I have a 7 day old mini filly whos behavior has me stumped.When I found her the morning she was born she was standing, dried off and had already had nursed.When I went into the stall to treat her belly button she ears went straight back and she tried to kick me,she has already kicked my daughter(the mare was not bothered at all by me being in the stall)Everything I do with the foal is slow and easy I'm always talking to her to let her know that I'm not going to hurt her.But it doesnt seem to make any difference.This is my first mini foal,I've raised 2 full size foals before but nothing like this with such a nasty attitude.Is this something she will grow out of?Now she will let me brush her but I'm very careful of her tiny but mighty back feet.I have to get down to her level.She is 16 inches tall.Any advice anyone can give me would be VERY helpfull.Thefoal will even kick the mare....
Is this normal????
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Out of a few hundred foals, I have had 2 very aggressive babies. Both did grow out of the hateful part of it, but STILL (at 12 & 13) are very, very opinionated, sweet, but want what THEY want, when they want itponybroke said:
Shari
Well-Known Member
Theia was like that.
What we ended up doing, is every time she went to bite, kick or strike, my DH would pick her up in a Bear hug. Holding around her chest and around her backside. That way, she could fuss all she wanted with her feet, and she couldn't hurt anyone. When she gave up, he would slowly put her down.
Took a few weeks, but she finally got the idea.
Even at 3 years old, she still thinks we can pick her up!! She gets those grumpy ears, can see she is thinking about it...... I say,,, ahnn ..ahnnn... and put finger up like saying,, no, no,, you don't. Then she hurfummss,,, and puts her ears back up.
She is such a twit. Sigh ~ ~
What we ended up doing, is every time she went to bite, kick or strike, my DH would pick her up in a Bear hug. Holding around her chest and around her backside. That way, she could fuss all she wanted with her feet, and she couldn't hurt anyone. When she gave up, he would slowly put her down.
Took a few weeks, but she finally got the idea.
Even at 3 years old, she still thinks we can pick her up!! She gets those grumpy ears, can see she is thinking about it...... I say,,, ahnn ..ahnnn... and put finger up like saying,, no, no,, you don't. Then she hurfummss,,, and puts her ears back up.
She is such a twit. Sigh ~ ~
I was also told because she was over that may have something to do with the attitude.Tonight while I was trieing to brush her she thought that she could let fly I very gently held her back leg up.It was funny to see the look on he face when she looked back she gave up the kicking pretty fast then.She reminds me of the small dog with the BIG attitude.
wwminis
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[SIZE=14pt]We have had a couple foals that were like this also! It just takes a lot of patience to get them to trust you!
I have used the pick up trick also in the past and it will calm them down quick! But, at the same time always stay calm and gentle with her and she will come around in a few weeks!
I don't think that her being over cooked has anything to do with her attitude! We just had a colt that cooked 388 days and he as gentle as a lamb!
He's 7 days old today and will come over a lay right down in your lap!
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Bill
Bill
Dr. Pam
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Yep, we had a colt like that this year. Lightening quick with those back feet! No striking with the front, and no biting, thank goodness, but he would go out of his way to take a shot at you. The picking up thing worked great, along with twice daily "handling" sessions (full body rubbing and touching, especially the legs) He got to go when he relaxed and submitted. He is now a pocket pet, and stood like a gentleman for his first clip job, including legs and ears!!
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