Did your mare's personality change after having a foal?

[snaffle635]

Would love to hear your experiences.

I’m considering breeding my mare at some point. She’s practically perfect in every way - gorgeous mover, super brave, no spook, easy to ride, comfy, and competitive at top shows. Her only drawback is that she doesn’t like other horses near her. She pins her ears, snakes her neck, and makes mean faces if horses get in her bubble.

The behavior is mildly annoying, but not something that would concern me if she passed this behavior to her foal.

I can imagine this behavior might become more intense if she were protective of her foal.

[Dressagelvr]

Or the behavior could apply TO the foal…

[Highflyer]

Most mares, even nasty ones, are okay with their own foals. But for example we had one recently (a racehorse made belonging to a client) who was nasty enough to her foals as they got older that they got weaned a bit early. She also could only be turned out with one other mare (her “buddy” to the extent she had one) and foal in a pretty large field to minimize the likelihood of the other foal being hurt. And she passed her charming personality-- but not her talent-- on to all of her filly foals. The poor colt turned out to be the complete opposite and was very sweet and bottom of the pecking order.

[fourfillies]

Your mare sounds a lot like the dam of my current hunter. Perfect in every way, loves her people but a snark to other horses. Never dangerous and fine with companions, but I wouldn’t trust her in tight quarters. Her colt is the kindest, most honest clone of his Mom for which I am grateful every time I ride him. But he is only slightly friendlier to other equines.

In answer to your question, having a foal changed her personality not.one.bit. But, she was a wonderful momma.