Mare and Foal - Weaning Question

C

Cobland

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 November 2006
Messages
1,271
Visit site
Well Mae was away from Romi for nearly 2 weeks, she was in a yard that is a brave bit away from our own yard. Brought her back on Sunday night and Romi just ignored her, went to catch her on Monday and Romi was trying to feed from her.

Checked Mae out and she doesnt seem to have any milk.

Last night Romi broke out of the field and came to the arena, where Mae went mad and took off with me. Got her back under control by circling her and hubby caught Romi.

Since she came back Romi has never come out of the field to get to her mum.

What do i do now? Take Mae away again? Or ride this out? Will Romi realise that shes not getting anything from Mae? Or could she still be getting milk?
 
Yes as i was advised by a friend that they wouldnt bother with each other. At the minute i have Romi in the stables as we are getting new fences up for the fields, at the minute we are using electric fencing and she just ploughs through it!
 
Are you saying they have only been weaned for 2 weeks? If that's the case (and apologies if it isn't in advance!) then it is no wonder that they are still trying to get together. They need to be separated for at least 6 weeks to be on the safe side, both for the mare to dry up and the foal to have got used to no more milk in the diet. It also depends whether foal has company other than mare in another paddock, it shouldn't be on its own under any circumstances so soon after weaning. Again, apologies if I understood that wrongly.
 
I have never had a foal before and it was the vet that said that 2 weeks is the time to have them apart, hence why i went with 2 weeks. Romi has the other foal and she plays with the other horses too, shes never alone. I dont let them go out alone.

Romi is munching away at the grass and when ive brought her in for some training she gets some youngstock mix. Ive seen her drink away at the water drinker in the field.
 
Sorry Cobland, but your vet is mistaken. You need to keep them separate for much longer than 2 weeks. Is there any way you can place them in different fields? Mae doesn't necessarily have to go away again, she just needs to be in a different field.
 
If grazing is an issue, ie the foal is going through the fencing can you not alternate? Bring the foal in at night, put the mare out, then swap in the morning? Or double fence with electric & make sure the voltages are correct.
 
they need to be apart for 6 weeks or so.
i put cribbox on my mares teats and this stopped her filly feeding and she lost interest in her mum totally!
its important to give baby and mum their own pals to help distract them from each other too-mine both had boyfriends to play with lol(geldings obviously)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top