Something an old horseman told me - smear the mare's nose with honey, and put some on the foal's back and rump as well. She will lick the honey, and that may just trigger the bonding process.
It is pretty vital to get the colostrum into the foal, whether by suckling or with a syringe. You may find she'll accept the foal after a couple of days - keep them in the stable but separate foal from mare with a gate or similar, and keep on persevering. I would not restrain the mare too much as she will come to associate the foal with restraint. Give her a nice bucket of feed and let the foal try while she's eating. If she's picking on the foal, don't let her eat at the same time, so she associates the foal with something nice. hth Mic On Thu, 6 Mar 2008 05:01:37 -0600, you wrote: >My friend Sylvia called at 4 this morning She went out and found her >mare Bob has delivered a gorgeous healthy baby appaloosa/arab mule but >Bob won't let him nurse! Sylvia found him at 4 AM, he was completely >dry so it had been a while. I called Karen and she said he has to get >colostrum down, Sylvia is gonna milk bob and give it to the baby in a >syringe... Karen explained there is a time limit... Sylvia's vet is >horrible, I just cant stand him! My husband is on his way over there >to see if he can help her get Bob to stand still and quit kicking at >the baby. ANy ideas of how to get Bob to quit kicking at the baby!?! >This is Bob's first and she is real young, 5 i think... The baby is >black with a gorgeous white blanket and it is just what sylvia had >wished for when she bred Bob to a black donkey. > >Any ideas anyone has would be so appreciated! I hate to work today >but mny husband is on his way over there to help her and she has the >phone with her out in the barn and is waiting for my calls to advise. > >She doesnt know whether to try and restrain Bob for the baby to nurse, >go away and leave them alone together or what! The baby repeatedly >tries to nurse, Bob kicks at him, and Bob will allow Sylvia to handle >her bag but swings away and kicks at the baby when he approaches. >Sylvias vet is the type to charge thousands when he knows an animal is >gonna die anyway, he has a horrible reputation, but he has her >suckered and she doesnt have a ton of money and he lets her make >payments so she thinks he is an angel.... HELP > >I told her about the colostrum and she understands but I guess now we >need to figure out how to get Bob to accept the baby. > > >Film at eleven! I am aunt janice here... > > >Janice Mic (Michelle) Rushen ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Solva Icelandic Horses and DeMeulenkamp Sweet Itch Rugs: www.solva-icelandics.co.uk ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes"
