Advice please - best way to teach foal to be alone

[taranana]

Apologies for the slightly rambling nature of this.

I bought a foal at the beginning of December so I do appreciate it is still early days. She is kept at home with our two other ridden girls, in at night, daily turnout. I know it’s not ideal that she has no company of her own age but the three of them rub along fine and hopefully I will be able to sort out a loan for the spring.

However, for now the problem is that she gets very agitated when left, not unreasonably, I know. So far she has been shut in her stable, top door closed when we go out and she has a grille at the front so can see out but pretty much tries to climb out. Obviously I worry about her hurting herself and don’t want her to be stressed but some days my daughter and I want to ride together.. I was thinking of turning her out when we leave her but worry that she’s even more of a danger to herself in the field.

Any suggestions/thoughts on how or even if we can get her to accept the situation gratefully received.
Thanks

 

[scats]

Please go and find somewhere for this foal to be turned out with other youngsters.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Get her a companion or resign yourself to always hacking out solo.

IMHO it is unreasonable to expect a young yearling to be left home alone.

What did you expect to happen when you go out hacking and leave her shut in on her own?

 

[Wishfilly]

I'm sorry, but I think this is cruel. I'm guessing she's not long been weaned, you've taken her from all she knows, and you're asking her to be completely alone in a strange environment (which is a huge fear for any horse, but especially a young one).

I think you need to sort out a loan ASAP and not leave her until then. Or find somewhere to keep here where she can have constant company. Your wants are not more important than her needs.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I agree, she’s too young to expect it of her. Give her the best start now to be able to expect a big ask when she’s older.

 

[Lipglosspukka]

Closing her top door and going off riding, leaving her to stress the entire time you are away is harsh and she will never learn this way.

Poor bugger.

 

[Bellaboo18]

What you're doing is so very cruel.
You need to find somewhere she can be turned out with a herd of youngsters.
Honestly she is not going to grow up to be a level headed person!

 

[taranana]

pretty Much what I thought, just hoping that there might be a way around it. Thank you

 

[oldie48]

Advertise on fb or local rc for somewhere to send your foal, I'm sure you'll find somewhere suitable. My friend always has youngsters but we are much too far away from you and she has a settled group. As others have said this is not a good arrangement for your foal.

 

[TheMule]

This is a totally unacceptable way to treat a yearling, you are setting her up for a lifetime of stress related behaviors and, potentially, health conditions.

 

[ihatework]

I want to cry at this post. Poor poor foal

 

[ycbm]

pretty Much what I thought, just hoping that there might be a way around it. Thank you

You've taken the criticism well, I hope you find a solution quickly.,

 

[Shysmum]

So very sad , why get the poor foal in the first place ? You are setting it up for a lifetime of anxiety. ?

 

[doodle]

I don’t want to weigh in with what has already been said. But I agree. Don’t leave her on her own until you have a buddy for her. You are just setting her up for stables being a stressful place. I don’t think many horses ever actually become happy being alone. Robin is almost 14 and wouldn’t cope with that situation.

 

[05jackd]

Where abouts on the country are you op? Maybe someone can help with some local ideas?

 

[Wishfilly]

pretty Much what I thought, just hoping that there might be a way around it. Thank you

You have to remember that for a horse to be alone is a really really scary thing at any age- but even more so for a horse that isn't even a year old yet. Young colts don't get kicked out until they are 18 months-3years (ish) old. For a horse this young to be on their own in the wild, it really does mean death.

And she's in an unfamiliar place, trapped in a stable that she may not be used to.

I accept you're taking all of this on board, but I'm still not convinced you realise what a big (unreasonable) ask this is! You really are setting her up for a lifetime of problems- both in terms of separation anxiety and potentially being stabled in general.

I think foals can cope ok without company their own age, and with being stabled some of the time, but to ask one to be alone like this is just completely unfair. I hope you are able to find some company for her ASAP, but until you do it is really very unfair to leave her just because you and your daughter want to hack out together.

I am very much one of those people who thinks there are lots of OK ways to keep horses- I don't think my way is the only right way, but I really do think this is unacceptable.

 

[irishdraft]

Lots of adult horses wouldn't be happy with this arrangement. When I bought a weanling I bought a 2nd one purely so they could be out together. Probably best to source a small rescue type or another foal for your existing one .

 

[Gloi]

Providing you aren't going miles you could teach her to be led from your ride pony so she didn't have to be left behind

 

[Suechoccy]

How old is she?
You could lead her from your horse and show her the world if you're only going out for a short stroll with your daughter in walk.

I've had two yearlings and both were food-oriented fortunately. My first yearling I started, as you did, leaving him in the stable with food and my husband, then just riding 10 mins and back. Like you, I found stabling the yearling was stressing, even with husband in next stable. Tried it a few times, realised it wasn't going to work.

So got a treatball and filled it with treats, and a large pile of hay, put both in the field, left yearling in field, with husband sitting on chair reading a book, and rode riding horse 10 mins and back. Much much better. Yearling was distracted by treatball for some time, then moved onto hay, gave me a whinny when I got back. All was well from then on, soon graduated to being able to leave him in field without husband while I went for a 1-2 hour ride and later on, longer rides. That yearling is now 11 and is my riding horse.

Then I got my 2nd yearling (who's now 2 years old) and I started with big pile of hay and treatball in field from day 5 after he arrived home, while riding horse and semi-retired old horse disappeared out for 10 minutes with husband keeping an eye. Soon able to go out for 1-2 hours without husband at field provided I leave him a pile of hay and a treatball. (Mistake I've made this time is I no longer had the original treatball so I used one of those heavy-duty Bag-For-Life carrierbags, minus the handles, put chopped carrots or treats in bottom, stuffed hay on top - so every time my 2 year old spots a rustling Bag For Life, he's convinced it's a treat bag which he must investigate).

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

My youngster was weaned at the stud & I bought him as a yearling - he went straight to a youngstock livery to live the feral life & came over to me as a rising 3 year old for more handling etc. He lived out with a small herd of youngsters the same age & 1 or 2 old retirees to keep them in check. If you can find a similar set up I highly recommend doing it.