# Mare trying to steal herd mate's foal?



## Eclipse295 (Nov 30, 2010)

I wasnt quite sure where to put this, sorry if it is in the wrong place.

Okay I am stumped my 3 year old haflinger mare(delilah) is trying to steal my 14yo appy mare's(mary anne) 3 week old foal(skittles) it has gotten bad. She tries to put as much space between momma and baby as she can then blocks Skittles from running back to Mary Anne. The only other horse in the pasture is a 14 year old mini who couldn't care less about the foal. I can't put them in a separate pasture, and I can't just put the haflinger in her stall/run-in whille the mare and foal are out, our I would have to put the haflinger and mini in a 8x6 run in all afternoon. Also the whole steal the baby game only lasts for about half an hour before they settle down a little and then Delilah only tries to steal the foal if she gets to far from her mom. 

Any ideas on how to stop it, other then adopting the mare a foal.
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## FreeDestiny (Jul 3, 2011)

Subbing to see what others have to say...
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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I think the only way to stop it, is to separate the horses. I have read this is quite common esp. if grandmares are kept with their foaling daughters. Can't blame them though, babies are irresistable!


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

Can you section off part of your pasture?


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I'd let momma mare sort out the haffy. If she objects strenuously enough the haffy will leave the baby alone. If it's not an issue for the mare, I wouldn't worry about it. I have a mare who plays "Favorite Auntie" with the foals once I put the mares and foals back into the main herd. She'll steal them away for a couple of hours, sometimes even longer, to play and run with them. When they get hungry the go find mom and then come back to play with Auntie Patti some more. Works out great at weaning time, I take away the moms when the babies are out playing with Auntie P and they rarely even notice. Patti keeps them in line and protects them from anything that might come around the herd, so everybody is happy.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Awwww, you have an Aunt Patti, I had an Uncle Clip. Was funny when the weaner baby would bump his back to let down some milk! Uncle Clip had a very clean sheath at weaning time.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

waresbear said:


> Awwww, you have an Aunt Patti, I had an Uncle Clip. Was funny when the weaner baby would bump his back to let down some milk! Uncle Clip had a very clean sheath at weaning time.


 
HAAAAAAAAAAAH! When Patti had her colt, Harley, I hadn't finished my foaling stalls and just had pipe corrals. Evidently he rolled out under the bars, worked his way over to my OOOOOOLD gelding, Lucky's stall, and got in there. I had checked Patti at 8:30 and no sign of foaling, when I went back out about 9:30, he was already up, dry and in Lucky's stall. Lucky was crunched up in a corner with his legs crossed going, "NO NO NO" and when he saw me he gave a BIG old sigh and nickered at me. It was very plain he was telling me to "Get this thing out of here!". ROFL! So, while Lucky was great with 'em after they got weaned, he was a little more chary of the newborns!:lol:


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

At this point, I would separate them. Too much stress could cause dam to cease producing milk, and foal could get caught in battle between mom and kidnapper. Broken leg is not worth it. And the expense of Mare's Match is unsettling.


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## Eclipse295 (Nov 30, 2010)

I was watching them for joist almost an hour today and delilah would run with the baby and then go back to momma, it was really cute baby would run, buck and have a grand ol' time while momma grazed almost as though delilah was a babysitter who is just their to give poor mom a break.
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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

You need to separate them NOW!!

That mare could harass that foal to death. It is not uncommon. If she can't steal it, she may become aggressive towards it. And, the foal may get caught between the battling mares.

Separate!


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## 1997magic (Mar 14, 2012)

Mares tend to do that. They get jealous of the other mare. The only real way to stop it is if you seperate them. If you have some pannels, or perhaps a riding arena you could use, put the mare and foal in there to seperate them.


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