Fence jumping/suicidal foal

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Well new foal arrived six months old,quiet stabled for a few days, put in barn by field to meet two ponies over fence . All good so turned out, settled down to graze after a canter round. Watched for ten mins and then came back an hour later. Foal had tried to jump fence- four foot stock fence with six foot hedge behind. A few scrapes to deal with all healed now with help if Manuka honey and he's been stabled with in hand walks since. Today put in courtyard by field. Grassy with five foot walls and a large five bar gate only out for ten mins whilst I muck out. Settles down to graze ( he's only ten metres from stable) and he spooks at something and then climbs/jumps over gate. He's now back in stable for his own safety. How do I go about trying to turn him out again? All advice /ideas welcome he's really stressing me out now as I just want him to be safe in field not cooped up in stable : (
 
Have you got another horse to put him out with?
It sounds like he needs the reassurance of other horses and who can blame him, going from bring with mum to on his own has to be scarey.
 
He was after meeting them first over fence, a dopey aged cob and a Shetland! He just seems to panic and jump ( with little skill or success!) he was next to field again in court yard but no interest in the others hanging over gate happy to graze by himself then jumped/climbed gate!
 
:( I've lost one like this jumped good stock fencing and then got killed on the road. I wouldn't leave out unsupervised until foal has settled, see if you can identify what it is that spooking.

Hope it sorts itself out soon.
 
Maybe do some more handling with him, get his confidence up. Also take for walks in hand with one of the others, or alternate them so he doesn't become dependant on one. So he can build up a bond with them.
 
is he in a stable next to other horses? can you find him a friend to go in the next door stable that he can make friends with then turn them out together so he has someone to look after him that he already knows?
 
Definitely agree about a companion in the same field not over a fence, a young foal should never be alone, it is bound to want to get to other horses and as you've found out, fences are no hazard to something so determined.
 
I don't know what height your foal is expected to grow to but one of mine (to make 14.1HH Highland pony) all but jumped a standard full height steel "stock proof" gate at six months but didn't quite make it, getting a hind leg caught between the top two rails. He just hung there while I tried to lift his front. (3cwt?). A few seconds later and my brain started to work again and I got him free by pulling his leg sideways, I was expecting to hear a crack as the bone broke at any moment. And, yes, he did have a companion.

The next day he wasn't even limping but it took two goes with the Landrover (driving over it) to straighten the gate!

The answer to the problem is to extend the gate upwards which you can do by fixing some uprights and nailing a board along the top. I sandwiched the top rails of the gate between 3" x 1.5" rails, bolted the rails together with the gate between, then nailed a board along the top to those. A small thing to do considering the alternative. None have tried to jump it since.
 
I would never have turned out my foal after just a few days. At that age they really need to be either turned out with playmates, older horses or older broodmare.

I turned mine out with an older broodmare. They met over the stable for a week before being turned out together. Then they were out just the tow of them separate from the rest for a good six weeks. Only once they bonded did I turn them out with the rest. She then had a friend to turn to when the rest got pushy.

She sounds like she is very insecure to risk her own life like that. It's not normal behaviour. Horses don't normally try and do things beyond capabilities unless they feel insecure or threatened. I think she is trying to get to safety either with you or the other horses. I would turn her out with company.
 
I might try again with just the old cob but he's been here three weeks now so would have thought he would be ok. It really isn't normal behaviour! Only have one stable but it's more of a barn so maybe I could introduce him to Shetland in stable? I think today he was trying to get back to stable where he feels safe. I might take him to graze in hand in the courtyard more too. Glad other people have had gate jumping foals he was lucky he scraped leg on top of gate but not lame or anything and he ran to stable afterwards. Thanks all for your replies x
 
No he was out with two others a Shetland and a dopey old cob the first time he jumped a fence! Today he jumped gate away from them it seemed to get back to stable. They were introduced over fence first so thought he would be ok. Won't leave him unattended until I know he's settled.
 
Sorry in first post I meant he met them over fence and was then turned out in same field as others. Watched until all settled grazing together and then checked an hour later and he had jumped fence. It was to get out of field not get to other horses. Today I tried him in courtyard next to field and he jumped out at end away from field towards stable. No idea what's spooked him today as could see anything.
 
I would guess he was abruptly weaned JUST before you took him?? Poor little chap doesn't want a friend - he wants his Mum! If I'm correct, you need to stable him next to a suitable companion - in adjoining boxes where they can smell and touch each other - for at LEAST 3 days. Take them for walks in hand and for a pick of grass - but don't let him loose until you have seen clear signs of him bonding with his new friend.
 
Thanks Janet will do that with Shetland. Poor mite was supposed to have been weaned a few weeks but he may well have been ripped away from mum too quickly. Would make sense why he's not interested in the other horses
 
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