Weaning / bringing mare back to work

[SillyMare]

Hello

I am looking for some general advice on the weaning / bringing back to work front.

We are planning to wean Iggy in a couple of weeks and move India to a friend's yard for a little while (until everything has settled down).

How long should I keep them in for before they are safe to be turned out in the field (we have a supply of sedalin lined up!)?

I want to get India back into work ASAP - when can I realistically expect things to settle down?

How long should I plan to leave her at my friends yard (it is going to be pretty tough having my horses on seperate yards!)?

Any other advice?

The post further down about milk drying up was really helpful!

 

[_jetset_]

I brought Hannah back on the Wednesday afternoon, put her in her stable and she wouldn't settle because her old best friend was stood at the gate screaming for her. I decided she would settle better being put in the field, so I put her out with the other mares (she had been out with all of them before) and she settled immediately and has been going out with them every day since.

When I brought her in that night, her bag had come up, so I decided to lunge her for 15 minutes just to get her moving, which worked a treat.

The following day I hacked her out for 20 mins and from then on she has been worked one way or the other every day. She has been doing mostly hacking as I am a great believer that they cannot do any damage walking, and is now working in the school for 30 minutes mainly at trot and some canter (especially today, she spent the full 30 minutes cantering because she was being a complete prat)!

Everyone has their own ways of bringing their mares back into work, I have just listened to Hannah and she has let me know how much or how little she is ready to do.

Troy has stayed out in the field since the moment I led Hannah out... he has not been in since and has not bothered one moment about losing his Mum. If they have friends, they seem to cope quite well. I cannot give much advice regarding how long to keep your foal in at the new place as I brought Hannah away from Troy and he had three other friends who he had been out with for just under a month.

 

[SillyMare]

Thanks for that - India has had the break due to a tendon injury so she needs 6-8 weeks of walking - the sooner I get started on that one the better! Good to know I might be able to get moving with her quite soon.

Iggy is the baby - he is the one staying where he is (mum is going to a different yard). He will need to go out with 'the boys' because we don't have any other youngsters. Planning to introduce them one at a time - hope he doesn't get bullied (although it wouldn't hurt him to learn some manners!).

 

[magic104]

I have already posted about our situation, but I have been lucky. Our mare came back into work when Giz was 2mths old. He followed loose in the school, or I led him next to mum while we went round the village. He was also allowed to follow mum while she was ridden in the field. Then about 6wks or so he chose to stay in the paddock with the yearling & as Mo was not concerned we left it at that. She goes out for hacks, lessons & has now been out SJ'g, neither she or Giz are at all bothered. As soon as she goes back in he has a drink & the mouches off. The shows have only been 20mins away & there has been no problems so far, ie with the milk bar filling up. She is going XC training next Thursday & has a show on the Sunday. Because they have both been so relaxed about it, I have decided only to separate them at night when they have to come in for the winter & will wean totally in the spring.