New Foal, VERY grumpy mare...

Question
QUESTION: One of our mares just had her first foal 4 days ago. Prior to foaling, she has always been a very affectionate and submisive horse. On day one of the foal being born she was no problem at all. I was actually able to go into the stall and lay down with them both. Then her attitude changed on day 2. On day 2 we FINALLY got she and the colt out of the stall in hopes that her bad attitude was perhapes due to being cramped. Since she was so hard to get haltered and out of the stall we have just been putting them both in the round pen during the day and a bigger stall at night. Food has allowed us to slowly be able to get close to her. She doesn't seem to mind us touching the colt, she will look back at us if we're petting him and just keep on grazing. She seems to just not want us anywhere near her! She pins her ears, spins around like she will kick if we do not move. Are we em-powering her by backing off at her will? But my biggest question is should we consider separating them for a few minutes a day just so we can get our hands on the foal without making her more angry at us? We just really do not know what to do. I desprately want to get my hands on him (which is does not mind at all) but I feel like she is dictating wheither or not we can even enter the same enclosure as her! HELP!!!

ANSWER:  Remember you are dealing with a new mother and baby here. The Post-partum issues women have may also be experienced by other intelligent creatures in my opinion. The mare may not really want the well meaning, extra attention at the moment. Give her some space to catch her breath and bond with her baby. Tend to her as you would normally taking care to imprint the baby during that time and leave her to learning how to be a mother.
You don't want to push her to the point of feeling like she needs to defend her space. Having a baby is a pretty big deal to any animal and her hormones are in turmoil at the moment. She will be going into a foaling heat very soon and she will have even more unpredictable moods to deal with. She may not mind your touching her baby and asking her to do familiar things such as turning out to graze etc. but during the foaling heat she is experiencing the physical traumas of labor and birth as well as the primal urge to breed again. She is set to have a hissy fit that anyone could understand.
Give her some leniency for a couple of weeks, don't bring all the friends over to pet the baby and don't smother her with attention either. She will return to her old self before you know it as long as you don't push her into a defensive mind-set. You aren't empowering her by backing off at this point... you are respecting her clear warning to back off now!
Do not separate her and the foal for any amount of time right now... you will upset the foal and tick her off. Like I mentioned earlier, give them a little time to get used to each other and the surroundings. When you turn the mare out, casually pet the foal without chasing it down and making it feel threatened. It is better to allow the foals natural curiosity to bring it to you for attention. There is no immediate reason to "desperately" need to get your hands on the foal if it is healthy, bright and alert. It seems the harder you try to capture a baby, the less likely they will want to be caught.
Bringing mom treats like chopped carrots in a bucket mixed with some "Mare and foal" supplemental feed should incite the foals interest in exploring the interesting 2-legged creatures that hang around once in a while. Being patient and gentle will go a long way in developing a solid trusting relationship with your new foal.
Congratulations and best of luck with the newest addition and it's momma!

Stallynrydr

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: So my follow-up question would be how long until you would think it appropriate to do any type of separation? As far as the imprinting thing goes; I am new at that concept. Not sure when we should be doing things like, putting a halter on him, introduction to water, etc. I don't want to be missing any windows of opportunity we should be doing right now. Thank you so much for the responce and answers. It is amazing to have somewhere to ask questions and get expert advice.

Answer
I would not separate the mare and foal for it's first few months of life at all. Put a halter and lead on the mare and the foal and have someone else handle the mare while you are working with the foal every day. True Imprinting occurs immediately after birth... within the first hour of life. The foal is absorbing information about it's surroundings like a sponge. If you take 15 to 30 minutes everyday and spend it brushing and leading your foal around the stall/paddock, handling all of it's feet and probing it's mouth and nostrils and ears with your fingers and even running clippers over every part of it's body in a calm matter-of-fact way you will impress on it that all of these things are just part of being a horse. Later in life your foal will not fear situations like having the Farrier handle it's feet or the Vet examine it's body.
If you have access to a trailer that you can lead the foal in and out of while mom stands nearby and watches, the foal will not be frightened of loading in a trailer and hauling like many horses are.
Stroking the foal with your hands slowly and gently until the foal stands and accepts your touch without pulling away will teach the foal that you are the boss and your touch is nothing to fear. Do not let the foal become scared and panic about anything you do to it. If you take away mom, the foal is going to be searching for her and not paying attention to you at all ... You want the foal to have her close at hand to keep him comfortable and secure. Having someone else hold her while you are working with the foal will keep her from snapping out at you.
I would get a halter on the foal now ... each time you are doing anything with it but be sure to remove it (and moms halter) so there is no danger of the halter getting caught on anything and harming the foal when there is no supervision.
Always keep water available to the mom and baby 24 hours a day. The foal will sample the water and soon learn to drink it by watching mom drink. Foals learn by observing their mothers and other horses do things that horses do. It will take little tastes of different things and decide which things are good to eat after watching mom eating.
I have to agree it is nice to have somewhere to go for answers about things you are not sure of... Feel free to ask questions anytime at all.. We do our best to watch for them and respond as quickly as we are able...
Good luck

Stallynrydr