Do Mares and foals have the same

[Linda]

personality? I got 35" mini mare last April that was in foal. I didn't know it until I bought her that she'd been roped and ridden by the owners 3 sons. That mad me sick, but was nothing I could have done about it. I also found out this was her second foal and she was only 4 years old. She isn't trusting with anyone, and the only way you can do anything with her is if she has a halter and lead rope on her, then you can do ANYTHING with her. She had a filly last July and she is just a doll, very loving, but. She is already picking up her mothers personality by having dominance over all the other minis, and at such a young age. My other mare had a colt last June and they are both so layed back. I am wondering, is this a trait that inherited from the parents, as she is starting to act just like her mother? I'm weaning both of the babies now and the filly is just throwing a fit and is really showing bad behavior and that's something I don't want to have to deal with. Is there anything I can do to help this filly change her attitude and act and behave like she should? Thank you for your help. Linda

[twnpnds]

Linda, sounds like your mare was abused, therefore what your filly is showing is learned. It is not unusual for foals to get really upset and throw fits at weaning time. That's why it is very important to have them in a safe environment when weaning. Some foals will seriously hurt themselves trying to get to mom. Some people keep a gelding or older mare with the mares and foals. Then remove the mares at weaning and leave the foals with their "babysitter". It's a trying time for her right now. Be patient with her and she will come around. Lots of positive reinforcement will work for her.

[Linda]

Thanks for your reply, I do have her in with the stud colt that she was raised with, and one of my new baby's, thats 6 months old, but she's being so bad to the new one I had to take her out. She can see her mom and all the rest of the herd, but have 2 sets of panels between them. I do know that she is going through a very hard time now, but I feel that there is something else I could do to help her. I give her water and within a few minutes she's got it all kicked out, and we have to start all over again. Do I leave her where see can her mother or close off the view? How long does this usually take to wean them? oh, and I do have her on a barn cam so I can watch her. Thank you...

[cheri]

Sometimes, it's better that they can't see their mother. It may be a good idea to put a calm steady herd member in with them to help teach him and her some new things.

[Linda]

thanks Cheri, I'll put one in there tomorrow morning. Hopefully that will help. She seems pretty quiet now, I just went out and gave her some attention and she bit my whole little finger. lol thanks for your reply.

[cheri]

*hugs* your welcome. If your colt is calm and easy to handle it may also help her out to see you work with him haltering and leading and just handling as well as with the other herd member. Foals learn from their dams first and everyone else second, so it's important to have good influences around to undo some of mom's damage. Her mom....well I'd go back to square one with her just like she's never seen a halter before.

[Linda]

Cheri, thats some good advice, thank you so much. Both colt and filly are very easy to handle, but I see how by putting in another mare, will help my filly. I hope anyway. She has to be taken away from her mother, because of the mistreatment she got from her pevious owners and it is reflecting on her baby. I've seen that for about a month now. Mom wants to come to me, but she always holds back, unless I have some chopped up carrots. lol then she's right there eatting out of my hand. Thank you and wish me luck. God Bless and thanks to you and twnpnds for taking an interest in my problem.

[cheri]

Good luck! Your welcome, I had to pipe up and offer some help. Trust is an important thing. Since she comes when you have carrots I'd suggest going to the pasture with a soft brush, a stool, and two halters. Collect your sweetest mare and give her carrots(give the timid one carrots too, but don't halter her yet) brush the sweet mare first and let the timid one see giving both carrots(it'll spoil them rotten but it should be worth it) then remove the halter and carrot the timid one into the halter and lightly brush her. If she spooks from the brush just pet her put the brush on the ground or in your lap bristles up so she can lip it and play with it. Do this everyday with a different mare(so they all get some attention) always your timid girl second until she's comfortable with the process. Then she can go first, she may even start to ask to be first. (theoretically)

[Linda]

Oh Cheri, what a good idea. I'll get started tomorrow. It's hard to take carrots out to them in the field, because they all crowd around me and fight by pushing the other ones away so they get all the treats. I'll take her and another one in the barn and then that will solve that problem. lol
they all love to get groomed and brushed so I think this just might work. Thanks again. ~hugs~

[cheri]

Let me know how it works out.

[cheri]

How are they linda?

[Linda]

Cheri, I'm sorry for not posting sooner. I put one of my newer mares in with the babys,and that worked good. She's really layed back and very sweet. I closed the barn doors so the mares couldn't see them. They aren't showing much interest to the moms already. Now, the mare in question wants to kill the mare I put in with her filly and any others that get in her way. Boy, she's taking this hard and won't let me get close to her for any reason. So to answer your question, the filly is doing better, thanks to you, and her mom is taking a very bad turn for the worse. She bites, kicks all the other minis and I had to put her in a stall in the barn just to keep her from hurting one of the others. I thought I had problems before, Now I really have one. It's so sad. Thanks for asking Cheri and for all your help. I'm going to keep trying tho. And praying a lot. (Smile) God Bless~

[cheri]

Whoa, that's a switch for sure. I'm glad the babies are doing well. I'll rack my brain and do some research(gotta find some of my training contacts) later on today and see if I can come up with something.

[Linda]

Thank you Cheri, I worked with my mare,Macy, again today, brushed her out and just did a lot of scratching and talking to her. Her eyes just keep following me wide eyed. Makes me feel so bad cause she's so scared. You'd think after having her here for 8 months now she'd start showing some trust. She was really very trusting and good with me at the last of her pregnancy tho. She was letting me walk up to her all the time with no problems. I was always checking her milk and that never bothered her at all. I had to tear the bag to get her filly out. She was laying a little down hill and the foal was still in the bag with lots of fluid around her head. There was never any problem in letting her filly come over to me all the time either.
I'll just keep working with her and hope that we start seeing some changes. I bought some really good horse foaling, medical info and miniature info books, so I'll get to reading some more. thanks for all the help. I will keep posting and let you know how things are going.

[Linda]

Sorry to say, but nothing I have done with Macey has worked. I have some friends that do training and just love animals, so I am selling her today. I feel so bad, but nothing would work with her, and I don't have the knowledge with training that would ever get her to come around. I feel so bad, but don't have any choice. I feel that the new owners will do much better with her and pray she finally can learn to trust people. She is so pretty, and I hate to lose her, but as i said I have no choice.