Hmmm, Decisions on possible turnout stratergies for baby!ADVICE PLEASE

E

EquestrianFairy

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 October 2006
Messages
6,502
Visit site
Ok so obviously as i wasnt expecting my baby (at all) and definatley so soon i have a few issues with turnout.

We have one BIG field which consists of two yearlings, one colt, 5 mares and one gelding which is the field baby was born in and my mare grazes in. Plenty of natural shelter and quite a settled herd, no major issues to speak of. My mare is 'top mare' there.

There is one baby colt (about 5 weeks old) and his mother currently up in our grass school much to other peoples frustration (and rightly so tbh) as the mare is very stressy and the guy moved her once baby was born in worry for the others upsetting/hurting baby.

There is minimal grass left in there, no shelter and very much 'open to the elements' on a hill.

My options are:

1. to turn my mare out with the other mare and her new baby, supplementing the lack of grass with hay and not knowing how the other mare will react either.
No shelter and having to hike tubs of water up each day.

2.Turn my mare back out into the big field after a few days when baby is stronger and more sure of his feet and let nature take its course in regard to my mare beating seven sh** out of any horse that decides to decend into her 'space'

3. Electric fence off some of the big field which i am very unkeen on tbh. We've tried it before and it did cause more problems than it was worth when it was done to separate some mares.

HELP PLEASE!
grin.gif
What would you do?!
 
I would probably fence a bit off tbh, but I am very precautious and would be worried about what might happen....

perhaps when the baby is a little older I would put them in with the herd, but I wouldnt to start with, whilst he is so young!
 
How did your mare and the other mare with a foal get on before the foals were born?

I've found that the mares tend to ignore each other and keep their babies away from each other for the first month or so and then when the babies get more playful they start to play and the mares start to be more social to each other.
I would worry in the big group that the others will get nosey and try to talk to the foal and your mare will get very defensive. It can stress the mare out.
 
Were the other horses in there when he was born? If it's a settled herd and they greeted his arrival with no problems then I'd go for the main herd if it's settled and mare is boss. If she is already boss she won't need to beat anything out of anyone. To be sure I'd introduce one horse at a time.

Baby is best out as much as poss - his developing limbs need exercise.
 
if yr mare is the top dog i cant see there been to much trouble in the field with the others as she's gonna keep the others away from her baby and they'll soon learn not to touch the foal.
putting her in with the other mare would be ideal for when it comes to weaning as the foal will have a pal when he loses mummy which is always nice, but will the stressy mare stress out yr mare as i wouldnt want that to be happenin or mayb yr mare will calm her down some as there is some on for her to talk to
could u try both options and see which works best??
yr mummy and foal are both gorgeous by the way im so jealous
 
Tbh my mare doesnt get on with any of the other horses if they get too close. Shes happy to graze with them but ive never seen her groom or play with any of them.

The odd mare would get abit too close (before babies were born) and she'd warn them with her ears and they'd stay away. Im unsure if she did this BECAUSE she was in foal and looking after herself or just because this is the way she is.

Out of the lot, the yearlings were able to get closest to her.

Yes, she foaled in that same field and everything was very settled that morning, there were no running around or anything going on. Not even when i moved them out of the field and into the stable.
 
Having seen a friend's foal be killed this year (and having lost one of my own, although due to medical reasons), I would never let a newborn foal and its mare in with other horses for at least a month. My friend's foal got between her mum and another horse, as mum kicked out, and foal got both barrells to the head.

It might be a pain, but I would seperate your mare and foal completely, even if just for a few weeks. You have waited so long for your coloured foal, you don't want something to happen to her now! You may think "it will never happen to me" or that the mare is a good protective mum, or that the herd is stable and no incidents would happen, but could you forgive yourself if they did?
 
I would give them a couple of days and then put them back with the herd, it will be good for the foal to interact with others and if your mare is top girl I can't see she will have too many inquisitive visitors other than on her terms.
Freak accidents happen but that can be in any situation and unless we all wrap our horses in cotton wool 24 hours a day we'll never be able to prevent the odd tragedy
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top