weaning advise pretty please! (also in Breeding)

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FrankieBoy

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...Long story short, for those who dont know:
Bought mare last year, didnt know she was in foal. Foal born febuary 12th, she is now 6 months and doing well. Sold to a family friend who wants her ready around the begining of september.
Havent a clue about breeding, foals, foaling, weaning etc etc...
Got this far through you lot, vets, and many MANY books.

The general advise I was given was to seperate mare & foal into neighbouring fields for a little while each day and increasing the time they are apart gradually, Till foaly doesnt mind mum coming and going.

...They are now spending about 7 hours in next door fields (which i built up to over about one month) and neither of them are bothered. The mare loves the time away and the foal just grazes, totally unfazed.
However... Went to put mare back in with baby yesterday and noticed she was very full up and dripping milk slightly. She looked very uncomfortable.

Have i done too much too quickly with their seperation or is this normal? I thought she'd at least be starting to dry up slightly by now? Is this method going to work?

Advice and tips desperately needed
Thanks in advance,
Jen.
 
I think you have probably done enough time seperating them. The mare will dry up really quickly but if the foal is allowed back to the milk source. the mare will continue to produce it. Supply and demand! Do you have another horse/pony that could be a companion to foaly? If so, time to part company. Failing that, keep apart from mum and bring in at night if you can. They are more resiliant than we realise. As soon as baby has been seperated from mum and settled, he/she is ready to go to their new family.Good luck.
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I have a shetland, but he's a new addition and was only gelded last week so thats a no go for now! I got him to go in with the mare once shes used to the foal being gone so she'll have some company as its just me where i am, no other horses. So do you think i should leave them completely in seperate fields now, and stable the foal at night? My only worry is that the mare will hop over all sorts of fences to try and get to her? I dont have a wonderful setup where i am, just a big field divided by electric fencing, and the stables right along side the fields...
This is such a panic for me, i feel a bit pathetic
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How likely is your mare to jump from field to field?? Is she calling to the foal when they are apart? If the answer is no, then keep baby in at night and in a field by himself during the day. Or keep both in at night and in seperate fields during the day until baby goes to new home. But I definately think it is the right time for them to split. It isn't very long till the begining of sept. Just relax and take it in your stride.
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