# Rescued Colt Foal gone from unhandled to over handled!



## Hoddy181 (14 July 2016)

This is my first experience of a youngster, this Colt was due to be shot so I took him in, I have my own land and stables and have been hopelessly searching for my happy hacker for months now I have dug myself a massive hole in an area I know nothing about. 

He was unhandled on arrival and totally starving, we search high and low for milk the day he arrived to know avail, so day one he had hay and some milky mash that a friend had for her youngsters that she breeds, she gave me lots of advice which has been helpful but I'm still struggling.
Day two he had equilac about 4 litres, he also had mash and creep pellets as soon as the food was coming he was happy to be near you and let you touch him.  And plenty of hay.
Day three his tummy was extremely runny so cut back the milk and kept up creep pellets and mash and hay.
Day four discover bad lice he let me cover him in powder and rub in quite happily, a little off with touching on one side. Stomach back to normal but he bolts everything he eats apart from hay and he goes mad for his milk trying to drink everything in the bucket as fast as he can!
Today - is showing signs of aggression whenever a feed bucket is around ears flat back try's to turn his bum on you, he bolts everything he eats to the point he looks like he's getting servere indigestion, he speed drinks his milk from a bucket he's been wormed today so I'm hoping to get him out in the field tomorrow but unsure what to do next! 
A friend has volunteered a gelding sec a for him to go out  with but not sure how I will give him his milk without upsetting the other horse !


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## Magicmadge (14 July 2016)

How old is this little lad ?


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## popsdosh (14 July 2016)

Why was he going to be shot?  Sorry to bear bad news but it is very common in hand reared foals for them not to respect humans. I suspect that at some stage you will wish you had never taken him on. They are not for those without experience whatever fate was to befall him. Sorry if that sounds to blunt.
He would be better off out with another mare and foal at least the mare would teach him some manners.

Just to add of course he will get aggressive about his food if at any stage he has suffered starvation as its a natural instinct to try and preserve their food supply at all cost.Its how horses survive in large herds when the food is short.


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## Hoddy181 (15 July 2016)

an estimate is 3 months, I don't have access to a mare and foal so am at a loss at what to do.  He was going to be shot as the owners mares were starving! They don't make any meat money out of the youngsters so sadly it's seems they were due a sad ending.


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## Hoddy181 (15 July 2016)

Would a mare just separated from her foal for weaning be better?


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## Tetrarch 1911 (15 July 2016)

Excellent idea! A newly-separated mare might just do the trick. She'll probably teach him some manners into the bargain. He's stroppy simply because he's ravenous and he has no manners. I've hand-reared foals and colts can be a bit bossy. Think like a mare - if he gets bossy, put him in his place gently but firmly. She would give him a bit of a nip if he tries it on, so don't be afraid to let him know he's out of line. Whatever you do, don't let him get away with poor behaviour. It's very easy to allow orphan or rescue foals to get away with it as you feel sorry for them, so be kind, but be mum - he's at that age when he's really stretching his legs and developing his character, and that can mean a little bit of tough love. Mind you, turning him out should help quite a bit, especially if you have a good bite of grass. Let us know how you get on, and I'm sure he can't help but improve. What's his breeding and what size do you think he'll be?


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## madlady (15 July 2016)

Have you contacted the national foaling bank for advice?  They may be able to help with hands on advice and also might be able to put you in contact with a breeder who would be able to put him in a mixed young stock group. 

For now I would put his feed in with him then walk away and leave him to it.  It will take a while for him to stop being protective of his food and, unless there is a real need for you to be in the stable with him, it will be better if he just gets on with it.  

I personally would only do the minimum of handling, get him to follow and lead and then look for somewhere he can go out with others in a couple of months.


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## Hoddy181 (15 July 2016)

He's a cob of some kind not sure about size but won't be that big I would have thought x


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## JanetGeorge (16 July 2016)

madlady said:



			Have you contacted the national foaling bank for advice?  They may be able to help with hands on advice and also might be able to put you in contact with a breeder who would be able to put him in a mixed young stock group. 

For now I would put his feed in with him then walk away and leave him to it.  It will take a while for him to stop being protective of his food and, unless there is a real need for you to be in the stable with him, it will be better if he just gets on with it.  

I personally would only do the minimum of handling, get him to follow and lead and then look for somewhere he can go out with others in a couple of months.
		
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I'm with madlady 100%.  I've had two in the past, orphaned at 6 and 8 weeks.  Neither would take milk from any other source.  Used Bailey's Stud Balancer mixed with a little Grazon - and haylage - and they did fine.  I kept them stabled next to other horses for the first two months with time in the manege - then as soon as I had a weanling, in they went.  One is now out in a new home being Mr. Perfect, the other is a 2 yo out with the other 2 yos.  You wouldn't know either had a bad start.  Keep up moderate discipline - but not at feed time!  And a good smack on chest or bum for biting or kicking.  And older, sensible gelding would be a good companion, but I wouldn't try a mare with foal at foot.  The odd one will adopt, but not many!


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## honetpot (16 July 2016)

I took a foal at just over 3 months. I would stop the milk and start treating like a horse, find some sort of kind pony that will teach it manners with out harming it. I was lucky that I had an old pony mare who was a good companion but would lift a leg if it got cheeky. Mine just got a stud balancer and grass


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