Maiden mare

[tda]

Foal is looking fab ?
Out of our two foals here, the filly eats fairly politely and shares with her mum
The colt is not allowed to share his mum's feed (yet)
're the colouring, our grey dales foals are born jet black.
My neighbour breeds Welsh b's and nearly all his foals are born beige, some go grey some liver chestnut, some stay chestnut

 

[Louisa&Chilly]

Yes the feed thing is so funny ? she can’t even eat it. She chews and it all gets spat back out ?
I don’t know what to do about it either, I’m hoping mum will start to tell her as she gets older. Today I tried separate buckets and that worked fairly well!

I too am SO relieved to see that her start hasn’t made her shy and timid. Currently, she is far from!

I too struggle with the grey thing! I can see the grey legs but also agree no grey goggles? Will these come in time?
I do hope she goes grey but she looks more chestnut by the day, but she appears a sandier colour as a pose to a red chestnut colour in places

 

[AmyMay]

If mum is not getting any of the feed you could simply hold on to DeeDee to allow her to eat in peace.

 

[Caol Ila]

My mare was one of those parents who could never tell off her son. He would bite her, jump onto her back, and she would just take it. Luckily, he had other herdmates who imposed some discipline.

After weaning (and then getting over weaning so we could go on walks together), they had a bit of a complicated, contentious relationship. They would whinny and act super happy to see each other, but while out on a walk, we had to be careful because if he was behind her and reverted to his babyish ways, she'd throw a kick, and his owner did not want to be in the crossfire. She does not kick out at other horses.

Would have been interesting to see how the mother-son relationship developed into adulthood (for both of them ) but Caso and his owner had to move to Germany at the end of May.

 

[TheMule]

In a chestnut it's about the color of skin when they're newborn- pink skin means chestnut not going grey.
Excuse my face here but it's the best photo I have that shows it- this is a chestnut foal, no grey

 

[TheMule]

Failing that, I just paid £20 to have my foal tested for presence of grey- https://animalgenetics.eu/

 

[SashaBabe]

Fantastic photos. So glad it has worked out so well.

 

[Jeni the dragon]

Great pictures! She and Mum are looking really well!

 

[Louisa&Chilly]

Oh what a lovely foal!?
Thank you, I understand what you mean now!

We’ve been distracting DeeDee at feed times with putting a headcollar on, a bit of leading and picking up feet etc. Seems to work quite well

My farrier has just been and did suggest a herd environment for her to help with her devilish ways!
that’s such a shame the colt had to move away, do you keep in contact?

 

[Caol Ila]

The herd was the best thing for Caso. Got him out of his mother's hair, and the discipline his aunties imposed probably stopped him from jumping on our heads.

She's my best friend, so we text each other most days. The wonders of technology.

 

[PurBee]

So fab to hear D is doing great - ive just caught up with thread. Such a sweetheart! What a turnaround eh? You must be thrilled and relieved….excellent foal success story after the rocky start. Well done you! ??

 

[Louisa&Chilly]

So fab to hear D is doing great - ive just caught up with thread. Such a sweetheart! What a turnaround eh? You must be thrilled and relieved….excellent foal success story after the rocky start. Well done you! ??

Thank you! Yes it’s been an interesting journey! All seems well, she’s growing like a weed. A friends horse has come to stay so he is has been introduced, he’s very kind and quiet, I thought it would be good to help socialise and maybe teach some positive interactions. D is desperate to say hello to him but Poppy won’t let her just yet. Hopefully she’ll loosen up soon!

 

[PurBee]

Thank you! Yes it’s been an interesting journey! All seems well, she’s growing like a weed. A friends horse has come to stay so he is has been introduced, he’s very kind and quiet, I thought it would be good to help socialise and maybe teach some positive interactions. D is desperate to say hello to him but Poppy won’t let her just yet. Hopefully she’ll loosen up soon!

Awwww that’s great news she’s getting more field buddies exposure. I love foals for their open curiosity, approaching everything to investigate, and everyone to say ‘hiya’. ? Poppy is being a good mum, checking out the buddy will be nice before letting wee Dee near.
I dont know how you get anything done with a foal around - my 1 foal experience was in hindsight, one of my best summers, and they grow so quick, so really savour this short window of them at their most adorable.
The recent pics are gorgeous - i love their tiny tight wee miniature bodies on stilt legs! ?? You’re very welcome to post updates as much as you like, we’ll never tire of foals here!

 

[Louisa&Chilly]

Awwww that’s great news she’s getting more field buddies exposure. I love foals for their open curiosity, approaching everything to investigate, and everyone to say ‘hiya’. ? Poppy is being a good mum, checking out the buddy will be nice before letting wee Dee near.
I dont know how you get anything done with a foal around - my 1 foal experience was in hindsight, one of my best summers, and they grow so quick, so really savour this short window of them at their most adorable.
The recent pics are gorgeous - i love their tiny tight wee miniature bodies on stilt legs! ?? You’re very welcome to post updates as much as you like, we’ll never tire of foals here!

Yes she is SO bold and wants to get at everything and everyone, it’s lovely but we have to be careful!?
Yes I really want her to socialise and Poppy is doing a great job for sure, I guess it will just take some time before she relaxes a bit.
I absolutely don’t get anything done! I spend hours just watching, but also Dee is so persistent you can’t do anything even if you wanted to?
Il post more frequently!
We’ve had a few blips, start of last week she had her first rotational when she didn’t stop at the fence? thankfully just some minor scrapes, nothing a bit of sudocream couldn’t fix.
2 days later she ate a plastic bag that must of blown into the field, I saw it and went running but she got there first!! Another sleepless night but thankfully again all fine, very lucky ?
Now we have itchy butt antics, excuse the crude photo.. it’s the only time she stands still!! Yesterday she did the other side and we now have matching cheeks. I believe it is the heat and flies, she is very intolerant of it all but possibly might speak to my vets about worming if it persists, that’s the only other thing I could think of??

 

[Bikerchickone]

Poor little sore bottom! She is utterly adorable though! I’m so glad it’s all working out well now and hope her bottom gets better soon. Trouble is the more they itch the more it breaks the skin and the more it breaks the skin the more it itches! Nightmare!

 

[Louisa&Chilly]

Poor little sore bottom! She is utterly adorable though! I’m so glad it’s all working out well now and hope her bottom gets better soon. Trouble is the more they itch the more it breaks the skin and the more it breaks the skin the more it itches! Nightmare!

Yes exactly! it’s a bit of a vicious circle ?
I’m having real trouble stopping the flies getting to her naval too. They make it go raw which is stressing me out. I just put thick layers of cream over it which stops them getting to it for a bit and then I clean it every night and put more on ?
She’s loosing her baby coat! So soon! Do we still think she’ll go grey?!?

 

[Dexter]

Yes exactly! it’s a bit of a vicious circle ?
I’m having real trouble stopping the flies getting to her naval too. They make it go raw which is stressing me out. I just put thick layers of cream over it which stops them getting to it for a bit and then I clean it every night and put more on ?
She’s loosing her baby coat! So soon! Do we still think she’ll go grey?!?

They can be really really itchy when they shed. My friends two are itching like mad. And shes definitely going to be grey eventually.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I’m having real trouble stopping the flies getting to her naval too

Have you tried Summer Fly Cream, the bright yellow stuff? I have used it on sheep with bad fly strike and it is brilliant.

 

[Louisa&Chilly]

It must be her coat then perhaps. She is super itchy and I’m excited to see her go grey!

I have used that summer fly cream in the past! Totally forgotten about it but will use it now you’ve said, thank you!

 

[Louisa&Chilly]

Hope everyone is well!
All well here. DeeDee is growing like a weed! Chilly is starting to come back into work as well.
look how much her coat is changing, I know you’ve all said she’d go grey but it’s incredible! the backs of her ears? she’s going to be a dark or steel grey do you all think?

 

[Dexter]

Hope everyone is well!
All well here. DeeDee is growing like a weed! Chilly is starting to come back into work as well.
look how much her coat is changing, I know you’ve all said she’d go grey but it’s incredible! the backs of her ears? she’s going to be a dark or steel grey do you all think?

The first foal shed is always very dark, but its just temporary. With grey, they are born bay or chestnut etc and then grey out. They go dark grey, dapple and eventually white. In some it takes a few months, in others nearly 20yrs. With her being chestnut you will get a lovely rose grey stage at some point, but eventually like all greys she will be white.

 

[Louisa&Chilly]

The first foal shed is always very dark, but its just temporary. With grey, they are born bay or chestnut etc and then grey out. They go dark grey, dapple and eventually white. In some it takes a few months, in others nearly 20yrs. With her being chestnut you will get a lovely rose grey stage at some point, but eventually like all greys she will be white.

This is interesting! Her mother is 8, nearly 9 and is still so dark! Do you think she definitely will also go white eventually? will the filly follow the same pattern do you think?
I think I’ve seen some rose grey colours and they are beautiful ?

 

[HashRouge]

This is interesting! Her mother is 8, nearly 9 and is still so dark! Do you think she definitely will also go white eventually? will the filly follow the same pattern do you think?
I think I’ve seen some rose grey colours and they are beautiful ?

They always get lighter eventually, just some do it quicker than others. My Arab was the same sort of colour as Chilly at 8, and was quite slow to lose her dapples and dark points. She is 29 now and her coat is more or less white, though she is flea bitten. She didn't completely lose her dapples/ dark points/ dark mane until she was into her 20s.

 

[SashaBabe]

How is DeeDee doing?

 

[Pinkvboots]

I was thinking about this thread today and posted a thread about it I hope she comes back with some pictures.

 

[Louisa&Chilly]

Hello everyone!
its been a while… I’m not sure how many people will see this now.
A little but long over due update!
We weaned Poppy and DeeDee last weekend, we had done it gradually so all went very very well. Poppy is now back home and very happy in the snow, DeeDee is huge and unrecognisable? and she has a new friend, and Chilly has been to her first competition in several years!?

I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and new year!

 

[SashaBabe]

It's good to hear from you. I've been wondering how you have been getting on. Lovely update and lovely photos.

 

[Squeak]

What a lovely update, I'm so glad that all the drama Chilly gave you has had such a happy ending. Poppy looks to have done DeeDee proud.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Dee dee looks huge! Lovely to see her thank you ?

 

[AmyMay]

Great update ?