Timmy's being a little monster

[Marty]

If I were one of my mares, I would really be annoyed with some of Timmy's antics. He's really bothering them a lot. He nips at their legs, paws at them when they are down rolling, and rides each and everyone of them as his daily pastime. Although it's usually Merry Beth and Chrissy that are his favorite play-toys for this, he does it to all of them. They show thier displeasure by kicking at him "gently" not with anger, just mostly a warning to cut it out, or just shoo him away, but he still comes right back for more.

Some of you have said in the past that if you put a horsey that acts like this in with a bunch of mares, they will teach him what is and what is not acceptable behaviour. Maybe I have some very placid mares because no one is trying to fight with him. I am just assuming that they realize this is a baby and they tolerate and accept him in the herd anyhow.

There are no plans to wean or geld him anytime soon.

Maybe it's bothering me more than them?

 

[stormy]

He needs a buddy his own age to play baby games with. Find him a buddy!

 

[Frankie]

Can you say spoiled??????????

Opie does the same thing, they just nudge him away, and yes he comes back for more. But I don't think he is being bad, it's just his personality. He is playing, a huge clown of sorts!!!!! If he's bad enough, I KNOW they will let him know.

If he were doing this with another baby, I bet you would say he is just playing.

Don't give him an inch Marty, our your mountain will be bigger!!!

 

[Miniv]

Marty,

I think they know he's just a kid. I bet once he's weaned and not under his mom's protection, they'll be a little more assertive with him.

MA

 

[Marty]

I added a picture. This is him and Merry Beth every day all day, all the time. geesh

 

[Margaret]

I know what you mean Marty, Some of theses young boys just dont seem to quit.. It is good in one regard that your mares are being tolerant of him as you dont want him hurt.. I think they are still being careful as he is possessing no real threat

to them.. But put a full grown stallion in there with those mares and those same mares will deal out quite a different attatude. I had a 6 month old colt eariler this year that got away with alot, but he did start to get on my most tolerant mares nerves, and she would body move him, (push him with her rear), and knock him off balance -and that seemed to give him a "clue" that these gestures were not appreciated.. Hopefully your little one will get a clue soon.

I'm not sure at what age they get it..I think they are all different, and some never get it, and just end up being seperated.

 

[Dandy]

Marty, I have only had the experience of having three babies, all of them colts. My first one was all boy from the minute he was born. In fact my vet commented on it when she came to check him after he was born. He has had attitude since day one. When he lost his mom at 2 weeks, we made him worse by spoiling him and allowing him to get away with more than he should. I gelded him as a 2 year old and that helped a little bit but he still treats me like a horse and hasn't totally stopped nipping. I know a lot of that is from being bottle fed and thinking we are his parents. My other two colts were sweet as can be, never tried to nip or climb on anyone. I sold them, though at 5 months, and 4 months so don't know if they changed. I think your guy just has a personality kinda like my boogie. Keeps life interesting. Do you plan to geld him?

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Gelding would not actually make any difference to his behaviour- I have had gelding foals older than him, and younger and they are all just babies- and they all do the same. Gelding, however WILL be making a huge difference by the time he is a yearling- which is why I geld them young. I think the girls will sort him out when they are ready to. By the time he is a year old, well, obviously he will have to be separated if you do not plan on gelding him but, were he to get in with them at that age they would kill him

This is normal, aggravating baby behaviour- Look at Beth's ears. Is she cross?? No, so why are you??

Let them sort it out for themselves.

 

[hhpminis]

As usual you have gotten good advice. Fizz is right, Beth is not annoyed. They will be when it is time. As soon as he is not under mommas wing and the other mares know she will not kick the snot out of them, they will take care of his boyish charm.

As long as he isn't riding you, let him be. He's not is he?

Unfortunately come spring whether he has been set straight or not you will most likely have to separate him from the band of mares and maybe get him a gelding buddy to play with before then.

BTW, I am so jealous of your dry ground! It is 2 degrees this morning and I froze pertinent parts of my body off going to the barn this AM. I might find them in spring, under a snow bank!

 

[Magic]

I find it so interesting how the adult horses are so careful with the foals. I've had colts like Timmy too, Marty, and the mares will lift a leg in warning but never kick.

There is a weanling colt here now, in with my weanling fillies, and he had to be gelded before the really cold weather hit because if he hadn't been, he would have had to be separated from them before too long. He isn't jumping on the fillies any more, much to their relief. Marty, your mares I'm sure aren't too annoyed with Timmy-- YET. When they are, they will show their displeasure quite firmly, and he will get the message.

 

[Hosscrazy]

Marty - here's one of my favorite photos from my archives - it's baby Cody bashing Krystle over the head with his Santa doll. He was horrible to her, horrible with his mom Misty. It did not take long at all before the 2 of them got tired of his antics, and they got strict. All I can say is now, at 8 years old, he is a perfect gentleman!

Liz R.

 

[Jill]

Oh, does this remind me of how Skipper WAS!

I think if Holly is the boss mare, Timmy is going to be a first class brat and not corrected as long as he is in the same lot as Holly until well after he's been weaned.

Skipper to this day, coming 3yo and gelded, will be a non-sexual brat to the horses in Lou's lot but in a lot without Lou, he's pretty low in the pecking order.

Did you ever see this monkey documentary with a baby monkey named Flint? It is fascinating but I bawled my eyes out at the end...

However, the documentary showed how this little Flint was so obnoxious and got away with it since his mom was the head female monkey in the tribe. I don't think this situation is much different.

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]I think that Timmy is the brat because no one diciplines him and what he needs is to be pushed back some which isnt going to happen with momma there. Also sometimes the things these kids do as foals we as the people parents think is cute..... its not..... but we let them get away with stuff that we have to coreect later. Honestly.... I made lots of those mistakes with Sweet Tart. He had to go to boot camp with uncle Bruce....there he goes out with two other stallions and a tough gelding....at first he was strutting his big bad self around but Bourbon, the BOB son has put him in his little horsey place! Now he is a coming 3 gentleman around horses AND people![/SIZE]

Lyn

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]He really is plenty old enough to wean.... just pick him a buddy to room and play with..... Personally I have found that the longer I left a baby with the mother the harder they were to dicipline even by me! Now my friend Rachael left her filly on the mother till the next one was born two years later!!!! That was a problem. At 3 she was still trying to nurse often and she was bred that year WITH her mother ....thats sad. Like a 24 year old still sucking their thumb![/SIZE]

Lyn

 

[Jill]

[SIZE=14pt]He really is plenty old enough to wean.... just pick him a buddy to room and play with..... Personally I have found that the longer I left a baby with the mother the harder they were to dicipline even by me! Now my friend Rachael left her filly on the mother till the next one was born two years later!!!! That was a problem. At 3 she was still trying to nurse often and she was bred that year WITH her mother ....thats sad. Like a 24 year old still sucking their thumb![/SIZE]Lyn

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[SIZE=14pt]Hehe!!! And, I think she didn't wean my Firefly truly until she came to my house as a pregger two year old. I am still so happy with this mare, though. I adore her![/SIZE]

 

[Leeana]

lol ...Marty after reading some of your threads on this little guy im pretty sure that when Angel has her foal i will have my hands full with it.

I dont blaim you for not punishing him ..look how cute.

But if the mares wont do it ..then maybe you should try to just a bit. I remember you saying a while back that you dont want to wean in the middle of winter so i would just start teaching him some voice commands like 'NOOOOOOO'!

Leeana

 

[Marion]

I think that sometimes the mares just don't care a lot. I have seen baby goats do the samething to their mothers and sisters, but let a new baby come in, and they will not tolerant anything from it. I think it is just like with people what our family does is cute, but someone else's family is dumb or not funny at all.

When you start training him, he will get out of it.

 

[Marty]

I dont blaim you for not punishing him

hehe Leanna, there's nothing there for me to punish. It's a horse to horse thing, not a people thing. This is a thing he's doing out in the field with the mares, he's wonderful with people. He's very loving and sweet just like his daddy.

And you're right Leanna, I'm not going to be weaning here in the dead of winter. No need for it. Holly's not the boss mare either. I really don't have a dominant mare. If I did, it would be Silver Belle in a way, and she is protective over Timmy and all the younger ones here. He spends a good deal of the day away from Holly anyhow and just playing with the young fillies. But ooh that ruff stuff...I guess you are right Fizzy, they are not angered by him.

 

[coopermini]

Our litle colt Shadow did the same thing all summer. Mostly bugging the 2 year old fillys. We weaned him at 4 1/2 monthes and by 6 months he had toned his behavior way down. Or maybe they toned him down. I think it annoyed us watching more than it bothered the girls. He can still be a little pest when turned out for the day but usually only if somebody will play along.

Mark