Does a foal need other foals???

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pinkypug1

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My foal is now 4 months old & has never been near another foal... will this affect her in any way?

Since birth she has been out 24/7 with her mum & other horses have come & gone (various friends horses have come for a few months here or there & shared my grazing) foal has been great with all the other horses & seems to cope well within a herd environment with all types/ages (im always careful re introductions etc)

Im just feeling bad that she hasnt had anyone her own age to play with... its not an option but will it cause any issues in the future or is company of any age sufficient?
 
Other foals would be nice but the lack of company of similar age is not necessarily harmful. My first foal didn't have other babies to play with, and when weaned went out with a friendly gelding.
 
Some smaller breeders do seem to be a bit hung up on foals always having to live with other foals of the same or similar age group. Although it's nice to have a few youngsters living together I do not believe it is necessary at all for the well being of the foal. I have a situation on my stud farm whereby all of my 2011 foals live together in a huge field with their mothers and a couple of babysitters. One foal and his dam however do not live with them, they are in with another herd of adult-only horses and this foal is wonderfully socialised and is a good boy and is happy with them. He did live with the other foals for a couple of months when he was first born but I made the decision to move them a few months ago with absolutely no detrimental effects to either.

I also generally keep yearlings and 2 year olds together too (accompanied by 1 or 2 mature horses) but this year I have one yearling living with the larger herd of 2011 foals. He's happy there so there he stays.

I tend to think outside the box so I watch each individual horse and foal and do what's right for them rather than what's easiest for me. Your foal sounds very well socialised and I think his experiences so far are a plus for you and him rather than seeing it as a negative. He has been able to experience so much more different horses than most foals of his age :)
 
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Think about how horses live in the wild - it's much more natural for a foal to live with an all-age group of horses than with just other foals or youngsters. It's how they learn their manners and socialisation skills - I think you're actually doing your foal a favour for the future tbh, teaching her independence and I think it'll make weaning easier too :)
 
I don't think a foal necessarily needs other foals but they MUST have company of some kind as they are herd animals after all. I have done both - raised with others same age and with older and all is ok as long as tolerant companions.
 
Spring Feather I don't think it is a case necessarily of being "hung up" on wanting foals to have other foals, as if it is a negative desire, merely a preference for that particular breeder. I like my foals and youngsters to be around other youngsters but know many who do well with an older, friendly companion too.
 
My three year olds wish my two year old had other company of his own age as he gives them no peace whatsoever which they get narked about and because they were too tolerant of him as a weaned foal, now he doesn't take any notice of a nasty look or nip which should put him back in his place but they are too nice to do anything more to him. The mares wont tolerate him so it's only the three year olds that he bothers.

So, yes, if you have a bold foal it is sometimes better for them to have similar age company which leaves the others in peace.
 
Oops sorry LynneB I didn't explain myself very well. I had been reading some threads where people had either bred a single foal or bought a weanling and were panicking a little about how to keep it. They were considering buying another foal to keep the original one company when all a foal really needs is the companionship of some other equines, be they young or older. It is always nicer to have youngsters together but it isn't necessary is what I meant.
 
My filly has only ever known her Mum and my New Forest who was 3 when she was born. She has enjoyed playing with the Newfie and learnt manners from her very bossy Mum .

I think it is nice for them to have other horses who like to play but as others have said they need to learn manners from a mixed age herd.

I would love for her to be a part of a real mixed herd but I only have a small acreage so she has to make do ;)
 
thanks for all the replies that has set my mind at ease... she is a very happy, friendly foal & i do think the fact she she met so many other horses of various ages, sexes & sizes will have helped her!
 
I am glad that I came across this thread! I wrote a post about a foal that is coming to me at age 6 months and I would be keeping him with 2 Shetland ponies. I have been freaking out that they are not foals/ young and told that I NEED to keep him with other youngsters..
These replies suggest he may be ok with the shetlands?
 
Englishcowgirl91 said:
I am glad that I came across this thread! I wrote a post about a foal that is coming to me at age 6 months and I would be keeping him with 2 Shetland ponies. I have been freaking out that they are not foals/ young and told that I NEED to keep him with other youngsters..
These replies suggest he may be ok with the shetlands?
Click to expand...
But the foal in this thread (from 12 years ago) is with her mum so nothing like your situation.
 
Englishcowgirl91 said:
I am glad that I came across this thread! I wrote a post about a foal that is coming to me at age 6 months and I would be keeping him with 2 Shetland ponies. I have been freaking out that they are not foals/ young and told that I NEED to keep him with other youngsters..
These replies suggest he may be ok with the shetlands?
Click to expand...
Well he MAY be alright, horses learn to put up with a lot of things after all, but ideally he will have a much better chance of growing up with manners and a good sense of his place in the world if he has companions of his own age. And I'm sure you realise if you trawl about for any length of time you will find someone to agree with your point of view eventually.
 
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