celestialfields
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we have 50 something cows on 160 acres. can i buy a baby horse and throw out amongst them?
getting a foal
- Thread starter celestialfields
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He would probably survive, if you did that. But why have a horse,
especially a young horse needing training, if you don't plan to work
with it?
The other "bad" thing would be the colt/filly turning to cattle as
playmates, play TOYS. Horses are social, and young ones LOVE
to run and tear around, building strong bodies. Cattle with no
horns are not able to protect themselves against teeth and hooves
of a busy young horse, who soon learns how much FUN it is to
chase cattle. Horned cattle are not healthy for the horse, who
probably won't read the danger until after it gets hurt.
Guess I would be asking what kind of foal, what do you plan to
do with it? Why do you want to have this foal?
Keeping a young horse, then not training it to be useful as it
grows, is kind of hard on the horse when it needs to get sold
or you don't want it anymore. Training young horses means
handling them daily, keeping them friendly, liking to be with
you for the grooming and companionship during handling.
Letting the horse grow up feral is real bad for his future life
and how it will be treated by other folks. Horses live LONG lives,
need to be civilized to have a better quality of life, should you
get tired of having it around later on.
especially a young horse needing training, if you don't plan to work
with it?
The other "bad" thing would be the colt/filly turning to cattle as
playmates, play TOYS. Horses are social, and young ones LOVE
to run and tear around, building strong bodies. Cattle with no
horns are not able to protect themselves against teeth and hooves
of a busy young horse, who soon learns how much FUN it is to
chase cattle. Horned cattle are not healthy for the horse, who
probably won't read the danger until after it gets hurt.
Guess I would be asking what kind of foal, what do you plan to
do with it? Why do you want to have this foal?
Keeping a young horse, then not training it to be useful as it
grows, is kind of hard on the horse when it needs to get sold
or you don't want it anymore. Training young horses means
handling them daily, keeping them friendly, liking to be with
you for the grooming and companionship during handling.
Letting the horse grow up feral is real bad for his future life
and how it will be treated by other folks. Horses live LONG lives,
need to be civilized to have a better quality of life, should you
get tired of having it around later on.
CritterZone
Chillin' with the herd
I wouldn't, but that's just me...
If you really want a horse among your cows, maybe you should get an older one that can just sit around and be pretty. Young horses require a lot of maintenance and money. If you're going to get one, I suggest doing lots of homework; a great book I recommend is by a horse vet Phyllis Lose, and called "Blessed Are the Foals". You read through that, you'll come out knowing lot's more about what a young horse needs. Good luck!
