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Kirstineridesagain

Kirstineridesagain

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After a long wait and lots of planning my mare and her foal moved last week. It went smoothly and they have settled quickly. They’ve only got sheep and goats for company so far, but in a few days my new Highland pony and her colt will be arriving. Yes, it’s slightly crazy but we don’t do things by halves. 😜

The main challenge has been the sheep! They’re stealing my hay and I’ve yet to succeed in stopping them from breaking into the bale, that’s wrapped in a plastic cover with tarpaulin fastened with bungee cords on top. These sheep aren’t the shy type either, so scaring them away is impossible! I’m not using a bale feeder because of the foals but looking to get something set up. Not using hay nets either, but think Illinvesrugate if there are foal safe ones.

Next project is taming the little beast (foal). On the last day at his other place I was told it was a shame I hasn’t asked for help in training him as I would have a big challenge on my hands. 🙄 I didn’t know they offered this at an additional cost - I thought they left mine because they didn’t want to do it or didn’t have the time. If I had known I would have asked them to do it, but I tried to keep communication to a minimum to avoid upsetting them in the last few months.

The other goal is less scared so hopefully he’ll be a good example to his new friend. The mum is gorgeous and we hadn’t really planned on taking her - but in the end we thought why not - I’ve always wanted a Highland, she’s a beautiful, kind example and the only slight issue is she isn’t broken in. We’ll get professional help for that. Her full sister is a therapy pony so I hope she’s of a similar character when she’s ridden too.

Tomorrow is fireworks night and I’m quite worried - they live very close to where a big display is happening. I wrote to the charity but the response was that it would go ahead (I didn’t expect otherwise, but they need to know they’re putting animals at risk). On the advice of my vet I purchased an anti anxiety drug called Zylkene. Although it’s safe for foals I can’t get him to take it (he’s sceptical of the chaff I mixed it with). But his mum is having it and I hope that means she won’t react too hysterically tomorrow…I’ll be there to observe, but not bringing them in as they aren’t used to being stabled and it’s very dark and dingy at night (plus a lot of farm machinery to get past to bring them in).

I’m not posting photos here right now, but if you’d like to see my gang you can send me a dm and I’ll let you know my Instagram handle.

Hoping to get going with groundwork with the mares fairly soon, just short and sweet sessions. Weaning and gelding are other big things I need to think about, but not in any rush to wean.
 
PurpleSpots said:
Just a quick reply - the foals will generally not run around too much if the mares are still as their instinct will be to remain with them - are you able to pop headcollars on the mares and hold them while the fireworks go off?
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Just the one mare tomorrow - other one arriving later this week to avoid the fireworks. I could do, and will also give her a calming cookie. Have a likit as well.
 
Sounds wonderful - apart from the fireworks. Great idea to sedate the mare and use calming cookies.

Take little steps with the foal every day and if you are in a rush that day then leave 'lessons' for another time. When one thing goes well only then move on to the next 'lesson'. Also if you have 'scary' things visiting like farrier/vet/other people then introduce the foal to them as well as a life learning exercise.

Foals are wonderful and like other young of various species soon grow up to be mini-adults. Enjoy yours and get lots of pictures. I'm not on SMedia otherwise I'd be asking to see your herd. I also love our native ponies so a Highland sounds great.

Same with the highland. Little steps and don't feel that you have to push for something every day with the pre-backing groundwork. I was always short of time and so my youngsters only did groundwork one day at the weekend and not always every weekend.

Introducing tack, boots, lunging, etc. all done weekly. Took me longer but all mine went ahead with backing and riding away without any reactions. Sometimes too much too quickly is the root cause of problems, including physical ones when previously unused muscles are asked to work every day so that the horse is backed in 6 to 8 weeks. Patience is a big virtue when training any animal.
 
I bet you're so excited to have them home! (and perhaps a bit "what the heck am I doing!" if you're anything like me)
Yep, you definitely don't do things by half, going from none to 4 in under a year! I'm sure you'll do just fine, but it might be a steep learning curve at times. I've gone from two to four, and that's already quite a jump up in number of horses.
For your foal, start just spending time around his dam. If she is relaxed with you, he will start to relax and get curious and come and investigate what you're up to. If he's eating a small bowl feed, that's the best time to interact with him (let him get used to eating from a bowl first). This is what I do with my new arrival, Sassy. She is handled at 18months, but the change from her breeder's to mine naturally set her back a bit. So every time she eats, I spend some time scratching her, which she loves, and she's gradually letting me touch her face and staying for scratches even after she's finished eating.
Also, foal head collars that unbuckle over the nose are your friend. One your foal is used to being touched, I would start draping a lead rope over his neck until he is used to it (keep hold of the clip end, so that if he wanders off, it won't hit him). Then you can buckle the head collar around his neck, before buckling the nose band over his nose. This avoids him having to put his nose in a loop, which is a bit scary at first. Take your time, do it over days or weeks, there's no rush.
Oh, and have fun with your new herd!
 
We often have big private displays near us. We stay with the horses, put lights on in the field around us (think car headlights and work flood lights), we put the radio on quite loud which helps drown out the bangs. Generally the boys stand around us and stay settled.

Check the recommendations of feeding calming cookies. I believe you need to feed one or two several hours before, one an hour or so before and one just before to 'load' the dose - but I could be wrong.

Good luck.
 
I’ve always wanted a highland so I can see why you went for it but I don’t envy 4 horses 🫣😂 I found 3 a lot 😂 but you’ve got yourself some nice hardy horses and I’m sure you’ll have lots of fun.

Best of luck with the fireworks. Hopefully it all goes smoothly
 
reynold said:
Sounds wonderful - apart from the fireworks. Great idea to sedate the mare and use calming cookies.

Take little steps with the foal every day and if you are in a rush that day then leave 'lessons' for another time. When one thing goes well only then move on to the next 'lesson'. Also if you have 'scary' things visiting like farrier/vet/other people then introduce the foal to them as well as a life learning exercise.

Foals are wonderful and like other young of various species soon grow up to be mini-adults. Enjoy yours and get lots of pictures. I'm not on SMedia otherwise I'd be asking to see your herd. I also love our native ponies so a Highland sounds great.

Same with the highland. Little steps and don't feel that you have to push for something every day with the pre-backing groundwork. I was always short of time and so my youngsters only did groundwork one day at the weekend and not always every weekend.

Introducing tack, boots, lunging, etc. all done weekly. Took me longer but all mine went ahead with backing and riding away without any reactions. Sometimes too much too quickly is the root cause of problems, including physical ones when previously unused muscles are asked to work every day so that the horse is backed in 6 to 8 weeks. Patience is a big virtue when training any animal.
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Thanks for lots of helpful advice!

I’m happy to have discovered there’s a very experienced BHS coach who even trains and starts young horses on our yard, so I will get her on board and help me with both the mares and foals.

Also have some really lovely neighbours including the one with the older gelding where my boys will go. Will gradually introduce them to him over several weeks in due course.

It’s raining badly and I’m hoping the fireworks will be cancelled (but if that just means it’s postponed I’d rather they got it out of the way).

The anti anxiety medication isn’t sedation, as that wasn’t advised. But hopefully it will help to curb the panic.
 
Just a word of caution - adrenalin and fear is highly likely to break over anti-anxiety medications, as it will sometimes over IV sedation too.

If they were mine I would be planning to hold the mare as well as anything else you are planning to do. Feeding treats every so often can help, but when they are adrenalised or in 'fear' mode they will not look to graze or seek out other foodstuffs or treats themselves. And the foal will feed off the dam's responses.

If you look back and think 'Oh I didn't need to hold her at all, she would have been fine' then genuinely GREAT.

But you don't know her, she's in a new place, and the fireworks are to be close-by - on the flip side of the coin it would be dreadful to look back and think 'If only I'd held her'.

Until she is settled and you know her better - through shared experiences - you can't easily predict what she will do, and what she will influence the foal to do, so always better to err on the side of caution. It's what I've always done with my mares and foals with fireworks and with any other potentially dangerous stimuli.
 
I wouldn't worry too much about young foals needing 'training'. The foals my aunt bred would be barely handled - really only as necessary for vets, or bringing their dams in if they needed to. They got used to people though proximity to their dams being handled, and learned to become affectionate at their own pace. They were only corrected if they were being overly playful and getting in your space. They were all lovely sweet horses, even the ones that went through spicy phases as foals.

I'd just crack on with your groundwork plans with mum, be very consistent with foal and not worry too much about young horses being young horses.

Re fireworks, I would try not to make it seem like a big deal for them. I'm usually around in the yard and on hand if anyone has a hard time with them but I try not to preempt too much. I do have stables so if they are used to coming in their come in, but if they are living out then they stay in their fields.
 
LadyGascoyne said:
I wouldn't worry too much about young foals needing 'training'. The foals my aunt bred would be barely handled - really only as necessary for vets, or bringing their dams in if they needed to. They got used to people though proximity to their dams being handled, and learned to become affectionate at their own pace. They were only corrected if they were being overly playful and getting in your space. They were all lovely sweet horses, even the ones that went through spicy phases as foals.

I'd just crack on with your groundwork plans with mum, be very consistent with foal and not worry too much about young horses being young horses.

Re fireworks, I would try not to make it seem like a big deal for them. I'm usually around in the yard and on hand if anyone has a hard time with them but I try not to preempt too much. I do have stables so if they are used to coming in their come in, but if they are living out then they stay in their fields.
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With the Icelandic it’s only basic handling he needs to get used to. He won’t let us touch him and he does need to be microchipped etc soon…but agree they don’t need to perform tricks at that age!
 
Kirstineridesagain said:
With the Icelandic it’s only basic handling he needs to get used to. He won’t let us touch him and he does need to be microchipped etc soon…but agree they don’t need to perform tricks at that age!
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I meant more that you should feel guilty or worried about not paying for additional training services at livery. I don't think you will have lost any ground for just letting him be a foal.
 
I’m at the field and I hope the fireworks have finished. It’s literally in the park opposite my field. Completely bonkers and animal abuse. They were running around like mad but by the end they were quieter. I hope they recover quickly from this horrible experience. Next year I feel like taking them somewhere else for the night.
 
Kirstineridesagain said:
I’m at the field and I hope the fireworks have finished. It’s literally in the park opposite my field. Completely bonkers and animal abuse. They were running around like mad but by the end they were quieter. I hope they recover quickly from this horrible experience. Next year I feel like taking them somewhere else for the night.
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Sadly they are rarely once a year now, you may have some this weekend too, and at New Year?
 
Kirstineridesagain said:
Thank you - ordered!
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Ahh I was too late! I was going to say, I can send you my copy. I bought it when I bought my foal, but he turned out to be the sort who marches up and sticks his head into everything you're doing, so most of the (very good) advice in the book was rather redundant for him.
 
Widgeon said:
Ahh I was too late! I was going to say, I can send you my copy. I bought it when I bought my foal, but he turned out to be the sort who marches up and sticks his head into everything you're doing, so most of the (very good) advice in the book was rather redundant for him.
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Actually I forgot to go to checkout!! So yes please - I will definitely pay you though!
 
Our little herd met each other for the first time today! Thank goodness it went so well! No more horses for me, that’s for sure! 🤣 Luckily I have a very supportive and interested husband who’s been hard at work setting up the camera and being very excited with it all. The breeder of Topsy Turvy and Flora Macdonald delivered them today, and it’s such a nice feeling to have them all in one place. Blesi, my Icelandic foal, is very gregarious and tries to play with Topsy all the time, but Topsy’s mum is very protective over him! So hopefully she’ll let them play and get to know each other. Kveðja is being a relaxed boss mare, only a little bit protective over her hay with Flora. Flora is a little more shy than when we met her at her home, but she’s only been here a few hours so I’m not worried.

The grass is quite good and should still be growing with the mild weather, but they’re munching the hay very eagerly too. Hope I put out enough this evening - will get a potato box or two to put the hay in but at the moment I’m just putting piles of hay out.

 

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