Travelling unweaned yearling

[hallarider]

Hi all

We have bought a yearling that is unweaned from Mum. They do not have the facilities to wean and want a quick sale. What would be the best way of getting the yearling safely to us. I was thinking of travelling mare and foal (hes 8 months old) together in trailer with no partitions, get foalie in with our other two youngsters in barn, get mare out and off she goes back home? Someone has said to just get him in the trailer and travel alone but am not comfortable with this, I know how quickly accidents can happen with youngsters, or am I being soft? Any tips would be fantastic. He does lead ok on his own.

Many thanks

 

[Dizzle]

Difficult. Remember thought that they’re going to have to travel the mare back without her foal which could be more dangerous that travelling a baby alone.

How far is the journey?

Would they lend you the mare for a few days? You bring them both over, separate and once she’s chilled in a couple of days send her home?

What are you travelling them in? Possibly travel the yearling loose on his own in a lorry, I wouldn’t want to do it in a trailer at all.

 

[hallarider]

Hi

thanks for the reply. That is one option for us to have the mare for a few days, but we would only be able to put the mare in a stable next to him, our grazing isnt far away enough from the stables out of ear shot and I wouldn't want the mare to harm herself whilst out in the field.

We have a 6 horse lorry and a trailer, i would worry that the ramp would be too steep for the youngster to get him in.

it is a difficult one and slightly puts me off buying him!

 

[Haniki]

Do you have far to travel? When we have taken foals away to be weaned, we travelled the mare and foal together in a trailer then left the foal and took the mare home. The foal was left with other foals at knowledgeable friends. We only had a few miles to go each time.

 

[Maesfen]

Hi

thanks for the reply. That is one option for us to have the mare for a few days, but we would only be able to put the mare in a stable next to him, our grazing isnt far away enough from the stables out of ear shot and I wouldn't want the mare to harm herself whilst out in the field.

We have a 6 horse lorry and a trailer, i would worry that the ramp would be too steep for the youngster to get him in.

it is a difficult one and slightly puts me off buying him!

No, you've got it a bit wrong! YOU don't wean the mare and foal, but you let mare and foal stay together, preferably a week or more and integrate them with your herd that the foal will eventually be going out with. This also gives it chance to get used to your bacteria (it will be different than where he comes from!) water, feed and handling while it still has the comfort of the dam. Once you think it's settled well enough, it's playing with the others and is happy to leave the dam to do so, then you take the mare back to her home alone. I've always used this method when I've had foals here for weaning and it's worked well every time; mares are usually here for a fortnight, foal settles into the place and makes his new friends. I stable them all the day the mare is going, give them some hay to keep them occupied, take mare out, load and away, no hanging about. Once the initial shouting has died down, which will happen, and foal has settled to eating his hay as well, then give them an hour and they're all turned out again; foal will have a look for her but because he can't hear her answering, he soon forgets, job done. Just a tip though, make sure he has a well fitting leather headcollar that you can leave on, even in the stable until he has really settled as you always need to be able to grab him, not have a battle to even catch him as some do forget their manners for a bit.