I have a little quarter horse mare that is about 2 1/2 months pregnant with a 4 month old filly by her side. She also shares her pasture with a five month old weanling colt. My problem is this: She will get a huge mouthful of hay and drop it in the water barrel. The babies stand by the water waiting for her. When she dunks the hay, the babies eat it right up. This mare has been doing this since yesterday, and I was wondering if anyone knows what might be going on. Also, she will only eat the hay after she has dunked it, she won't eat it if I just wet it down with a water hose. Anyway, thanks in advance for any information. Joanna
I was at long aged event and decide to take a large rubber trash can for her water instead of hanging multiple buckets that she could upset and spill. Well, she started acting goofy and I was concerned because she was due to show in the finals in 2 days. While filling her "bucket" I smelled something strange. I dumped out her water and was quite surprised to find pounds of grain at the bottom! She had taken to dumping mouthfuls of grain into her water, then drinking her brew.
Needless to say, I removed the trash can size bucket and gave her back the 5 gallon size. She sobered up and did well, so it all worked out!
That's hilarious! I have a yearling filly who must have a drink from my hands when I clean her waterer in the mornings, or when she has been upset. She walks over and waits for me to fill my hands up and drinks. If I'm too slow she will try to suck my clothes. When she first stood after being born, she tried to drink from me, when I weaned her, she started this habit. It's very cute. I would worry, but she never does it to anyone else.
Even though I tell everyone else not to do so, I have a special filly that I had allowed to lick the back of my hand while she was sick as a newborn. Like your girl, she still licks only me when she is looking for my attention or if she is a bit confused. It is cute, but I get a lot of flack for it! Kind of like "do as I say, not as I do!"
I know what you mean. I have a pretty tough stance on things like that, normally. No rope chewing, no mouth play, keep out of my space while I'm picking up the yard, etc, etc. But she's a really shy nervous filly with everyone else, and she knows the difference between accepted behaviour and naughty stuff. I'm going to find it tough selling her as a yearling. And Yes I get heaps of flack, too.
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