The Castle Rock MARE-TERNITY WARD
Message Boards => Follow Our Growing Foals => Topic started by: dcwolcott on May 20, 2016, 05:54:16 AM
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For Ellesan:
Thank you all for the wonderful support and advice!! It's a boy!! Tinkerbell gave birth to a beautiful buckskin dun around 7pm tonight. Vet said she went quick and he only had to help break the sac, so I missed out on the birth but got to see first steps. ❤️ His name is Dreamlands Little Scout. He is so sweet and curious already. I'm in love😍😍😍😍
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yippeeee, congratulations ;D I can't wait for pics
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Aww! Congrats.
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Congrats! !! Good job tinkerbell! So happy for a beautiful healthy foal!
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CONGRATULATIONS!!
Now you just get to enjoy him.
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Thank you!!!! His IgG was low, don't know if she leaked out all of her good colostrum or if hers wasn't that good. Either way he needed a plasma transfusion and this morning is levels are great and they can come home today!! My wallet will be empty but my heart is full. ❤️
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We all so understand your joy!! He's a beauty!!
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AWESOME!!!
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Do you have any new pictures?
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I am glad he is feeling better and yes, we really do NEED new pics ;D
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New pics coming--I will send to Diane. He is super smart and fast--LOVES to run, and very sassy already. I have my hands full. I thought I'd have al least a few weeks before the biting and jumping started--nope! Day 5 I changed his name to trouble! 😉😳😍
What is the best way to curb the biting and jumping on people? Thanks!!
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And more.....
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And the last one.....isn't he a handsome boy!!
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He's so dang cute.
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Thanks Diane for posting those!!
Thanks Chanda, he is pretty adorable! 😍
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darn, I had a lengthy post tped up and dropped my mouse. When it hit the floor, website/internet shut off and when I pulled it back up - it wasn't auto saved... :(
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We're "semi" patient, and we'll wait for it to "appear" again!! :))
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Here it is -
If you mare is one that lets him "play" all over her and doesn't correct him, your job is harder. Other mares get down right ugly when their foals "play rough" with them. It's hard to say which is better , LOL, though it'd be ideal for in between.
keep working with him with a halter and lead - teaching him to walk & trot next to you - from each side. Even at this tender age, he can go on little "walk-a-bouts" w/o his mom or longer if you take her with you. If you've got someplace you can turn them out for him to run and play - DO. That will make a huge difference. When he jumps at or on you - correct him like you would any horse. He's more sturdy than you think! and those little hooves can do damage to you. Just be careful of his head (eyes & ears) and neck (right behind his ears - the poll). Kind of keep your body parts "in the way" so that he hits his head himself on your elbow or knee. If he tries biting, grab his chinny hairs and pull. Or even shove your fingers into his mouth - not directly from the front -he probably already has teeth top and bottom. He will forget about biting and you haven't missed w/ a smack.
You can shove him away with your knee if he comes at your from the side or the front. I recommend you don't completely turn your back on him until he understands you don't play "horse". A quick, but solid slap - on the rump, side, back, neck - and even on the forehead between the eyes and ears (not the side of the face where his eyes are) will work - but watch as he might kick in response and those kicks are painful to receive. I bet if you watch and he takes a bit of an "anger" with his dam - you'll see his ears swing back or even flat and he'll buck up against her. "Koal" (our black/wht colt) is doing that now with his dam "KoKo" - and it's hilarious to watch but I'm glad he and she are working that out 'cuz I don't want to receive those kicks and she bit him pretty hard the other day (would have broken the skin on my arm or leg if she'd nailed me like that)! He quit bucking/kicking at her then.
Foals play a lot during the day and even at night. Running, jumping, hopping up and down. They play hard. Then they nurse then they "go down" for a count. Then they are back up and nurse - then start all over again. The stronger/older they get the longer/harder they play at each session. I love having a playmate for our foals - but you can raise them w/o one. I know that with having the round pen positioned where I can see it from the front of the house - I've been amazed at the amount of time these babies are playing!
Maybe get a ball for him? Search you tube and there is a mini on there (as well as several horse babies and even a few full size mature horses) that play with their balls or with toys. Mine never have - but this year they sure are destructive!! The two older foals (from late last year) have been moving things around in their pasture (tubs, buckets & hoses, downed branches that were stacked) and have torn loose some things that they could - pulled a light and wiring off of a wagon, tore a cloth covering off of the hooped chicken tractor while I was in it and watching but unable to convince them to leave it be while I was in it working with a new set of chicks... :(
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He is so cute!
And dont feel bad, some colts are extra *naughty*. Tux is probably the *naughtiest* colt Ive ever had. He comes by it by birth rtank as Kate is lead mare, so he decided he is second in charge now that Riot is gone. He *fights* digby, tries to mount Katie, and Kate could care less. Grace is the only one he wont mess with...she stopped his antics right from the word go.
He is wonderful on lead, but has been known to sneak up and bite, and we def have to watch the back side.When he isnt in eyesite of Mom he is MUCH better. So He is getting weaned early. The minis have started to stand up to him,( he is taller than they are) so keeping him with them is working.
He is a handful, so I feel your pain!
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Just keep at it with him. Claim your space and keep him out of it. I was an especially strong teacher with my young colts, as there is nothing worse than a stallion who doesn't respect your space and direction. They eventually catch on, just keep being consistent with him, and he'll learn. And I too, sometimes used a swat on a shoulder or rump, a loud voiced "NO" and even charged a young colt who thought my space wasn't important. Just watch momma and see how she puts him in his place. These little mommas won't take crap from a colt, and they can really be tough -- so don't be afraid of standing your ground and following momma's lead as you teach him manners. It will pay off in the long run! My favorite horses were always my stallions, and at one time I had 14 here -- I used to say if I could make babies with just stallions, I'd be in heaven. There is nothing so delightful as a well mannered stallion who "knows the rules".
Can't wait to see more pictures of him!!
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I found that most of mine grew out of that stage more or less on their own but saying that mine were turned out in a herd situation with Aunites that would not take any frisky behaviour and dad that definitely would not allow it so I guess that helped calm them down. The only one that was really naughty was Merlin who was bottle fed. At about 5 days old he started charging me and biting (personally I thought it was funny as he was such a tiny squirt) anyway after a few days of correcting him it stopped.
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El Rey was my great "young colt" manners teacher. Anyone that was the least bit challenging, was put in a small paddock with him during the day. Within days, with my working with them separately, and El Rey teaching them during the day, all nonsense stopped. And all my stallions were kept as a bachelor herd over the winter, with no bad manners from anyone. El Rey and my other Falabella stallions were the only stallions that stayed with their mares over the winters, as they are so loving to the girls, and protective in a kind way, that things ran smoother with them in the pasture with the ladies.
Can't wait to get another update! And BOY do I remember Merlin!!!
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A bit late to the party , But congratulations on his arrival , he was certainly worth the wait :)
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Congrats! What a cutie!
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It's fascinating to watch the older ones teach the youngsters, don't you find Diane? I would sit for hours and watch the Aunties and dad teach the frisky babies. Tough love works every time.
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Thank you all for the advice and insight!! Things have been crazy as i got a new demanding job right before Scout was born. Ive been going to the barn every morning and evening and also studying for a certification. Some days have been really rough!
I'm so glad I have this to come back to and read again. I just realized I've been letting him in my space too close and I need to nip that. I'm sure this is normal--some days he's sweet and friendly and holds still while I put his halter on, and the next day he's rearing and trying to bite!
I've been doing as suggested and using a knee, "NO!", redirection of focus, and he's received a few whacks on the butt with a crop and the kicking has stopped. 😬 We are still working on the biting.
He's smart and sassy and not afraid of anything. He's super confident. Are all babies like that? I try to keep him busy and give him things to chew on.
I got him a big ball and he loves it!! I have tarps, pool noodles, an empty little pool (I put water in when I am there), etc that stay in the stall to keep him busy when I am not there. I wish he had a little friend to play with--I'm sure mama would like it too!!
His mama is a good mix of tolerant and giving him a good nip when he needs it. I'm taking them out every morning and evening so he can run around and burn some energy.
Thanks so much for all the advice and help. I reall appreciate the advice. You can go to scouts Facebook page for photos and video updates. 😊 I'll post it below thus post.
So far we have worked on/done: all over touch, lifting feet, cleaning feet, brushing, sponge bath, clipping, halter/leading, going up stairs, walking on different surfaces, tarp and ball work, etc. can't believe the little stinker is 5 weeks old!
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It won't let me add the link for his FB page, but type in
"Dreamlands Little Scout" and it should come up!
If this picture attaches, it is from yesterday when he finally met my "big" gelding. It was sooo sweet. 💗
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How cute!!! What a delightful picture, and he's just beautiful. I don't do FB, so would love to see some more pictures of him!!
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Thanks Diane!! 😊 I'll have to email them to you, I just got lucky with that one photo.
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How cute, I have a picture about like that with one of my 2012 colt.
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Cute pic Chanda!
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Thank you.
Just so others know, it's a fly collar that Hayley is wearing.
And, I just noticed how much fuzzier my 2012 foals were than this year's, and this years were born a month earlier (all end of May). [2012 foals were born in June and July.]
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Ellesan - 2 things - no, not all colts OR fillies are that forward and un-afraid! LOL!!!! AND be careful w/ pool noodles. If he's anything like our babies, he'll tear them apart and he can ingest part of one creating either or both a choke or colic incident. Neither would be "pretty" or easy to deal with, trust me on that.
I love the "meet and greet" photos and have a few myself -
Always liked this one even though neither of the fillies was "greeting" at the time (that one didn't turn out,unfortunately) -
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LCHkZSksRxM/UBKqlmpJHXI/AAAAAAAAZd4/NLDjodPiCRg_VAhZ-LubDoSWAVDqFachACCo/s500/12may1clshja666.jpg)
and this one taken two years earlier of a sligtly older filly (about 2.5 months old?), when we went to a friend's barn (she was a trainer and a riding instructor - not sure she's doing either now) -
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rKP9sur4HMU/TG6fWkbbEFI/AAAAAAAAcj0/U8h-k0Gie10gwNktm4xuJ3yV_caRddEqACCo/s500/10aug15gg61.jpg)
Chanda - my 3 babies this year - the fillies are curlier/thicker coated than previously and "Koal", the colt, is denser coated of a medium length. I equate it with the temps dropping like crazy (3 days or so before "Chylly" was born on 6 May, it dropped to 28*!!) right before they were born. NOW we are having crazy heat/humidity! It's going to be a heat index of 110* today ... I may put up shelters that the mares/babies can get to and I'm wondering if it's not time to move them back to the "JR" mares paddock where they can get under the trees AND do a lot more galloping and jumping about...
Here, I also think that the denser/thicker coats protect them somewhat when they are in direct sunlight/heat. I could be wrong and right now, right or wrong, I wish/want to body clip them soooo bad! Chylly would sunburn, though!
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Mine seem just fine with the coat they have, seems to be just right for protection.