anxious mare with 10 day onld foal

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Quincy1

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Hi, I'm new to this site and have a question for those of you with lots on experience in mares with foals. I have a 15 year old mare with a 10 day old foal (her first). Both are healthy but he needs to be out and she wants to stay in! This started when she was pregnant. She would pace the field wanting to come in, especially when the flies were out. Eventually she started getting distressed and had to stay in. Before she gave birth she would refuse to leave the stable. She is now better since having her colt but if the flies are bad she paces so he can't get any milk, so they have to come in. On windy or wet days she will stay out but won't go far from the gate and is keen to come in. Has anyone had any problems like this before or got any ideas? I'm happy to take any advice anyone has-I'm at a loss as to what to do next!
 
Do you have a barn that you could put her in - with access to the field, so she can bring herself in and out as she wants?

Does she have a fieldmate??
 
Hi, I've tried a rug but it didn't help. I'm pretty sure it is all in her head! I've never has problems with flies in the 10 years I have had her. Normally she loves being out. when pregnant she was out with 2 other brood mares and she would leave them to pace. they are now in the field alongside her and the foal but she ignores them. unfortunately we do not have any shelters that she could use.
 
it difficult one but ithink you need to put fly rug on her and try and persevere with her also give her plenty of good quality garlic in her feed as that is good for keeping the flys at bay. you need to show us pictures of you baby
 
Garlic sounds like a good idea-not sure what the foal will think of garlic tasting milk!! I'm trying to work out how to attach a picture!
 
my mare has a 13day old foal who doesn't bother and she also get a multi vit lol and doesn't get much bother with the flys theyy don't like the garlic hehe
 
Just worked out how to add pictures but home computer won't do it so i will have to try to do it from work! Took a day off to play with new foal today!
 
My mare who has had 4 foals is similar to your girl.She sounds like a good Mum and is doing what comes naturally by not enjoying being too far from the safety of "Home" I agree with all the other replies.
I turn my mare and foal out at 9.ooam then bring them in from 1 till 3 then pop them out again until the flies annoy her again.Gradually I increase the times and by the time the foal is 4 weeks she is far less worried about being home! So don't worry your girlie will settle in to motherhood soon, she is being perfectly normal ... just a little overprotective. x
 
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