introducing a mare and foal

J

joingall

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We have just got a mare and a foal, who is now a week old. It was a rescue mission! Does anyone have any experience of when and how to introduce the mare and foal to our other 2 horses ( a 2yr old mare and a 6 year old pony gelding.) They're in seperate fields and can see each other but can't touch. But we'd love to get them together to allow the foal to experience herd life as much as possible but don't won't him to get hurt. Does anyone have any experience or ideas. I'm new to this forum thing and have always had horses but never a foal so any foal advice would be great too. The foal lets me touch him all over. When should I try haltering him?
 
I started getting my foal used to having a foal slip put on and taken off from day 1. I wouldn't put my boy out with any horses who wore hind shoes. instead mum and baby went out on their own for about a month, then we introduced Riley the mini mule (much to the mares disgust - she's an Arab and thinks she's far too superior a being to be sharing a field with a mule!!!). My friend then purchased another mare and foal so they all went out together and were totally fine.

Can you move them so that they are in fields next to each other to begin with and can touch over the fence (assuming it's safe fencing). So long as the other ones don't wear hind shoes I'm sure they'll be fine, mum will probably be very protective for a while but they'll soon all settle in to a herd
 
Depends on the other horses. I recently aquired two mares with very young foals at foot and put them out with my two year old, who is very much still a baby, but would think twice, and then again before i mixed anything else in while they are so small.
As it is, the mares will haul my 2yr old over the coals if she crosses the line, but they are quite happy for her to now mingle with the them and the foals.
All are section a's so all of a size, and they can "talk" over the fence to the guys next door if they want (though the mares prefer to keep themselves to themselves at the moment)
 
Thanks for that. How long should I leave them in adjoining fields before we move them together? None of them have shoes at the moment so probably a good time to do it.
The foal is great looking at foal slip, rubbing him all over with it, on and off his nose but when I try and put it round his head and do it up he panics and runs off. Don't know whether to keep touching him with it etc, leave it a while or wrestle him into it? What do you recommend?
 
As you've discovered handling a foal is very different to handling a grown up!
Do you know any one experienced with mares and foals to come and help?
It sounds like you need another pair of hands. Get the foal used to you putting one arm round his chest and the other round his bottom to hold him gently but firmly still. Do this for a couple of days and then a 2nd person can gently put the headcollar on while you hold him still.
You can't lead a foal off the headcollar to start with it is introduced in stages but really you need some one to show you how, otherwise we could be here all night!!
There are some good books to help with handling foals and youngsters. Jane Vanlennep has written one called "From foal to full grown" or something like that!
Good luck.
 
I'd pop this in Breeding.

But would be cautious of turning the mare and foal out with others just yet - foal is so young. I'd also not turn it out with the gelding.
 
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