Maybe this isn't the right place to ask this question, but I don't know where else to. Someone can direct me, if necessary.. So, I have a new foal. I wasn't intending on having this foal, but I am thrilled that I do. He's beautiful. This, ironically, is the first mare I've ever purchased and she happened to be bred when I purchased her... Just bred, It's been almost 11 months. She had her foal 2 days ago and he's doing great, he's gone to the bathroom, eating well doing everything I've read he's supposed to do. The big problem is I cannot really get near him. The mother a QH is overly protective of him. This is her first foal and she's 6. She won't really let me near her. It's very odd, because she's extremely picky about people anyway and I was the only one that could do anything to or with her. Yesterday she tried to chase me out of the arena that I have them in currently. I didn't let her do it, at the risk of her kicking or striking. I can honestly say those are behaviors she has never exhibited before having the foal. She's always been very easy to catch, loved being groomed... Just a pretty great horse all in all. I know that the baby needs human attention. But I cannot in good conscience ask a vet to go in there with her and look at the foal. She won't let me groom her, just bring in feed and change her water. The foal ran inside when she let me pet her the day before yesterday and she flipped out, I suppose she thought I took her foal. I don't know how to deal with this. I guess she's hormonal. But from what I've read I should be able to handle her like I did before she had the foal. Can anyone please help me or give me suggestions. I would like to halter the foal, have someone examine him and check out his little hooves. Start him on how to behave like a good horse, even though his mother is not. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.. Thank you in advance to anyone who can help.

If you have not had them checked out by your vet that would be good, its to late to run an IGg test but they still need to be checked over, and your vet should be able to help you catch her. See if she will come to you when you feed her and, Try to put a halter (break away if you want) back on the mare and leave it on her making it a little easier to catch her. We have even left lead ropes attatched on aggressive mares. You should probably try to put her back into a small pen or stall making it easier to get a handle on her. Once you are able to get a handle on her (in a smaller pen) you can then tie her up and work with the foal and not have to worry about being charged. It may take a couple of people to help you get her caught and a halter and lead put back on her, put her in a smaller pen until she is comfortable with you catching her. If you are not able to you could try making a chute of some sort and run her into a smaller pen or the stall. The longer you let this goes on the harder it will be to handle her and the foal. She is a maiden mare and this is fairly typical of maiden mares, and some older mares if it is not controlled. When you get her caught groom on her first and mess with her once she settles down then you can start to mess with the foal. Hope this helps.