body language from foal... ??

NeverSayNever

NeverSayNever

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my new foal arrived on thurs, he is 6 months old, section A. him and my horse hit it off straight away and they have been fab together. Phoenix, the foal, is doing something I have never seen before though... he goes up to Charlie and opens and closes his mouth like he is chomping, but doesnt bite at him. They end up grooming one another, i just wondered what it meant.
 
Congrats on your new addition!!

The chomping is a form of submission to the older horse, its their way of communicating that they arent a threat to them. It will probably carry on for a few mths/yrs, for example my 18mth old still displays this to the older/dominant horses with the herd.
 
Agree with Loz, Penny ''mouths'' to Meg who is dominant, but is over bold and doesn't mouth with Juno. When Penny first arrived, she even mouthed at some cows!! She is now 7 months, and I can't see her stopping mouthing at Meg for a while yet!!
Its a baby thing, no need to worry!
 
I agree they do it to say "don't hurt me I am a baby" One of YO's yearlings was turned out with Cappy and another older gelding. Cappy, mean b*gger that he is, knocked him over and after that everytime the yearling saw him he chattered his teeth.

I was told they will try it on until they are 4 sometimes.

FDC
 
Fergus does it all the time to new horses - as Fanyduchamp said, it's a 'i'm only a baby, please don't hurt me'. We call it his 'baby talk'. Most foals only use it when they meet a new horse but I have seem a couple use it as excuse to get away with being rude!
 
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