arki
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Post by arki on Jan 7, 2012 20:09:19 GMT 1
Well I volunteered to help transport the foals to Hertfordshire - it is a long journey but it means that 5 (now 6) little lives can be saved it so worth it. I really tried not to succumb but I did and I am having the dun colt! He looks lovely - this will bring my herd to 4 which should really help my heavyweight cob as he seems to be suffering with separation anxiety and doesn't like being left on his own. Anyway advice needed with the introduction of the colt to the others - normally I would separate the new horse (in this case foal) from the others with electric fencing as my haflinger is very dominant and tends to chase them around. This is very successful - they meet over the fence and then he seems to accept them. Obviously in this case it wouldnt be appropriate for the foal to be on his own and in addition he will have never seen electric fencing. Do you think a dominant horse is likely to that a foal differently and accept him as he will be no threat to what he sees as his herd? thoughts please
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Post by megansmum on Jan 7, 2012 21:45:09 GMT 1
I am thinkng of getting a foal too' and will have the same problem' i have 4 already' 3 horses and a pony' they all live out'
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Post by taklishim on Jan 7, 2012 21:49:08 GMT 1
well done for volunteering to transport them. It is great that none of them have to be shot. The dun foal is very sweet and I'm sure you will love him. I have a haflinger and last year I got a foal which was the same age as the dun is now. My haflinger was not to be trusted and made a right performance. Also my foal had never seen electric fencing and walked through single strand. I found the electric fencing solution pretty simple using 2 or 3 strands. (preferably 3) Anthing less and they go through but it doesn't take long to get them trained.
Can you put the least agressive member/or most sociable one of your herd with the foal and electric fence both of them together with the other 2 on the other side of the fence?
The dun BTW is used to eating hay off the ground. Hay is put in a line in the field for the foals and they eat it as a herd so that may be a way you could encourage him to bond with one of yours. Good luck with him.
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arki
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Post by arki on Jan 7, 2012 21:58:28 GMT 1
Do you think it would be too much of a risk to out them together? He has been out with a foal before but she was with her mum who my haffie knew?
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arki
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Post by arki on Jan 7, 2012 21:59:29 GMT 1
Talks him do u know the Dartmoor ponies?
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Post by taklishim on Jan 7, 2012 22:08:05 GMT 1
Talks him do u know the Dartmoor ponies? if that is for me then yes, I live next door to them. I was rather dreading riding up the road (before Indigo found them homes) in case I coincided with the knackerman.
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arki
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Post by arki on Jan 7, 2012 22:11:30 GMT 1
Sorry that's the problem with predictive text! I have some advice that dominant horses are much better with foals as they are no treat-just wondered if anyone had any experience of this
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sixfootblonde
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Post by sixfootblonde on Jan 7, 2012 22:39:49 GMT 1
I have introduced a number of foals into an established herd and it has always worked brilliantly. The dominant horse has always been fine as the foals have always been very submissive. Good luck and looking forward to photos of your lovely dun pone
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Post by sarahbing on Jan 7, 2012 22:47:18 GMT 1
I am so pleased the little dun has found such a great home. Why don't you pm Sarah Weston for advice re introducing them so things go as smoothly as possible?
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arki
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Post by arki on Jan 7, 2012 22:47:32 GMT 1
Six foot blonde have u had very dominant horses in that herd- my haffie is the boss and is very fair ONCE he has accepted them - I just think if I can put them or together it would be great but not sure whether to trust my haffie Sorry for all the questions I just want to get it right as it will be tressful enough for the foal as it is
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Post by taklishim on Jan 7, 2012 22:50:55 GMT 1
Sorry that's the problem with predictive text! I have some advice that dominant horses are much better with foals as they are no treat-just wondered if anyone had any experience of this I don't think you can generalise. It is often a case of playing it by ear. I don't know your horses but I would probably put a foal with a friend and keep the four as 2 seperate herds for a while before putting them in as one. That way if they start running around the foal has chance to get away. You could also consider putting flapping pieces of plastic on the electric fence to start with to make sure he keeps away. Not only do they have to get used to what they think of the foal but also what they think of each other's opinions of the foal. Some may ignore him, some may be possessive of him.
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sixfootblonde
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Post by sixfootblonde on Jan 7, 2012 22:53:40 GMT 1
My NF is VERY dominant. But what I used to do, before I could be sure of his reactions, was to put him and the foal together in a field on their own and introduce the rest of the herd one by one.
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arki
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Post by arki on Jan 7, 2012 23:06:38 GMT 1
Thank you Both my fields are either side of a track which might stress them all out even more so if I wanted to separate them it would need to be by electric fencing
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indigo
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Post by indigo on Jan 8, 2012 0:05:34 GMT 1
All good advice about putting extra strand up ect. Taklishim has been watching the foals over the hedge and she would have been round there for that little dun if the meat man was on his way lol, so you have saved her from yet another extra pony ha ha!
From my shorter and Natalie's much longer experience it tends to be separation from other equines that causes the most stress. Not only do dominant horses usually react very well to foals, but the foals settle much faster and feel much safer when a dominant older horse is telling them what to do. You have to bear in mind that this is not some little stud bred foal who may have only been out with his mother. He is wild and what he understands is other horses and how to operate and stay safe in a herd. His main cause for stress at first will be you, not the other horses. There is always some excitement at first and galloping around but these little guys were bought in flat out by drift with other horses and vehicles chasing them while they scramble through bogs and over boulders, they are strong and hardy and sure footed. I know accidents can happen but I truly believe that for the greater good and mental stability of our horses in the long run, we should put aside some of our human fears and leave them to sort themselves out.
I'm not talking about you specifically Arki, lol, more in general. I think the fear owners have stops a lot of horses leading truly fulfilled lives. Any way, I've wondered off topic ha ha. I would imagine that during the excitement of introductions electric tape would not stop him and would be just another thing to scare him. As long as they have the space to get a little bit away from each other once the drama is over, they will probably settle down very quickly. How big are your fields?
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arki
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Post by arki on Jan 8, 2012 8:29:50 GMT 1
Thanks Indigo I hear what you are saying and that is what I will do. Sam is going to hold onto him for me for a few days so that I can come back in the light to transport him back to Bucks and then I can monitor the introduction rather than doing it all in the dark. My only fear is that my haffie does like to chase until they understand that he is the boss and wil not be challenged - my only fear with my heavyweight cob when he was introduced was that he was 200kg overweight and they were in a much smaller field. The field that they are in at the moment is about 3 acres and there is lots of grass. I would rather not split it up with electric fencing as my h/w already has separation issues due to being kept away from equine company since a foal! My haffie doesn't tend to kick it is all with the front end (mouth etc) If there is a real problem the chap next door has said that Dillon (the name I have decided on - dillon the dun dartmoor colt!) can go in with his very elderly mare and his other 18year old mare. i think it would be less fun in the long run but it can be another option - haffie can see him over fence and then they could get to know each other like this. Thanks for all your help - do you think 3 acres is big enough for them to get away from each other?
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