Re: Orphan Foals
This message is from: jgayle [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thank you Ellen, I have lots of good memories. Jean Gayle Author 'The Colonel's Daughter Occupied Germany 1946 to 1949 Send: $20 to Three Horse's Press 7403 Blaine Rd Aberdeen, WA 98520
Orphan Foals
This message is from: Sue Clark-Sorger [EMAIL PROTECTED] I second or third or whatever this one. I have a 5 year old orphan gelding that I raised, I have worked and worked with him and he challenges me often. He will work well for days at a time and then he will run out on the lunge line and he will rear. I can't hold him when he runs out, I have tried a knotted halter a chain over under around his nose, I put the lunge line behind me and around under my butt and hold both ends in front off me and brace ready and once in a while I can hold him but mostly not. It is the rearing that scares me, I don't move as fast as I once did. Until recently he would bite me I haltered him and any other chance he got, he found out I could be the bitchy boss mare one day, and that stopped. Yes, I know I should part him but it is not his fault he was a orphan and why should I pass my problems on to someone else. His mom was the most wonderful horse that I have ever had the joy of owning. I had emailed Beth Beymer about him and have posted her response to me below. I think that your Kez situation, unfortunately, really comes from him having been raised an orphan and you being his surrogate mother. I think that, no matter what you do, he will always try to display his playful (and disrespectful) behavior towards you. You haven't done anything wrong. It seems, to me, that some geldings never seem to mature in a way that mares do (stallions go on to other jobs besides being playful) and have to dispense that playful energy in some way. It seems that he tends to direct that energy towards you. Sue and Kez and Heather in very dry New Mexico Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2006 19:31:19 -0400 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Orphan Foals This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Beth said, Just ask anyone who has raised an orphan how difficult it can be to keep that foal from learning how to push its humans around. And I say, as the owner of an 8 year old orphan foal, AMEN! My poor mare misses her mother so much she nurses herself after you give her a treat. She can't really reach her own teats, but she lifts her hind leg, usually her left, reaches her head back there and sucks on her tongue, for about 4-5 minutes. It is harmless enough as far as I know, so I don't try to interrupt her. If she is tied to the trailer or getting on the trailer, etc., she isn't allowed to, of course. I was wondering if anyone has ever had a foal by such a mother? Would her mental imbalance make her reject a foal? Would she become obsessively attached to it forever? Just wondering, Valerie
Re: Orphan Foals
This message is from: jgayle [EMAIL PROTECTED] In this case I doubt Beth's pessimism. You are describing my Charley, who just left this earth two months ago at twenty five, a sweetheart and my best friend. C. was born huge and dwarfed his follower mother. My old Arab gelding would let him play with him nipping legs all day. C. was difficult to lead, did exactly the same thing on the lunge of escaping, loved to nip anyone who was not looking and tried his best to take advantage of his great size. Many is the time I let him have it with the crop. He laughed! I was told this was not a woman's horse. Trainers were afraid of him and his size and he made fools of them in the early shows. I was raised very strictly as a child and believe me I was not easy on his bad behavior and he got his punishment. I think Charley's problem was he was overly bright and he thought himself an equal with his rider. He loved crowds and knew when they adored him. Here comes Charley Yeah Charley! He was so big he could stretch that long neck from his stall across the aisle to nip anyone going by. I was dressage and finally found him, did not start breaking him until seven, a male rider who handled him beautifully and they made great progress until Charley at age 14 and third level, winning, caught his leg under my arena door and popped a sesamoid. He had wanted to come home and would hide behind the barn when I got the trailer out. He mellowed as he grew more mature, was my best pal and family. So do not give up. The colt probably sees you as Mom and needs a good nip and eventually a shoe in the right place. I think, barring some genetic disorder, you will find him your smartest and most winning fellow. Jean Gayle Author 'The Colonel's Daughter Occupied Germany 1946 to 1949 Send: $20 to Three Horse's Press 7403 Blaine Rd Aberdeen, WA 98520
Orphan Foals
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Beth said, Just ask anyone who has raised an orphan how difficult it can be to keep that foal from learning how to push its humans around. And I say, as the owner of an 8 year old orphan foal, AMEN! My poor mare misses her mother so much she nurses herself after you give her a treat. She can't really reach her own teats, but she lifts her hind leg, usually her left, reaches her head back there and sucks on her tongue, for about 4-5 minutes. It is harmless enough as far as I know, so I don't try to interrupt her. If she is tied to the trailer or getting on the trailer, etc., she isn't allowed to, of course. I was wondering if anyone has ever had a foal by such a mother? Would her mental imbalance make her reject a foal? Would she become obsessively attached to it forever? Just wondering, Valerie
older orphan foals
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] The mare I bought last summer is a grown up (7yr) orphan foal. She has one odd habit that must stem from her having been an orphan foal; she tries to nurse herself after she gets a treat. It would be comical if it weren't so sad. She reaches back for her flank and cocks her hind leg and sucks on her tongue. She seems to go into a trance and stands there noisily sucking on her tongue. I leave her alone and see no harm to it. If she is given a treat when she loads into the trailer or is tied, she does not try to nurse, but I think that it is her preferred behavior. Other than being aggressive towards her pasturemates and a bit jealous, she seems otherwise pretty normal. Valerie Columbia, CT
