naughty foal

[kaykell7]

i have a 6th month old foal and recently he has become very naughy and nasty rearing at u and charging at you biting you and making u bleed my sister and i no never to go into the field on our own but today my dad did the foal charged at my dad reared at him landing on his head and knockinh him over we are not sure wheteer he knocked him out but my dads head was bleeding. we do not know what to do if u hit him for biting or tell him of he just retaliates. they live at home in a field with just him and his mum in he has not been gelded or weaned any advice on how to stop this as i a have no idea what to do

[THEO]

If you can try seperating him from his mum he is old enough to be weaned now, then when the weather starts to warm up a bit get him gelded if that is what you intend with him as it sounds as though he is getting his stallion characteristics quite early.

What you could try with him is standing by the gate but not in the field and letting him come over to you but dont shout him over. Then when he comes to you tell him to go away ignore him shoo him. The foal after a while should then start nuzzling you and wanting you to fuss him because they dont like to be left out and ignored. Dont hit him as this could affect him towards you when he is older but he will calm down when he has had the snip.

"A horse does'nt care how much you know until he knows how much you care":rolleyes: :p

[ponyvet]

Foals do get to a stage where they start asserting themselves. Usually if they are in with a few other horses they aren't too bad, but if he's on his own or only with one other horse it can become a problem.

The other thing is that you said "he" - try getting him castrated. That may make a whole load of difference. Don't expect and immediate improvement as it takes up to two moths for the hormone levels to drop, but sometimes it works.

Finally you need to spend as much time with him as possible and get him to thinking that people are nice.

[RingLass]

Hmm ... a lot of foals about that age start to get "fiesty", as you have described (not just colts -- I know some pretty agressive fillies !). Weaning is certainly a good idea - he's at the right age. If you want to keep him a stallion for whatever reason (breeding, special showing, etc.) then try what my trainer did with someone's agressive yearling. Perseus (the yearling) had a lot of problems with rearing, kicking, biting, etc. not just around humans but around other horses, too. Well, my horse Snoopy is the sweetest thing ever, but he's the dominant animal in the show horse herd. So the trainer put perseus in the arena with Snoopy for a few hours. They didn't hurt each other or anything, Snoopy just taught Perseus not to be agressive, as the lead animal would do in the wild. It has worked for every foal since, and it's the most natural way to solve aggression like that. If putting ihm with a more agressive horse for awhile doesn't work ... well, I don't know what else to do but get him gelded (though I'm sure there are other options.)

[ponynut]

I'm no expert on foals. I am learning as I go with my accidental five month weanling filly (who is ALREADY winking at the rigg in the next field!!!). :eek:
Sounds like yours is buzzing with testosterone. Should calm after gelding!! Weaning him and being around with his bucket may help him to like people! My filly was weaned at five months exactly. But had been handled from day one and can still be a bl***y madam if she wants!!! I lost my nerve with Kizzy when first turning her out in an arena after weaning. She lived in a 15acre field intil weaning when she was stabled. She flailed and kicked from excitement and it hurt. I know foals are surprisingly strong and stubborn and exceptionaly intimidating at times. But as a herd animal can be dominated. I persevered and -touch wood- now doing ok.
I agree with what has been said you have to spend time with him and persude him humans are not too bad. I know it's not easy I have some great bruises from kicks and accidental exploratory bites!

As a wise friend once said if you have foals expect bruises!

Good luck. My friends foals are never handled til weaning and they get accustomed to it quickly and now love people.

[Yann]

Should have said "if you visit foals expect bruises" too!:D