Bored foal!

[Clodagh]

Piper is only allowed out for 4 hours a day so has a lot of time in his stable. They have a 'patio' out the front that is rubber matted so spend a lot of time out the front watching whats going on in the farmyard.
He is bored though, when he comes in hes tired but after a couple of hours we start chewing mums tail, licking the wood (am paranoid he'll start cribbing or something) and generally pestering his poor mother, who now bites and boots him to get him to leave her alone - I don't blame her!!
Hes got a mineral lick but what toys can he have to play with? Hes only 3 weeks old so nothing dangerous!
I did think about putting him out twice a day for 2 hours, thoughts on that?

 

[Maesfen]

I'm very anti toys for youngsters, I've known some forget whether it's you or the toy they're playing with so get too rough and you don't want that with colts.
I think the splitting up of turnout seems a good plan and will break the day up nicely for him while he's restricted.

 

[Clodagh]

Thank you for that, he will either be very good or very bad at leading by the time we get the all clear to live out!! (Hes very good at the moment).
Thank you.

 

[Holly831]

Ditto on the twice a day if you can!

I have a ball they like to play with and Louie loves his salt lick. I feed little and often so they now have 6 small feeds instead of two and I spend many many hours brushing/scratching and just talking/singing (very badly) to them.

Louie is currently being turned out for 4 short periods so I can get mucked out (have to keep his foot as dry as possible), at the moment they are happy to come in as thats when they get fed (by 'they' I mean Mum but he sneaks a bit )

It's really hard having to restrict them but it won't be for long and on the plus side Piper will be well used to being handled which is a good thing! and for me - my yard has never been so tidy!!

 

[Holly831]

Forgot to add - foals licking/chewing wood is normal and is not the same as cribbing!!

 

[Clodagh]

Your paddock must be closer to your stable than mine!! (Mines only about 200 yards but it adds up). I led him and Dix on my own today for the first time, we did OK but as he has to be pressed against her hes right on my heels which I hate. Then we got attacked by 10 hungry chickens which was a bit scary.
As I work two jobs he doesn't get loads of cuddles, more like a quick scratch and a 'Hi there' then I'm gone again.

 

[Holly831]

Yep I am lucky, we just created a small foal paddock at the back of the stables to use for the first couple of days but it has worked out really well for Louie as its around 2/3rds of an acre he can't hoon around too much!

I have been working from home an awful lot since he was born and when I have to go in my OH is doing them which is great (and he now loves the horses as much as I do which is just as well when he sees the bills so far )
We are both self employed which works really well too.

 

[Laafet]

Hugs, little Mario had a lot of issues when he was born and spent his first four weeks basically stabled or in a small pen, he is fine now and out in a field. It was necessary for his health and he is showing no signs of stress.