Re: Advice wanted for foal

["Bonita B. Young" <corky@foothill.net>]

I had a colt that we had to put his mother down when he was two months old.  I
realize that it is not the same problem with feeding him every two hours that
Kathy is having but as far as having him disciplined I was very lucky to have a
maiden mare that was pregnant at the time and  she more or less adopted the
colt.  The colt was in a pin directly next to the mare, I brought the colt up
to the barn every night and with in a week or two the mare was going nuts when
I took him up.  I decided to put the two together and it worked out great.  The
colt was gelded at six months and I turned him out with the other horses in the
spring in a fifty acre pasture.  I never had the problems of a colt that
imprinted too much with humans.  Just a thought I hope all works out well with
your little one.

Corky Young
Byrds Valley Ranch, On The Tevis Trail

arikara appaloosas wrote:

> Hi Heidi,
> Thanks for the advice,its really appreciated.This mare is actually a good
> mother,her last foal she never left alone at all.I think perhaps too much
> time passed before her foal was returned to her.We are now tying the mare
> up and letting the foal drink from her,cant hobble the mare neither Rob or
> myself can risk being kicked(the last time she was hobbled she kicked my
> wrist broken)
> Will perservere today but I will probably land up being mother to the
> foal.She lashes out at it all the time,will supplement the foal with a milk
> formula as well.Will certtainly never buy another wild horse in my life
> again.Have her tied up in a small paddock,even in the stable she is a
> problem to catch one has to be extremely patient with her.(and causious as
> well)Checked the mares milk she has plenty so have been holding th emare
> while the foal drinks,I really do hope she accepts this foal.Thanks again
> for the advice any more advice will be more than welcome.
> Regards
> Kathy
>
> ----------
> > From: CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com
> > To: arikaras@iafrica.com; ridecamp@endurance.net
> > Subject: Re: Advice wanted for foal
> > Date: Tuesday, September 01, 1998 7:07 AM
> >
> > Kathy, if this mare doesn't claim this foal, try to get the foal drinking
> from
> > a bucket instead of a bottle.  You can start to space out feedings much
> sooner
> > this way, and within a week or two can get to every 6 hours, which sure
> beats
> > getting up every hour or two, which is how often young foals need to eat.
> > Meanwhile, to try to get the foal back on the mare, I would tranquilize
> the
> > mare, and also get some oxytocin (pituitary hormone) and give her 1 ml in
> the
> > muscle every hour or two to help her feel maternal and let her milk down.
> > Have had good results with this in several mares.
> >
> > A piece of advice--I would discourage you from breeding this mare again,
> as
> > maternal instinct is a very heritable trait, and you are likely to get
> > daughters that are the same way.
> >
> > Heidi
> >