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Post by sophoclees on Jul 7, 2014 22:01:14 GMT
Hi Everybody
I am collecting my Luso colt on the 1st of August and wondered what my best plan of action is?
1. Buy another colt (have my eye on a beautiful section C lol) for him to go out and play with to learn social skills etc
2. Bring him to the stables where I have my mares and get him used to handling etc for a month or two then send him somewhere for youngster turnout
3. Just keep him at the stables and start handling straight away - although I do think that it is important for them to go out with other youngsters.
Thanks in advance!
Sophie
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Jul 8, 2014 18:46:11 GMT
Situations vary and all mine live at home unless gone elsewhere for a reason, but mine get bits of all three of your options!
My foals spend their first winter in at night, out in the day with other foal(s) or possibly yearling or other youngstock if no more foals to play with, and a nanny adult to teach them manners. Depending on numbers and sexes, they may be out altogether until there is any danger of the colts getting fruity, or I may have two bunches both timewise and/or fieldwise to separate the sexes. After a winter of being individually fed and handled, they go out to grass for the next however many years, only coming in for farrier, worming and vet.
Obviously he can't go out with mares, but you may be able to borrow another boy for him to play with if you don't want to buy one, likewise a gelding for teaching manners. My fantastic old foal nanny gelding has now got another job as happy hacker and confidence restorer but I do miss him for the foals!
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Post by ChartsideStud on Jul 8, 2014 22:28:29 GMT
I do very similar to Sarahp.
I turn my young colts out with an older gelding as I find they teach them manners but will also play with them. I have occasionally turned young colts out together on their own but I find they spend most of their time acting like naughty teenagers and don't really learn any manners from each other.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Jul 9, 2014 6:08:33 GMT
The play is valuable though, and colts and fillies play differently, much more rearing and play fighting from the colts.
In practice I wean them one at a time, starting with the mares and foals together and then taking one mare out at a time so for some time the broodmares fulfill the nanny role, when all weaned it depends what I have about! This doesn't help the OP though.
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