Reuniting 2 mares with foals. Normal Behavior??

[Grannyfox]

Hi there.
I have some concerns about turning 2 mares with foals back out together. Sorry in advance for the long post…

The mares have been turned out together for years except when they had previous foal at side. They have gotten along for the most part, though their relationship has always been a bit odd to me - grooming each other one minute, then squealing and threatening to kick each other the next - and the hierarchy seems to change based on circumstance.

One mare has a filly now, 10 weeks old. This is her third foal and she’s always been an easy going, great mom. Unfortunately, her 2 previous foals were “only” foals, so she was never turned out with other mares with foals. We did acquire other single foals as companions for ours at weaning time so they could grow up with buddies.

The second mare now has a colt, 6 weeks old. This is her second foal. Sadly, her first was born with a mass on her spine, was unable to walk normally and was euthanized at 4 months old. So, this mare has also never been turned out with other mares and foals.

For the last week we’ve turned the mares out in adjacent paddocks with a common fence line. They seemed happy to see and touch each other over the fence and both allowed the other to touch their foals. The mare with the filly even left her alone, out of sight, with the other mare and colt and wandered back to her stall.

All seemed to be ok over the fence, so this morning I worked up the courage to open the gate and let them be together. There was a little squealing between the mares, both foals clacked their teeth, but then everyone put theirs heads down and started grazing quietly with foals staying at their mom’s sides. All was fine for about 30 minutes but when the colt wandered away from his mom, the mare with the filly started chasing him around the field with pinned ears. Luckily the colt’s mom caught up, put herself between them and stopped the chase. This about gave me a heart attack, so the mares were put back in their separate paddocks. Now I’m very reluctant to put them all out together again.

Is this normal behavior? From your experience, do you think this mare had evil intentions towards this colt? I know that some chasing is a normal part of establishing dominance in adult horses, but is this normal towards a foal? I was so hoping they could all go out together and frolick around like in a Disney movie , but I’m really worried…Do you think we should try again or just wait until weaning time??

[khall]

I can feel your pain and if it was me I would wait until weaning time. I have for the most part only had single foals and they have done just fine waiting to meet their weaning partners. Most have not even called for their dams (usually the dams are way more concerned about their foals than the foals are!).

[can_t_re]

I wouldn’t chance it. Wait until weaning to put the babies together.

[MuskokaLakesConnemaras]

My mares routinely discipline and push off one another’s foals. But if you aren’t comfortable with it, don’t take the chance.

[melhorse]

Completely normal and a good life lesson knowing how to react to other horses body language. These lessons have to come at some point. There is a fine line in protecting or doing harm here and you know your horses the best. Other mares will case and correct foals as needed-this is how foals learn and I have yet to see any mare do real damage in 20+ years (it is mostly show).

[Meadow36]

My colt is an “only” foal this year and he and mom are out with two other mares (that don’t have foals). The “aunts” are very quick to nip/correct him. They have chased him but not very far. It hardly ever happens anymore because he knows the rules. His mom is the dominant one in the group.

If the chasing was as hard and fast as you say then I can certainly see your concern.

[rodawn]

I do progressive introductions. You do the side by side fence thing for a while. Then you start short-term introductions. This first time might only be for an hour (the horses will dictate the time frame, so say it is an hour for this example) and then separate them again. Then the next day you try again for an hour and then separate them again. Then the third day you put them together again and this time go past the hour, maybe 2 hours, maybe 3 hours. And then separate them again. You just keep doing this until they get used to being in each other’s space. This is how I reintroduce mares and foals to my herd. Whether I have one mare and foal (this year we only have the one foal) or whether I have 4 or more mares with foals. The introductions are progressive. Usually after a couple weeks of actively doing this, they are sorting themselves out and getting on with the business of eating. This year, I have one youngster who seems to be very excited with the presence of our colt. I have no idea why or what the difference is as she was around foals last year. She’s not aggressive, but she wants to run and then they get going in circles, but it quickly becomes too fast for the colt and then he wants away and gets upset, and then his momma gets really angry and the youngster gets a serious lesson in acceptable behavior. I don’t interfere with her getting disciplined as she needs the lesson, but due to her excitement, she is only allowed in with the colt for no more than a couple hours and even now some days it is only an hour and then I remove her for a time out. I just take it as each day presents itself on what length of time is required. Meanwhile every single one of the other horses, including the other youngsters and open mares, have all settled in and are just fine milling about, grazing (well, trying to graze - our pasture is dismal this year, but that’s for another time and thread), and otherwise paying little or no attention to the colt. I figure it is going to take this youngster another month before she finally settles even though she has seen and been housed / pastured with babies before.

As with any introduction, you stay on alert and you only do it at a time you can be there to supervise. Each mare has a management style when it comes to their foal - some are more laid back and some are more controlling. Take your cues from the mothers. And be watchfully patient.