn people off over-petting him as a baby, particularly as he was so uppity even as a tiny one but nobody listens to kids when they say "Isn't that enough now?", do they? They just laugh & carry on!

Perhaps because the girls have been brought up with large guarding breeds of dog & have been dragged round clubs & shows since they were little dots in prams etc., they are a little more clued-up as to what happens when you let 'cute babies' get away with things!