Calico is bit over friendly!!

[tinastephenson]

Please can somebody advise me? When Cali was born we did what it said in the manual and handled her head legs ears the lot. Charity was perfectly happy for us to do this so no problem. They are in a field on their own and as Charity has dropped quite a bit of weight we bring them in each night for a feed.
we have to lead them across a sometimes busy farm yard so pass tractors, pigs, dogs and running children. The foal is not fazed in the slightest.
While Charity eats we have been doing basic bits such as spraying her, touching her all over including picking her feet up.
we have been leading her with a horsemans line around her quarters so that there is no pulling involved.
The last couple of days she has hung around the gate when we put her out, we have tried to ignore her and she eventually goes off to Charity, who seems totally non-plus about anything going on as long as she can eat!
Tonight we turned them out as usual, she went absolutely bolistic! galloping about and neighing but to us! Charity was half way across the field and Cali was thundering around trying, it seemed to get our attention .
I am now concerned, have we over humanised her? we do stroke her and make a fuss but equally push her back if she tries to push past us or get balshy.
She is such an incredibly nosy and sweet natured foal we really dont want to get this wrong.
It is our first time at having our own foal so please, any advice greatly received?

[cadeby]

Hi Tina, it does sound as if you have over imprinted her a little bit. Imprinting is an emotive subject - some people love it, others hate it with a passion. We do handle our foals at birth by rubbing their heads, chest, belly, tail and legs but only for a couple of minutes. I personally don't like the full-on imprinting approach advocated by Dr Miller.
In my opinion, which is purely based on our own experiences with our own foals, we like the mare to clean the foal first, then we treat the navel and do our "semi-imprinting" for 1-2 minutes at this stage, then we leave the mare and foal totally alone to bond.
We find this results in a foal that trusts humans, but still knows it is a horse.

I wouldn't worry too much about Calico. It sounds as if she is doing really well in terms of leading and general management. I would just make sure that the things you do over the next few weeks are purely management procedures - so leading, grooming and feet with less stroking and fuss Just a few minutes at a time and it doesn't even need to be every day.

When you turn her out in the field, walk immediately away where she cannot see you. I know that's hard as it's fun to watch foalie antics. She will soon learn that she has to make her own entertainment with Mum if you are not there.

Make sure that she continues to respect your space, as you are already doing.

Relax and don't worry too much. It's supposed to be fun and you're doing fine




Edited for bad typing!

[greydales]

I agree with Helen, it sounds as if she has bonded a little 'too well' with you and just needs time to be a foal with her mum. There is loads of time to get to know her and teach her the basics etc but as Helen says perhaps at the moment keep handling to the absolute minimum so she can bond with her mum and also learn some manners!

Although I haven't yet bred any of my own (still hoping! ) personally I wouldn't do any imprinting, I don't agree with it - but that's just my opinion. I would leave them alone in the early stages but I appreciate the temptation to handle and play with them must be very great, especially when it's your first! ;D. Overhandled young foals can grow up with little respect for humans, I've seen this in a few. Having had experience of bringing up weanlings they do respond to training at any age - none could have been wilder or more terrified than my Gem, who is now the most laid back and friendly of all of mine.

Don't worry about things though I think if you take a step back for a while things will soon settle down. If she's naturally curious and good natured then I'm sure she will be an easy pupil!

[Anna]

Hiya, if I were you I would just take a step back too and leave them be for a little while, just do routine things if they are mostly needed but try not to fuss or handle the foalie for a while and make sure she realises the most important person at the moment is her mum.

If they in a field on their own, can you just drop mums food bucket into the field and then walk away. Most of our foals are handled in an on and off fashion rather than a constant, they get used to us slowly but they know mum is mum.

No worries though, I'm sure foalie will be fine, its all good learning experiences in life.

[tinastephenson]

Cali has settled a bit now, although they still come in each evening she is happy to go out with mum
We did just back off a bit but then yesterday I was pleased we have handled her a bit, she started scouring really badly and poor little thing was quite distraught about it! she was also kicking at her stomach and we were not sure if it was simply rich grass coming through or a touch of colic, so we called the vet, although ok he gave her something to calm the diarrhoe down also touch of wormer and some electrolytes.
She was a total gem took it all in her stride having a syringe put down her throat.. still very friendly afterwards. In fact the bit she hated most was having her back end washed down lol...
but today although a lot better she enjoyed the wash down.
She is just a total pleasure to have around, cant see us parting with this lovely little lady

[Anna]

ahhh poor girlie, is her mum in season, the 10 - 14 day foal heat in particualr but also general seasons can trigger foal scour due to the changes in the milk. She sounds fab and very good you've done the groundwork and she was good to treat

[tinastephenson]

trouble is with Charity is she never shows when she is in season, hence the 2 month stop with stallion last year....
you are probably right though Anna it could be her season although Cali was born 17th May, would this be a little late? we are now considering whether to put her back to same stallion again this year. Be a shame to see Cali go for a few weeks as I know I will worry about her as they run this stallion with a herd of mares and foals, I know its normally ok but still worry about little girl...