Question about making friend

[mamaflinter]

The foals are doing well. They're slowly increasing their liquid intake, eating like little piggies, and beginning to play more.

We've even picked out names for them. Doug's foal is Bud and mine is Comet. Now here's my problem/question. When they came here, Bud was very stand offish and didn't want to be messed with. Comet would allow me to pet him all over his body, legs, etc no problem. One week later, Bud is allowing Doug to pet him all over, legs, etc. but Comet is stand offish and doesn't allow me to pet him without me having to hold him still to do so.

Saturday we had the vet over to check them out. Mainly it was for Comet as he would not drop his thingy and we were afraid that something was wrong. Well vet said he had an adhesion on his thingy and he got it down. That lasted till our last check at 10 pm Saturday (was still down). Since then it's been back up and vet said he would have to learn he could let it down.

I held Comet for the vet to give him the shots (relax him) and to extract the thingy from sheath. Ever since then he's been stand offish to both Doug & I. But he will let Doug closer than me. I'm wondering if he is still mad at me for holding him or if that experience has just gotten him a bit upset and will just take time for him to get over?

Usually when they are out in the outer pen, when one goes off, the other follows. We decided to see how they would do with a brief separation. So Doug kept Bud outside and I was inside with Comet. Comet went ballistic and I told Doug to let him out as he was really getting upset and I was afraid he would injure himself. He began running inside their stall which is like 12 ft. by 8 ft.

What can I do that would make Comet WANT to be near me? I've tried offering him grain in my hand and he won't touch it. I've offered hay in my hand and he'll take it but if I go to touch him, he turns and goes another direction. Sometimes just my walking his direction is enough to get him to move.

HELP

[JoeN]

I keep one foal per stall. Horses are herd animals and they find comfort in one another.I stall the young horses up by themselves from the time I ween. I also work with one at a time.10-15 minutes a session since there attention span is short at a young age.

[mamaflinter]

You said you separate them once they are weaned. These foals are NOT weaned. They are orphans and only 1 month old.

We left them together since they had already been through so much and we figured it would make the transition from where they were in Kentucky to here easier if they were together.

We tried something today. After they had their morning milk and played a bit, I got my foal and put him in the stall. I shut the door and the other foal was outside. Outside foal went nuts, running around, kicking, whinnying, rolling. Mine just walked around but did allow me to touch him all over.

So what we're thinking we'll do now is to separate them for about 5 minutes at a time after each feeding (except the 10 o'clock one for fear of them getting hurt after dark) to let them have some time by themselves, but also to learn that they have to be apart at times and it won't be forever.

What do you think? Right now we have no way to keep them totally separate but close enough to keep watch on them.

[JoeN]

I would think that your on the right track by seperating after feeding.I have seen foals at horse shows that were kept together in the same stall and they always got worked up when seperated.At some time in the future you will want to seperate them for one reason or another.Sounds like you have a good ideal after feeding I would work with the one outside the stall.It might be tough at first but after awhile the foals will look forward to going out of the stall with you.Remember the MOST important thing to teach a horse is WHOA.

[bwaddy]

I agree with JoeN. It's just going to take some time. They're slow to learn, and quick to forget, at their age. They're also good at seeing what they can get away with at this age! ;D

Bret

[mamaflinter]

I've done this a few times (separating them) for short periods of time. My foal has calmed down, but Doug's foal has turned space cadet until I turn them both back out together. But I think it's this foals' nature as he was extremely bonded to another foal before we brought them home. In fact, they had separated them the morning we went to get them and he was al but kicking the walls down in the barn. LOL

[JoeN]

Keep on workin at it and he will calm down sooner or later.