Dolly leaves this weekend.

[Spring Feather]

Just wonder what you would all say if you saw a ad on dragon driving or somehing for a 4 month old? would you all be saying it should still be with mum? I would and so would most of you I think!

I don't care who it might be, unless there was a perfectly valid reason for weaning a foal at 3 and a half months, I would say something :smile3: because weaning at 3 and a half months is too early for any normal foal imo. However, as in this case, the deed has already been done therefore not much point in getting all worked up about it.

 

[Sandstone1]

I am still really trying to figure out what is nasty about someone saying that they feel it's very early for a foal to be weaned?!! Nobody has been personally insulting to TB, or even remotely negative about her as a person.

Confused.com.

Yes thats what I dont understand! there seems to some kind of unwritten law DONT QUESTION TESSYBEAR!, It is early to wean as most people in truth would think.

 

[Sandstone1]

I don't care who it might be, unless there was a perfectly valid reason for weaning a foal at 3 and a half months, I would say something :smile3: because weaning at 3 and a half months is too early for any normal foal imo. However, as in this case, the deed has already been done therefore not much point in getting all worked up about it.

Yes thats exactly what I think, Good luck to them all.

 

[Megibo]

How does that work then :confused3: ? If the foal is around 120 days old at time of weaning that works out to around 17 weeks which is just a little over 4 months if you use an average of 4 weeks per month. But of course it isn't just over 4 months, it's actually 3 months and a couple of weeks, because when weaning foals, breeders work in full months, not weeks or days.

I don't know sorry, just that they counted weeks which makes her 5 months or so. When my mare has her baby (hopefully) I'll be leaving them be until at least 6 months though I've heard it better to leave longer. If she pushes the foal away before then that's up to her.

Either way, Abbie has taken the advice of professionals and as you say whats done is done so I don't know why people are going on about it. Dolly looks happy enough to me.

 

[Caol Ila]

My post was in reference to people's comments about the mare having an unexpected foal not being a "life changing" event for a 17-year old.

 

[pip6]

Blimey, think evening primrose oil pretty spot on!

TB at no point asked for anyones opinion or advice. She has already sought those from people on the ground seeing the animals in the flesh. She has just told people about the next big step in the story, which many people have followed & enjoyed. She reasonably assumed that those people would like to know Dolly is moving on.

Why on earth is her decision taking up 18 pages of tripe? You trust the girl (& it seems all sides agree that she is mature & responsible) or you don't (very much TB cares two hoots which it is). She hasn't asked for feedback, just passed on information to those interested. Thankfully she has had the maturity (a word that keeps on cropping up when talking about TB) to stop looking at this forum & concentrate on her exams. So you can post to your hearts content about what she should / shouldn't have done, she wont see any of it.

If you are that bothered why not start a thread in the breeding room asking about peoples opinions on weaning age (as you expect replies & comments when you ask for them).

 

[Moomin1]

Blimey, think evening primrose oil pretty spot on!

TB at no point asked for anyones opinion or advice. She has already sought those from people on the ground seeing the animals in the flesh. She has just told people about the next big step in the story, which many people have followed & enjoyed. She reasonably assumed that those people would like to know Dolly is moving on.

Why on earth is her decision taking up 18 pages of tripe? You trust the girl (& it seems all sides agree that she is mature & responsible) or you don't (very much TB cares two hoots which it is). She hasn't asked for feedback, just passed on information to those interested. Thankfully she has had the maturity (a word that keeps on cropping up when talking about TB) to stop looking at this forum & concentrate on her exams. So you can post to your hearts content about what she should / shouldn't have done, she wont see any of it.

If you are that bothered why not start a thread in the breeding room asking about peoples opinions on weaning age (as you expect replies & comments when you ask for them).

Exactly, she won't see any of these comments. So why is everyone up in arms saying people shouldn't be saying 'negative' things (though goodness knows what is negative about anything that has been said - merely just opinion and observation)?

 

[Fellewell]

Good luck, Abbie.

Once again, this forum shows it's nasty side. It's like HHO version of Monty Python's "Four Yorkshiremen." Except not nearly as funny.

Eee by 'eck we used ta drive t'mares in t'road til they t'foaled on t'tarmac. Then we used ta sent t'foals down t'mines when they was t'two months old where tha pulled t'carts up and down til tha t'legs fell off.
Eee by gum tha don't know tha born t'today.

 

[Sandstone1]

Dont think it matters if she sees it or not, the facts are that Dolly has been weaned already, too early in many peoples opinions. This is a forum about horses for people to read and post on and to give their thoughts and advice. Some people think its ok to wean at under 4 months others dont. Whatever, its done now.
Hopefully all will be well.

 

[Nettle123]

I don't care who it might be, unless there was a perfectly valid reason for weaning a foal at 3 and a half months, I would say something :smile3: because weaning at 3 and a half months is too early for any normal foal imo. However, as in this case, the deed has already been done therefore not much point in getting all worked up about it.

Agree with this. It might though encourage another new foal owner to reconsider weaning early so is a useful thread from that point of view.

 

[pip6]

If people lack experience to this extent hopefully they just wont breed. TB had this thrust on her, didn't ask for it, or any opinions. It is people assuming that their opinion is important (more so that the professional advice already sought) that it has to be expressed. Why can't people just wish this young lady who has done so well all the best & leave it there.

I know some people breed, but as a % how many of the 'experts' on here have bred a foal? Not just been at a yard where they breed, or a friend had one, but done it themselves with no help other than vets?

 

[MerrySherryRider]

I don't care who it might be, unless there was a perfectly valid reason for weaning a foal at 3 and a half months, I would say something :smile3: because weaning at 3 and a half months is too early for any normal foal imo. However, as in this case, the deed has already been done therefore not much point in getting all worked up about it.

Exactly.

It's done now. However, to say nothing would be to condone it. Don't quite see what the rush was. Mare is healthy, foal is healthy, so it was a pity that owner and buyer couldn't have given them a little extra time.

 

[WelshD]

Gosh this foal is getting younger and younger

It will be back in the womb in a minute!

 

[Ladyinred]

Gosh this foal is getting younger and younger

It will be back in the womb in a minute!

<snort> That's squash on the keyboard!

 

[TheTrotter.]

I think people are forgetting that dolly is a big strapping foal. . .
Thats been eating and been seperated from Tessy for a week, not including the times TB has stated dolly has
People seem to think their opinions are more important than the vets/studs....

 

[Sandstone1]

Exactly.

It's done now. However, to say nothing would be to condone it. Don't quite see what the rush was. Mare is healthy, foal is healthy, so it was a pity that owner and buyer couldn't have given them a little extra time.

Just counted it in weeks and Dolly is 18 weeks old or 126 days Pretty young really. Yes she does look a big girl, but she is still only a baby, bless her.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

I think people are forgetting that dolly is a big strapping foal. . .
Thats been eating and been seperated from Tessy for a week, not including the times TB has stated dolly has
People seem to think their opinions are more important than the vets/studs....

Dolly is healthy, as is her dam, so no reason for the haste.
Vets tend to work with their clients, so there's a difference from saying its ok to saying its ideal.

I do find it slightly irksome that valid opinions are not respected as that. Why don't some of the more vocal supporters of early weaning, say, I don't agree with your opinion rather than belittle the postings of those they disagree with ?

 

[TheTrotter.]

Attention all mathematicians. (SP?)

Dolly is in fact:
Age:
0 years 4 months 5 days
or 4 months 5 days
or 18 weeks 1 days
or 127 days
or 3048 hours
or 182880 minutes
or 10972800 seconds

old..

 

[Sandstone1]

Attention all mathematicians. (SP?)

Dolly is in fact:
Age:
0 years 4 months 5 days
or 4 months 5 days
or 18 weeks 1 days
or 127 days
or 3048 hours
or 182880 minutes
or 10972800 seconds

old..

Whoops, I was a day out! However if she has been weaned for aprox a week already then she was 3 months and three weeks at the most. Come on people! thats too young unless there is a big problem

 

[AmyMay]

So Amymay, if you had a mare that had an unexpected foal, would you ride the mare while foal was at foot, and wean before 4 months?

Abbie stopped riding the mare the minute those with experience advised her to. She has recently sat on the mare again four months post foaling- which is fine.

As TB was weaning the foal herself I see no problem in a late four month weaning. Especially givwn how strapping Dolly is.

 

[HBM1]

Whoops, I was a day out! However if she has been weaned for aprox a week already then she was 3 months and three weeks at the most. Come on people! thats too young unless there is a big problem

there IS a big problem! have you not see the photos above of Dolly?? Her mother was clearly doing her very well and at that rate of growth, leaving her on her dam could have been very detrimental to her long term health. (think large foal, fast growing joints and bones)...weaning is far more preferable to that, it isn't as if Dolly is some poor weakling foal shut away in a shed somewhere (So I found the dragon driving reference offensive)... you cannot always go by months, you have to go by a lot of other factors and health is the main one. As for someone reading a thread and thinking early weaning is a standard, they shouldn't be breeding in the first place.

 

[Goldenstar]

there IS a big problem! have you not see the photos above of Dolly?? Her mother was clearly doing her very well and at that rate of growth, leaving her on her dam could have been very detrimental to her long term health. (think large foal, fast growing joints and bones)...weaning is far more preferable to that, it isn't as if Dolly is some poor weakling foal shut away in a shed somewhere (So I found the dragon driving reference offensive)... you cannot always go by months, you have to go by a lot of other factors and health is the main one. As for someone reading a thread and thinking early weaning is a standard, they shouldn't be breeding in the first place.

If a mare is doing a foal to well you can simply restrict the grazing , works a treat you don't need to wean if the foal is doing to well.

 

[GrumpyHero]

Dolly is massive for her age and i don't know why everyone is questioning Abbies motives. She would not wean Dolly would it be detrimental to her health - she has done so under her VETS guidance.

I've said this so many times now - I personally know of many foals weaned early with absolutely NO ill effects and no long term effects. Yes you are all entitled to your own opinions but for gods sake I'm sick of all this petty bickering over weaning age of a foal that you don't even own! She's hardly malnourished and in need of vital vitamins and milk from her mother!

 

[*hic*]

If a mare is doing a foal to well you can simply restrict the grazing , works a treat you don't need to wean if the foal is doing to well.

Ah yes, and end up with a mare like a coatrack and a foal still doing too well.

 

[Deseado]

I am sure there are certainly some people on this thread who have experience of breeding, foaling and weaning, but I would hazard a guess that many who are commenting negatively have never weaned a foal in their lives. What, exactly, are you so negative about? What are the bad things that are likely to happen to the foal now that she has been weaned?

 

[ChestnutTinker]

I really feel for Abbie, she just came on here to tell everyone Dolly is going and once again HHO has erupted.

 

[WelshD]

Yes CT its a heck of a way to kick a girl when she is down isnt it?

OP could be reading this thread as she wouldnt need to sign in to see it - I hope for her sake she isnt looking though. Whats done is done and decisions have been made - i dont think the OP wants another foal so i'm not sure what hammering home the point will do exactly

 

[ChestnutTinker]

Yes CT its a heck of a way to kick a girl when she is down isnt it?

OP could be reading this thread as she wouldnt need to sign in to see it - I hope for her sake she isnt looking though. Whats done is done and decisions have been made - i dont think the OP wants another foal so i'm not sure what hammering home the point will do exactly

Yes!
I feel so bad for her because I know she will be reading this even if she doesn't reply and to have people having a go at her and arguing is not helping anything. She'll be gutted on Saturday and all this bickering isn't helping!
We know Dolly will be fine. We know Abbie is letting her go this early only because the vet said it's okay - She is a sensible lass and wouldn't do anything that wasn't in Dolly or Tess' best interests and quite frankly, everyone arguing isn't going to change the decision that's already made.

 

[zigzag]

Abbie stopped riding the mare the minute those with experience advised her to. She has recently sat on the mare again four months post foaling- which is fine.

As TB was weaning the foal herself I see no problem in a late four month weaning. Especially givwn how strapping Dolly is.

You didn't answer my question... Would you do it? and before 4 months and not a late four months?

 

[hayley.t]

For what its worth I have heard vets advise the early weaning of foals, puppies and kittens because they were getting too large so it does happen. I know its a different species but I remember somebody bringing some puppies in (at 3 weeks) because they thought that there was something wrong with their legs but it was just that they were much too fat (small litter) and the vet recommended restricting their time with mum which normally would never be advised so young so sometimes the vets advice does fly in the face of convention.