Does the age at weaning affect the foal's temperament?

S

Shilasdair

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I just wonder what age you wean at, and why?
Does the age at weaning affect the foal's temperament?
Sorry to ask such trivial questions; I am just curious.
S
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Good question and I am interested in the answer too. I have started my little chap early at 5 months but it is a progressive weaning. Interestingly his behaviour has improved 100% (not that it was so bad before) and he has really grown up in the last two weeks.
 
My two were weaned at around 9 months, when they both seemed ready, then they were thrown in with their Aunty, my older Tb mare.
Neither showed any signs of distress at all. Their manners improved after weaning, but with the same level of handling (but their Aunty mare is a strict disciplinarian
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S
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I would say that yes it would, as if a foal was weaned at a very young age might need some extra attention and therefore could end up running the risk of becoming overhandled as well as possibly missing out on vital month's of disciplining from mum if not in with older horses.
 
One of mine bout as a foal had been weaned at 3.5/4 months and she was a bit runty when I got her at 9 months but she has a fantastic easy friendly sunny temperament. I think 6 months is pretty standartd for weaning but it totally depends on the mare/foal combo....
 
My mare was weaned at 4 months and she is a bit clingy, but a lovely, lovely person.

My 3yo I weaned at 9 months, he's a complete doll.
 
I got my connemara at 4 months and he'd just been weaned and never handled. He was really nervous for the first few days but gradually came around and is now really laid back and sweet and (although he did become a bolshy git at 10 months, just before he was castrated!). He was backed last year, which went very smoothly, and proper work starts soon!!!

My 18 month old, who I bred, was handled from the time he was born and was sent away to be weaned at 7 months. I would have liked to have left him longer but the mare was just back out from a fractured leg and he was too boisterous with her. He has always been the sweetest, friendliest little guy. He was weaned no problem and when he came back he went out with the mini shettie, who he used to talk to over the fence before. He wasn't as traumatised by weaning as the connemara, as he had always been used to people and had been in stables and horseboxes before. The poor connie was dragged off a mountain, seperated from his mum and friends, forced into a dark horsebox and put into a stable for the first time.

My 7 year old mare was never weaned and ran with her mother in a herd of mares and foals until she was nearly 6, when she was then brought in and broken. She's very sweet with people, although did lack manners initally, and was quite bargy and fidgety. She's very much a herd horse though, and gets very attached to her fieldmates, particularly the mares, and she likes to know where everyone is and gets quite fractious when horses leave or arrive in the yard.

I don't think it's the age of weaning tbh, but how they're weaned.
 
Weaned at just less than 6 months. He had 10 days in a stable next door to mum on a night but out with her during the day, then he moved to the front of the yard out of sight and earshot and he's there now with his 2 year old pony love slave. (She follows him EVERYWHERE!)

I have to say he was getting to be a real bolshy monster when still with mum, but now he's on his own and out with the ponies during the day, he's lovely! I can't believe the difference. A huge improvement.
 
One was weaned @ 9 months and has since become very clingy with any people who enter the field- however i cant blame that on just the weaning as she was very well handled and i think shes just too friendly but we're working on her understanding our space.
She was never out of sight of her mum and when we pushed it mum would go mental and try and jump fence/stable etc.
So both were walked into a trailer, baby walked out and mum got driven off to stay with my friend and nanny her baby.

My current foal will be weaned now @ 6 months, her mother is not interested in her and vice versa. She feeds very rarely and i can separate them from sight and neither will call to each other at all. The foal in return is very independant, has no issues playing and introducing itself to other horses and would much rather come down and play with me on the yard than stay with her mum in the field.

They are being properly separated this week as mum is going on loan and baby and my 2yo will be left together.

I dont think the age of weaning changed the tempraments of the above but rather the mother's way of parenting.
 
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