The bond between the foal and the mare that gave it birth is the result of several instinctive behaviors taking place from birth. The first of them is the active licking of the foal by the broodmare during its first hour of life. It is followed by breastfeeding, which begins three or four hours after birth and continues until weaning around six or eight months. Finally come the naso-nasal and naso-corporal contacts, which bring a multitude of olfactory information to the horses and allow the formation of family groups.