Friday, August 30, 2013

What is a mare protecting a baby from other horses for?

A mare will protect her baby mostly from other mares, as young mares or even older mares that didn't have a baby that year, will steal babies. We have had 2 year old mare steal babies from the first time moms, not caring that they have no milk to feed it. Sometime Mare's that are due any day will steal a baby from a first time mom that doesn't know what to do right away will steal it.

A mare protects her baby from a stallion on the off chance that he will hurt the baby. We have never had a stallion harm a baby and it takes a very unstable stallion to hurt young or even new born babies. Now that doesn't mean take the weenlings out from mom and put them in a lot with a stallion. 3 to 4 months is a stallions normal level of child tolerance. We personally have 2 stallions that we can let lose with the young boys and they teach them how to be boys. But we've know theses stallions since they were born so don't try this unless you really know that the babies are safe.

Dose being kicked or bit by Mini horses hurt?

Yes it can. I have been working with mini horses since I was 9 and I have been kicked and had the wind knocked out of me. I deserved it most of the time too as I didn't know how to act around horses at the time. My first horse bit didn't happen until February of 2013 while a mare was in the middle of having a baby. My arm was in the way while she was pushing and she bit down on my arm on accident. She has never tried again and is a sweet girl. Actually she had been overly nice since then so I think she's apologizing. It took 3 months for the knot to go away 3 weeks for the purple to go. It hurt but there was no permanent damage.

Monday, August 12, 2013

Are Mini horses being nice if they nibble (chow) on each others mane?

Yes. They are fine. Just like us they get itchy under all that main hair (in most cases common horse lice) and they are just itching each other when where they normally can't reach.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Why do horses bite each others tale off?

This can be because of boredom. This could also be a protein deficiency. It can be hunger. Lastly it could be a show of dominance, but if they are truly eating the hair it can become a habit so nip it in the butt as soon as you notice it.