Hand reared foals..

[Aidey]

Do they generally tend to have more issues/problems than 'normally' reared foals?
Would you buy one?
Any thoughts/personal experiences?
Things to watch out for/to expect..

 

[Twizzel]

Yes they tend to be more bolshy and less aware of personal space than normal foals, they often see humans as equal to them not above them. Have experience with 2 different horses that were hand reared and both were the same but 1 was a lot worse- probably owner related as he was allowed to get away with blue murder! But both had similar traits. I wouldn't buy one.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Do they generally tend to have more issues/problems than 'normally' reared foals?
Would you buy one?
Any thoughts/personal experiences?
Things to watch out for/to expect..

They lack the equine teaching that their mothers give them. I think a lot would depend who has hand reared the foal. If done by professionals or the Janet George's of this world it would probably be ok, but hand reared and 'fluffy bunnied' would be a real concern to me, especially if a big strong type.

You will find the pro set ups will try to foster an orphan rather than hand rear.

 

[RealityCheck]

I almost had to hand rear a foal this year, he had a lot of problems and couldn't stand up to nurse often so the mare developed mastitis, even with regular hand milking. As it was, despite the colt being bucket fed (always bucket, never bottle!) the lovely more did not as we feared reject him, and has stayed with him to provide discipline.

This is what most hand reared foals are lacking, equine company - and it is this discipline that sets them up for life IMO, teaching them to read body language, manners, their place in the herd etc. If an orphan had a close companion from a young age then I would consider buying, but a foal that has only ever known human company will probably always have issues.

 

[carmenlucy123]

I dont think people can answer yes or no, go look at the foal if it has no issues it certainly wont develop any. if it is what you want then buy it

My filly was hand raised as it was late on and I wasn't lucky enough to find a foster. I am aware she is an orphan, however I'm not sure everyone would be.

I see plenty of bolshy horses and ponies, some mares are very soft with their foals -Any horse will try and push the boundaries.

 

[StoptheCavalry]

My horses mother died shortly after birth and he was bottle fed for only a short amount of time before they were able to send him to a foster home. He is massively people orientated, more so than any horse I've know, he isn't at all bolshy or nasty but has a tendency to be a bit in your space while trying to have a cuddle or search your pockets for something he might like, this does however make him a massive charachter that is hard not to love but he does seem to have the impression he is a big dog. On the flip side of this he has terrible (although improving) separation anxiety from other horses and would turn himself inside out if left alone. All of these traits may just be his character and he may have been like this anyway but I have never known a horse like him and I have never know another bottle fed horse.

Token picture of his car ride in a sleeping bag to his foster mum

ETA: I didn't know the history of mine when I bought him this is all information I have found out since but it really did answer some of the questions regarding his behavior even having really only been affected for a few days. I think if buying a horse I knew to have been hand reared I would be looking for the "bad" behaviors that can be associated and if buying as a youngster would probably like the horse to be turned out in a herd type situation so he/she could learn horse!

 

[cloppy]

What a beautiful picture, all the luck in the world with your special boy.

 

[varkie]

Handreared doesn't have to equal bolshy bratty horse! I handreared a foal a few years ago now, and he turned into the nicest little person ever! But then I was very hands off, and made sure he had other horse company right from the start. I was very careful not to over baby him, as is all too tempting to do. So it very much depends on the individual, and how they've been raised.

 

[hayinamanger]

As above, it very much depends on how the foal was reared. Bottle feeding and over handling will produce a monster youngster with no respect for humans.

 

[JillA]

A friend reared one this year for someone whose mare had rejected it big time (a whole other story ). She got him onto a bucket with a teat, rather like the calf buckets, so he could help himself to his milk, and let him live with the rest of her very mixed herd. She was very very careful not to let visiting people do the "aww foalie, cuddles" thing and he is growing up fairly well adjusted. You should be able to assess his attitude fairly quickly, but hand reared doesn't ALWAYS mean a problem (just usually lol)

 

[GlamourPuss86]

I know 2 who were hand reared.

One loves people, loves to please, lovely to deal with, polite, friendly.

The other is bloody evil to put it mildly!!!

 

[Archiepoo]

weve got one on the yard ,my YO bought him a couple of months ago -hes 2 now and like a big dog ,has no idea hes a horse and we had no idea he was hand reared until a couple of weeks ago- his mother died at birth, he doesnt "speak" horse and so cant go in the fields cos the others avoid him or beat him up-he doesnt fit in and is very "lost" - big labrador sums him up very aptly

 

[Dry Rot]

This year I have two of the nicest well behaved yearling colts ever. No nipping, no threatening to kick, etc. They were put in with the stallion and a gelding soon after weaning. I did wonder about that because although the stallion is very sweet with people he was occasionally lunging at and chasing the youngsters for no apparent reason. Presumably the youngsters were guilty of what in the army they call "dumb insolence".

Interestingly, puppies reared alone as a single have few bite inhibitions. Puppies reared with siblings will try a bite and get bitten back, so they soon give up. Single pups need to be taught that biting is not permitted!

Put the foal and mare in with the herd as soon as possible and let the social system sort it out? This is one area that has me worried about the trend for imprinting foals. They do need to learn how to behave from their own species and malimprints can be real monsters..