Why mares reject foals

The second type of foal rejection is avoidance of the foal. Again, it often occurs with mares foaling for the first time. The mare appears to be frightened of the foal and tries to avoid it.

These mares simply move away as the newborn foal stands and begins to approach the mare. The third and most serious type of rejection is where the mare shows aggression towards the foal. Regardless of the type of rejection, it is essential to intervene if the foal is at risk.

For mares that do not allow the foal to nurse, it is critical that the foal receives colostrum first milk as soon as possible. The mare might need to be restrained while her colostrum is harvested. The foal can then be fed with a bottle or a veterinarian may be needed to administer the colostrum via a naso-gastric tube directly into the Create a free account with TheHorse.

In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse. Start your free account today! Username or Email Address. Remember Me. Foal Rejection and Maternal Behavior Foal rejection is a heartbreaking twist to an otherwise normal foaling and unless the mare has rejected a foal before, there is no way to predict if and when it will happen.

Favorite Share:. An analgesic like flunixin meglumine or phenylbutazone could decrease post-foaling discomfort or pain from a swollen udder. If there is serious inflammation or infection of the mammary glands, veterinary diagnosis and treatment will be needed. In other cases, nothing seems to help and the foal must be taken away from the mare to prevent injury.

In this situation, finding a nurse mare is the best alternative. The last resort—hand-raising a bottle-fed foal—is an undertaking that calls for an enormous investment in time and energy. Keep an eye out for these upcoming tools, or get the app to try some out now. Figuring out the cause of the problem. The cause of the problem. These are conditions or ailments that are the cause of the observations you make.

A way to resolve the condition or diagnosis. Resolving the underlying cause or treating the signs of disease symptomatic treatment. Please Sign Up To Continue. Sign Up or Log In. Email address. Check this box to stay signed in.

What you see. The starting point for addressing any equine health related issue is your observation. Summary A recently foaled mare that will not allow her foal to nurse may be inexperienced, could be in pain or could be truly rejecting her foal.

We had not been waiting long enough the prior two days. Hormones, pre-existing medical conditions and inexperience are documented reasons that mares have rejected their foals. Marilyn Mowry Bowling once showed in all-around events, but now breeds for reining, cutting and cow horse. She had a maiden mare bond with the placenta rather than the foal. She kept chasing the baby away from the placenta.

I had to put it back into the pen, on top of the foal, and then she was fine. It soon fell off the foal and I snuck it out of the pen. Sometimes Mother Nature thwarts the best laid plans.

Kimberly Dowdle of Chandler, Oklahoma had a maiden mare deliver a foal outside in a paddock during a hard rain. Dowdle was at work when the mare delivered. When she returned home, the foal started screaming at her. She brought the mare and foal into a stall and the mare refused to acknowledge the foal. She tried pinning the mare into the corner and twitching, but the mare continued to act vicious, trying to bite and kick the foal.

In many cases, Lawley believes that human interaction can contribute to rejection.