What is it about wheelbarrows....
Every foal has to check them out!
I have to be careful with this wheelbarrow because of that loop in front of the tire; just enough space for a foal to catch a foot if they paw at it, which she was doing.
Yesterday I caught mama and baby without Ted's help, but waited for him to get in the pen to lead the mama as we worked again on getting her to follow her mama. It actually worked fairly well this time, she did less protesting and more keeping with mama. We went into the adjacent larger pen- I don't turn them out in there as I planted grass seed in there and it currently is overrun by weeds; the grass seed hasn't taken yet. It was a good opportunity to start asking her to move her hip over.
We lined the mare out and started walking; I gave Dally lots of room, I think I was about 5 or 6 ft. away from her so she had the freedom to follow mama.
She caught on quickly.
Good girl, Dally! A couple more times and they will be ready to move to the big pen.
She is also learning to sneak bits of mama's grain, which will make it easy when I put her on foal ration when she's about 2 months old. I like to prepare them for weaning about 2 months ahead of time by introducing them to whatever feed I will give them when I take them off the mare.
Today it rained hard, so no more dust, thank goodness.
9 comments:
she's coming along!
She is pretty smart!
Look at her cuteness licking up that grain. I was going to mention your ground looked dry in the video clips. Glad you got much needed rain!! We did/are getting rain too. Everything is coming up green, especially the weeds.
She’s got it all, looks and brains. Smart girl!
Do you soak their umbilical cords? We’ve been told to do that, and I’m wondering how that’s even done when goals are so standoffish.
Foals, not goals.
Linda- yes I normally do. I use a capful of an iodine solution or even betadine and dip the navel; or use a small sponge with the solution on it. However with little miss Dally that didn't get done. It wasn't worth getting kicked or run off by mama. If your pen and foaling area are clean with no history of disease it shouldn't be an issue, I think the navel stump closes up within the first day.
I have straw down, and I constantly clean it. Tumbleweed was in there a few years ago, and he did get some unknown virus, but no other horse has ever been sick there. It was originally Beautiful’s stall and turnout, and then sat empty until Foxy and T.
Congratulations on getting the red filly you were wanting! Dally certainly looks like a keeper for you, but I have a soft spot for little Derby.
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