My 10 day old foal is turning out to be a handful and I am a nervous wreck.
All started when I let her and the mare out at three days old. I had three strands of white electric tape but it was not charged, so foal breaks out and doesn't even think about staying with mom - off exploring.
I went away for four days so mom and baby had to stay up.
Turned them out this morning in the round pen. Dot charged the fence repeatedly in play, and would turn off at last minute. The last time she did this, she did not turn off and smashed into round pen panel, with head between two of the bars. Pulled head out, and scampered back to mom. Actually she did not do it again. She did not hurt herself, but hopefully taugh herself a lesson.
I have some barb wire along one side so am I having to lead dot with butt rope to avoid the fence, as I worry she will not see it and smash into it.
The paddock with four strands of ELECTRIFIED tape will be ready on Friday, but I am now scared to death about turning her out in case she hurts herself. I know she can not stay up forever, and when I let her out she runs like crazy.
I guess I am just going to have to do it, but my place has some barb wire and a couple of the paddocks are high tensil fencing (5 strands), which I know is not horse/foal safe.
Please share any thoughts and previous success stories with me, I am going insane and baby dot really wants to get out all day instead of the 30 minutes I do now.
Tracey, I don't know if I'm going to be much help to you as I don't have the electric tape, but we have five strands of high tensile wire that keep our mare and 2 week old foal in. There is one strand of electric wire about two feet above the ground (which was originally installed because of our Shetland pony) and our filly steers clear of that fence. I only witnessed her get zapped twice.
I am hoping if she gets zapped it will solve all my worries. You should have seen her pile into the round pen panel - wow - but she didn't do it again. Jennifer, can I ask, does your filly ever stick her tongue out, mine seems to have her tongue to one side or the other quite a bit.
Tracey, I have a pretty good picture in my mind of your filly running into the round pen. Luna did the same thing to our high tensile fence before I turned the electric wire on. Scared me to death! She did just what your filly did, shook it off and ran back to Mom. You mentioned that high tensile isn't considered safe. I always thought it was safe because of the "give" it has if impacted. Not true?
I've only noticed Luna do the tongue thing once. About a week ago, I think. It was like she had just discovered it or something. Now, does your filly have ears this big?!
With regards the fencing, I just wanted something that would give if the foal got into trouble. Her mom, who is a clutz, managed to get her legs entagled between the rows - don't ask me how, and cut herself a little on the legs, but did take the fence down so it did give.
The tape is an interior fence, the perimeter is high tensil so is more sturdy.
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