Foal Behavioural Questions

[gezfar]

This question is a mercy call for my neighbor,

About 7 weeks ago she rescued a new born foal born to a mare that has killed any foal that hasn't been taken away from her, so the foal needed to be removed( apparently it was an accidental breeding, the mare doesn't belong to the neighbor. )The neighbour has done a great job he's putting weight well , never scoured and is now enjoying Lucerne and horse growth pellets along with his bottles.

The past week and half the foal has started to bite and several times reared up kicking his front legs at my neighbour, she has mainly tried to control it verbally and with body language it worked at first but isn't reliable, another person suggested giving him a firm tap with a rolled up news paper on his withers or rump but we both were not sure about that.
I'm not very experienced with horses but if he were an adult I would think perhaps he isn't being exercised enough or his food is too hot. He's still a stallion and once time comes he will be gelded. She has had him with a Friesan bull born the same day for calm company and he appears to have started picking on Wayne( the bull calf)!
My instant thought was maybe he's missing the act of learning horse social behaviour so should get a friend like a pony or a miniature that will bite him back( like litter mates of kittens and puppies will), thoughts?

All feedback will be appreciated and given to my neighbour.

A few years ago I had an accident with a horse ( wasn't mine) where we both got tangled in some rope and he dragged me all around the paddock breaking my leg ripping tendons and ligaments from the bones causing me 12 weeks of immobilisation and a knee that is NEVER not hurting, so I don't even entertain the thought of ever
owning a horse!

Cheers
Gez

[milkmaid]

At 7 weeks, hormones are not playing a role in his actions. Sounds like normal foal behavior - normally tolerated or corrected by other adult horses. Bottle raised animals tend to behave inappropriately toward humans. I'd put the foal with an adult horse, preferably a bossy, ill-mannered old mare who won't put up with his actions. This is something a thousand times easier to solve using another horse than trying to fix by any human route.

I wouldn't put him with a calf even for company unless the calf has a way to get away (e.g. separate pen with a rail too low for the foal to follow).

[serendipity]

Bottle raised foals are notoriously horribly mannered. Most people do not have the knowledge or conviction to discipline them the way the mare would. They can also grow up to be very dangerours because of it. I agree with putting him in with another horse but that will not change his behavior towards people. The person bottle feeding him needs to fill the role of the mare and discipline him strongly -when appropriate. I would recommend he research how to care for a bottle foal. It's not as simple as just feeding them.

Reminds me of a story of a person who though it was cute to let their foal rear up and put his front legs on the person's shoulders. Yep, cute. Until he grew up and still wanted to do it. Then it was scary as heck.

[suzorse]

I have raised 2 orphan foals , and yes they need to be with other horses to learn manners
Petunia would rear up on you if you were not careful , she got clobbered for it , but was out with other colts and mares , Tonka never did that but he was raised on goats and also turned out daily with other horses , to learn horse manners
I had done lots of reading on raising an orphan when Petunia's mother Fancy died, then the next year I lost Sage the day she foaled so ended up having to raise Tonka , we pan fed not bottle fed , the vets at Idaho Equine got them on pans ,Petunia was in their NICU for 2 weeks (no colostrum) and Tonka for 24 hrs
Suzanne

[christybell]

A good smack in the mouth will curb biting. The foal is not too hot, he's just acting like foal. It's up to his people to set limits and enforce them. If the foal wears a halter pull it back down every time he rears. Horses work with thumps, warnings and chasing. Chase the foal away from you when it's behaving poorly and let it come back to try behaving well again.

The social structure of horses is pretty complex and fast paced. The best thing would be to turn him out with other horses. He will have to learn how to be a horse.

Move the poor calf. The horse will continue to pick on him and the calf will soon be a hen pecked punching bag.

[donna12345]

mom horse pushes the foal for rowdyness.a mom cow will kick calf if sucking wrong! if all correction is done with understanding it will be understood. as in what happened to you, don't go near foal. i myself need remember my limitations,from past, in dealings. another horse,surrogate, is best. animals are so good. put your kids out thetre to learn. let us know, and never i mean NEVER ABANDON OR GIVE UP ON an orphane or problem. yopu will be rewarded in the end!

[jerseyrose]

I agree with the advice that he needs to be in with an adult horse who won't hurt him, but will not put up with his antics either. Prompt discipline from the human handler / feeder will be needed as well.

My mule foal at 2 weeks old took to rearing up and placing both his front legs across my sons shoulders. He neglected to tell me until one day it resulted in a bloody nose. My son was 9 and it scared him to death. I told him to stay out of there, then he tried it with me. I used my lead rope to back him off by several whacks across the chest and wasn't doing it tenderly either. He never did it again.

I suggest your friend carry a crop with a large leather end and when he comes to "play" or " bite' that it be used to get him out of your space. Once he backs off let him stand there( several feet from you) and keep your body language relaxed. Then you approach him and pet him.

I would never hit in the head, but try for the chest or wherever you can get. The idea isn't to cause pain, but a respectful fear. Just like his dam would do.

[mikiz]

My old boss had a 5 year old welsh stallion who had been human-raised. Given, he was ADORABLE, but he was a kicker and a biter, until he was put out with the herd of 15-ish warmblood mares. Boy did he look sorry for himself when they wouldn't put up with his naughty behaviour! Came back in a new man, still tried for a love-nip every now and then but otherwise a very respectful boy.

[nina]

The mare was exhibiting abhorrent behavior killing her foals might indicate a genetic based behavior problem compounded by bottle feeding. One time I got four QH weanling fillies all from the same breeder who raised them like cows. They were wild and untouched but were born and raised in the same environment. All four were then subjected to my training. I found huge difference in temperament and had to make many adjustments and how I dealt with them but in no way could I take credit for the extremely calm and confident filly anymore than take the blame for the skittish nervous one. I totally agree about letting other horses teach him some manners, but I think he is going to be a handful and the best approach would be to customize your training to fit the horse. I would tell your neighbor to hire a trainer now. There are too many untrained unwanted horses, and as you know first hand they can hurt you.

If you can sink a solid post in the center of a round pen as a training aid you can safely get a biting kicking pushy horse off you when you want to start moving them. Get a long length of rope and cross it on the pole. You are on one side and the horse the other. Look up, "training Jack the mule"......or something like that on youtube. I never did that personally but I really liked how the lady easily and safely controlled what looked like a very disagreeable mule who was bent on biting and kicking her. This was a trainer who just got the mule.