In foal mare being bullied?

G

Gingernags

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 August 2004
Messages
5,785
Location
She's behind you... heh heh heh!!!
Visit site
We have 3 mares between my sister and I, her 18 year old TB who is boss mare, her 3 year old filly off said mare, and my 15 year old Asti in foal for the first and only time.

The TB is boss and always has been, but as the filly is hers - even though they were correctly weaned - she doesn't discipline her at all. As a result, both pick on poor old Asti who daren't stick up for herself with the TB or evil Ivy.

Lately Asti has been getting very grumpy with the filly and has bitten her a few times, and turned her back end, but Ivy thinks its a game, and does the same back. Though on a night when its time to come in, the TB and filly are both shoving Asti out of the way and being total thugs.

Asti doesn't seem to be too happy with this. I know you aren't supposed to keep in foal mares with geldings, but what about horrible mares? Is it worth me making a paddock in our winter field for her so she's next to them but not getting picked on and then I can give her extra hay too when she needs it?

Or do I leave her to get on with it and she'll sort them out eventually?
 
Common sense would tell me to move the mare out of said field and put her in another one ASAP,before you end up loosing the foal.
 
or seperate the daughter, your infoal mare may stress more, being moved away from her companions, depsite being bullied.
 
She spent all the back end of the summer in her own paddock within their paddock so she was with them just separated by electric tape. The only one vexed by it was the youngster as she couldn't get to Asti!

We only have the 3 there on the farm, no other animals or horses, so we can't give her a different companion, and we can't really leave Asti with the TB as she still picks on her and the youngster would go through/under/over fences if she was on her own.

I think I'll split the winter field on Saturday when its light and let her have her own bit again so she gets peace and quiet!

She'll be OK as long as they are in sight all the time which they will be as its about a 2 acre field and I'll section her a bit off.
 
sounds like a plan.. you know the old saying twos company... they are so funny, they can't live with one another and can't live without..........
 
Why not remove the old mare for a while? I have just the same problem; dominant old mare and her daughter; but if the old mare is away, the daughter backs down and becomes humble towards the mare she previously tried to bully. If Asti can be trusted not to totally beat up the youngster, it might do the filly good and be better for Asti, until you can make more permanent arrangements.
 
It seems to be a common problem with dominant mares, their offspring usually take up the mantle and walk over everybody else automatically, with mum's help.

Have had similar problems with a dominant mother who never tells her babies off, she is a great mother but shoots me the most horrible looks if I do anything to discipline them. With her colt you could see her wince as he climbed all over her and gave her the most painful bites, but she never even tried to stop him, I did when he thought he could do it to me!

With one of the fillies she is still treating her as a baby aged 2. But I hooked the filly out and put her in with a tough little cookie that didn't dare touch her when mum was in range and it taught the filly some manners. Took the old dear about a day to stop shouting for her daughter next door and pacing the fence constantly though.
 
I have a solution - move closer to me and you can have Lily back to sort them all out
grin.gif


Hope Ivy starts behaving herself soon - poor Asti, if she's feeling anything like me at the moment she won't be impressed with any sillyness!
 
Asti is getting awfully narky with Ivy actually - she's getting a bit more assertive, especially when there is food in the offing. She has two bellies to fill!!! I have a feeling she'd have eaten Lily by now as a snack!

Hope all is well with yours anyway, will have to meet up soon!

J x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top