Tried and tested method of weaning???

S

sarahgill

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Its come to the time where I really should to wean the foal, I have loads of people telling me to do it gradually and then others saying the best way is to just take to mare away and leave to foal with our two other horses?

I am happy to wean her either way, we've done the immediate seperation before and its stressful but fine, but if this gradual way works then it maybe less stressful.

What are your methods and opinions?

The foal is well handled and will walk away from the mother and even go in a seperate stable for her feed, its the mare whose a stress head...
 
Have you got company for the mare? If you have, I would take her away as far as possible, at least out of earshot and leave her there for at least 6 weeks until she has dried up completely. Before you wean, you should cut down on feed for the mare anyway, the least the better; hay if you have to give her something. I also wouldn't feed her any concentrate while she is drying off, you can always get the weight back on later but drying off should be your priority with her. If the foal is being so good now, it probably won't even notice she's gone as long as it is getting fed well and has company to play with.
 
In my experience, it isn't so much how you wean, but the age of the foal. Mine were both 9 months when weaned (by being turned out with my old mare as a babysitter) and neither of them were at all bothered.
S
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