new surprise!

[lisa]

hi all i'm looking for some help with a new foal that came somewhat as a surprise from my shetland mare a few weeks ago!!
i have absolutely no experience with foals, i've managed to stop her chasing me which was quite a learning curve but i cant get anywhere near her with a halter, she just rears if shes in the stable or flies off bucking n jumping as soon as she sees one when out, any advice gratefully received!

[DaveK]

Hi Lisa

Not sure what part of the country you are in but I am in North Dublin so if you are close to us I am happy to come help you out. We have been handling foals here for quite some time and our personal experience leads us to believe that the biggest barrier to handling newly born foals is our own physical size, because we tower over them foals naturally view us as a threat. When we work with foals we try to encourage their natural curiosity, try sitting in the field close to where the foal is grazing, if the foal approaches just keep your eyes down and extend your hand slowly, foals will check you out by sniffing at you, they will usually allow you scratch them under the chin at this stage but be careful, foals have sharp milk teeth and will occasionally strike out at you. Very often the first person to handle our newly born foals is my 7YO son, he is smaller and less of a threat to them. Once a foal has checked you out they will generally allow you to handle them gently, they love to be scratched so scrathing shoulder and rump is usually permitted, avoid to much contact around the head until the foal is well settled. If this does not work then you can try this second approach. Foals will normally use there mother as a shield to protect them from anything that threatens them, so by approaching the Mare from the opposite side to which the foal is standing and then slowly working your way around the mare the foal will eventually accept your presence and allow you to approach it, this can develope into a game of tip and tag and you may have to lean over or bend around the mare to get this done so be sure your mare is trusting and settled. I would deffinitely say that it is vital that the foal is well handled in the field before attempting to handle it in the stable. In the field the foal and mare can escape but in the barn or stable they can not, worse case scenario is that you get hurt and the foal become traumitised so be careful. Hope this helps,

Dave K