We know that dams have a strong influence on their foals, shaping lifelong patterns of feeding, learning, and social relationships. But French researchers have determined that mares also appear to impact their foals’ relationships to humans.

“Not having a good relationship with the mare is certainly an obstacle to a human developing a good relationship with her foal,” said Séverine Henry, PhD, lecturer of animal behavior at the University of Rennes. Henry presented the results of her research review on horses’ interactions with humans carried out in collaboration with colleague Martine Hausberger, PhD, at the 2015 French Equine Research Day, held March 12 in Paris. Much of the review was based on data collected at the Rennes equine behavior experimental station over the past 10 years.

“Particular attention should be given to the choice of (parents), especially the mother, based on their behavior,” Henry said.

The dam’s influence on her foal is especially significant in the first month of life, when the foal spends 90% of its time less than 5 meters away from its mother and nurses about seven times per hour, Henry said