Tag Archive for mare and foal

Understandably Peeved

free range horse photography of an angry foal circling it's mother that stole a newborn foal

A well-meaning mare steals a newborn from another mare and her own foal is (understandably) quite irritated.

(Another picture of the sassy filly shown defending the dirt pile a couple posts back.) In this image she is circling her mother with confusion and irritation over the attention given to another foal. Her beloved mother has stolen another mare’s newborn foal and everything got really weird after that. This event required intervention and I’m happy to report that the confused newborn was reunited with her mother and they were separated from the herd for a while to bond. All is well for all the horses and the brief disruption to the sassy filly’s esteem is corrected.

Told You So

free range horse photography of a new colt with many qualities and extra long legs

Just a couple of days ago, this colt’s long legs were folded up inside his long suffering mother.

Since I mentioned it was hard to see just how long legged he is, I have proof. He’s just a few days old in this image.

Bonus Points

free range horse photography of a long legged newborn colt and his good natured mother

This brave mare welcomes a large and long legged newborn foal.

free range horse photography of a proud mare and her newborn colt

A good natured mare and her surprisingly large newborn colt.

This mare has hidden her new colt away from the rest of the herd. She favors the cover of trees, and the shadows each time I have approached. The colt, an obvious grey, has impossibly long legs which are not as obvious in the tall grass. I give him bonus points for having white around his nostrils. (My whole life, horses with white muzzles have stood out as extra attractive, like a movie horse). Not always a team player, this mare affectionately known as Iris, continues to stubbornly avoid rejoining the rest of the mares and foals. The colt will be in for quite a surprise when he finally experiences other horses. These images were taken the day he was born, so he’s only several hours old.

Earned Fatigue

free range horse photography of a tired mother of a newborn foal

A veteran mother and her earned fatigue shows the day her foal is born.

free range horse photography of a wistful mare and newborn

A mare with a newborn filly appears wistful as the others move off to a new location.

A veteran mother maintains a protective zone around her newborn filly. She stays quietly within the herd, but she minimizes her wandering for the foal’s sake and undoubtedly, her own sake as well. She is recuperating from the birth of a large foal. The foal is not much more than twenty four hours old in these images.

New Kid on the Block

free range horse photography of a new filly on parade
A filly on parade at a couple of days old.

Strolling through the neighborhood.

Reluctant Introduction

free range horse photography of a black mare and black newborn filly
A new mother reluctantly presents her newborn foal.

Looking a bit disheveled and weary, this new mother skirts the perimeters of the herd with her newborn filly. The foal is a day old and still has the wrinkly, albeit dry, wavy patterns in her black hair-coat.

Happy Girls are the Prettiest Girls

free range horse photography of a smoke colored newborn filly
A flashy smoke-grey filly has arrived.

Hey look! She’s the same color as the oak tree bark! At one day old this filly is a joy to observe. Bouncy and independent, her mother follows her carefree explorations instead of the normal foal-follows-mare arrangement.

An Unexpected Arrival

free range horse photography of a week-old filly
A week old and sporting a fuzzy-wuzzy coat for the weather.

She is unusual in many ways. She has an unusual face marking (not entirely visible in this pic), she is unusually stout for a new foal for a maiden mother, she is unusually fuzzy (but the hair-coat is welcome for the wet weather we have been experiencing), and she is unusual because she is completely unexpected, and the sire is a mystery. Despite the foal’s size, it was not obvious her mother was pregnant until the final weeks before birth. Life on the range has a few twists and turns.

Launching a Friendship

free range horse photography of two foals meeting
A younger foal braves the first introduction to a reluctant herd mate.

These two foals are not more than a few days apart, but the bigger foal is shy about introductions. The delicate filly is willing to frisk about with her herd mate, but first she must win him (and his mother) over. She’s a charmer, so I’m sure she succeeded.

Making an Introduction

free range horse photography of a mare and new foal
A new foal has grown her hair coat in mere days, adapting to the many cold rainstorms since her birth.

My first visit with a new foal on a sunny day. When I first observed her during a persistent rainstorm, she appeared brown. Of course she was soaked at that time. Now I can see she is clearly bay.

Think Happy Thoughts

free range horse photography of a new foal and his mother in a park-like setting
Life is good in this lush setting for a new foal and his wary mother.

A January colt and his mother stroll through a glorious location. After a few rainy days, then a few sunny days, this is their beautiful home.

No Fences

These horses are fortunate to have vast acres to roam and explore. I cannot express enough times how this allows the horses to become the very best version of themselves. They are constantly challenged mentally and physically which makes them strong and able thinkers. The foal is annoyed in this moment because his mother will not stand still for him to nurse.

free range horse photography of a mare and foal in a vast landscape

This mare and foal have room to roam.

Womb to Sixty in Five Minutes Or Less

A very strong newborn who attempted to stand, even when still robed in placenta mere minutes from birth, made balance look fairly easy when he stood up. He didn’t try and fail over and over, he simply stood. He teetered briefly, then wobbled around his mother. What a champ! What a scene to fill a horse lovers heart!

free range horse photography of a newborn foal's first stance

A very large, and very newly born colt, makes his first attempt at standing.

Nap to Gallop In No Time Flat

(Thank you Go Daddy Support for helping me bring my site back to life).

Her mother has kept her secluded for over a week, so: wary mare equals wary foal. The filly’s getaway is so quick you can see the foxtails flying through the air around her.

free range horse photography of a wary new foal

Mother has kept this new foal secluded for several days so she is jumpy about my approach.

What a Wonderful World

Even though That Herd horses are accustomed to my appearances, sometimes they don’t want anything to do with me. I don’t take it personally when mares keep their distance with a newborn foal. I can respect the enormous responsibility they face. In a free range environment, one cannot be too careful. In this case, her distance makes for quite a wonderful scene. It’s a filly, by the way.

free range horse photography of a mare and newborn filly

A mare keeps her distance with her one-day-old filly.

Crabby Pants

A new colt, first seen at about a week old, is doted on by his mother. She is not keen on my getting close, and moves away often. The colt amused me by making a mad face at all the horses, foals or mares, who ventured too close to him. He looks innocent enough in this image though.

free range horse photography of a mare and new colt

A new colt gets special attention from his mother.

Promise Fulfilled

The promise of a healthy foal is fulfilled. Eleven months of wondering and hoping, and then the arrival of a new foal exceeds expectations. Well done, mare. Well done.

free range horse photography of a painted mare and new foal

A beautiful mare and her beautiful new foal.

No Cape, But Super Just the Same

I’m adding another picture to honor this valiant mare for giving birth to such a sturdy foal. Large joints and pointy shoulders were no match for the grit of this Super Mare. Not to mention, it was probably raining at the time too.

free range horse photography of a mare and newborn filly

Congratulations to a valiant mare for giving birth the such a sturdy foal.

Babe in the Woods

A rushed evening check on the mare herd reveals a new foal! This leggy bay colt is probably a couple of days old. Night was arriving so I did not have a chance to spend any time observing the new foal. I will reveal, however, that he was not the only new foal.

free range horse photography of a new foal

An early evening check on the mares reveals a new foal.

 

Proud Moment

This mare is a good mother. She has had many foals, and they all have benefited from their mother’s nurturing disposition. Even in this image, shortly after giving birth to a rather large filly, she looks bright and proud.

free range horse photography of a mare and her newborn colt

A good mare poses with her large newborn colt.