Sucking pony?

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FurstPlaceMiniatures

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I have a 2 yr old Arab/hackney?/paint? Filly. She is exactly 2 this month. Anyway, she has a weird habit of sucking on things, as soon as she gets nervous she wants to nurse, she will 'root' up under something (gate, arm of a person, trailer door, etc) and will try to suck. She does not wind suck, crib, or even chew on things, just this behavior when she is nervous.

We were told her dam died, but not when or how or why she died. I think she died when she was 'close enough' to weaned and she wasn't suckled right. So, she is out with a 'adopt a foal' 15 yr old ex Amish draft horse that did a great job 'surrogating' the rejected draft filly we had 2 yrs ago. She is a saint and is a fabulous 'adopt a mom,' but how on earth do I stop this behavior? More confidence? More time with the 'mommy she probably didn't have?' When I 'get after' her for it she just winds herself up more and more.

It's weird - she sucks more than my calves!!!!
 
Sounds like she needs to build confidence and probably some independence.

I've not heard of this in horses, but I've seen it in cats (usually the kneeding and sucking (especially the sucking) are done when they are weaned from their moms, but I have an orphan cat that is over a year now and he'll kneed and suck on a fuzzy blanket we have before he goes to bed at night).
 
Lol!! Chandab. We used to breed Devon Rex. Had a runt one year that would try to nurse off of her litter. We kept her and sold the others. So she started doing it to her own belly. Only when she sits on your lap though. And she purrrrrs. Still doing it,and she's at least 7
 
I have a mini mare that was a orphan foal, she is 16 years old now and still sucks just like your pony is doing. She will mostly do that after she eats. It makes me sad to see her b/c some times it takes her a while to stop. But I'm ok with it and she is too : )
 
Fun discovery: She knows how to drink from a bottle.

Mom is a pepsi-a-holic. She was drinking one at the last horse show while holding her, and my god that filly wouldnt quit, it was like she hadnt been fed for days type of begging, complete with the 'head tilt.' So she said 'fine' and held it up, the filly knew right where to go and actually drank about a half cup of pepsi from the bottle like she'd done it a million times, didnt make a mess or anything. We have totally discovered her fascination with pepsi and soda bottle over the last week, and her 'sucking' on gates etc is probably where they mounted it. Explains her spoiled pushy-ness too.

Why cant horse sellers just be honest?
 
Wow now that's a talent
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. Good there is an explanation to her sucking. Makes total sense
 

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