The connection between parent and child is universal. We’ve all seen the many heartwarming videos of animals bonding with their babies. Whether it’s a dog with their puppy, a cow with their calf, or a deer with their fawn, that natural attachment is like a magnet.
Khoal the Stallion met his baby boy for the first time and you can instantly see the proud papa’s love for his son.
@pinaycowgirlI forgot to post their first moment together so here it is 😫💗 #curlyhorse #horsesoftiktok #blowup #stallion #foal #4up #creatorsearchinsights
In the TikTok from @pinaycowgirl, Khoal stood in front of a gate and leaned down toward his son so they were nose to nose. He gently nudged and sniffed his baby boy, possibly noticing the resemblance. The father’s loving touch toward the foal was an incredibly tender moment.
Khoal’s son soaked in his dad’s attention and responded by opening and closing his mouth several times. A follower explained the baby horse’s behavior.
“A foal could be raised by itself around no other foals and still know to clack to show they’re not a threat, and it’s all instinct,” the follower wrote. “That’s a behavior that was adapted hundreds of thousands of years ago and we still see it today.”
Stallions are potective of their foals
Maternal instincts are notoriously strong. The term “mama bear” was coined for a reason. Moms are known to be extremely protective of their kids, even when they become adults.
With horses, stallions take their role of guarding their babies quite seriously. A study revealed that male horses are very protective of mares they mate with as well as the resulting offspring. Stallions instinctively defend their foals against predators and other members of the herd.
Foals are very drawn to their dads and show that they know who’s boss. The clacking behavior seen in Khoal’s son is common in foals around their fathers, where they are moving their mouths as a sign of submission. Clacking also exhibits a level of high emotional excitement from a foal, where they enjoy playing and physically touching their dads through licking and sniffing.
Khoal is a great example of a hooves-on dad!
