Weaning but nowhere to separate.

[Amelia713]

Hi we brought our cob mare and foal in may just when foal was born. She has started to go downhill fairly quickly with her weight and condition lately. Colt is 7 months old and looking great but think we need to wean. Only problem we have is we only have the place we are at which is 1 large stable, a yard area to roam around and the field when it's not to boggy. Someone suggested to keep one in the stable for the day just so he's not feeding off her all the time but they would be able to see eachother. She has had many foals before we've had her and been told that she should wean naturally, would seperating them help her do this? We are complete beginners so please any advice would be great.

Thanks and sorry for the essay!

 

[AdorableAlice]

Send the mare to reputable livery or stud to dry her off and keep the foal at home. Bring the mare back in 10 weeks.

 

[twiggy2]

What are youfeeding them both is my first question.
I am always reluctant to wean in winter and would wait till spring and as long as your fencing is good/safe and you have suitable company for the foal I would send the mare away for minimum 6 weeks.
Depending on what you are feeding and accessibility to hay/shelter etc I would wait but if good quality hay is good, shelter is avaliable, they are worm free and she is still losing weight I would look into sending the mare away (as long as fencing company etc is as above) for a while.

 

[Amelia713]

We don't have any other horses to keep foal company as we just rent out a field with stable in it. They have plenty of good quality hay and we feed calm and conditions and chaff. Any recommendations for feed to help her? We wormed about 3 months ago, shall we do both again? Thanks.

 

[NiceNeverNaughty]

how on earth do you ever plan to wean the foal then? You really dont have the set up for it. What are your plans with the foal? Could you sell the foal and get yourself a companion for your mare?

dont automatically re-worm the mare, do a worm count but the foal should have been being wormed once a month.

 

[JillA]

There are two aspects to weaning a foal - removing its dependence on the mares milk in favour of solid food, and removing its dependence on the mare's company.
I have weaned a few gradually - once they are eating solid food, at a fairly early stage, put it in the stable with a small feed to occupy it (and give the mare one at the same time). Let them back together BEFORE the foal gets stressed, and then gradually extend the time they are apart - that way, the foal doesn't suffer a shock to its system, and learns if it waits long enough, it will be back with mum eventually.
In time that dependence will have faded, but it is never kind to keep any equine, young or old, on its own. It might manage for a short period while you go for a bit of a ride, but it is risky - can you beg borrow or otherwise acquire a mini shetland or something similar for company? The mare and foal will be much more bonded than most if they have not had others to relate to, and don't underestimate how determined the foal can be if you put it in a position where it is desperate to get back to mum without the preparation I have outlined

 

[TheMule]

It's really not a good situation for a young horse, they need same age company in a group preferably. However, if you're intent on raising the foal alongside the mare then I think you're going to need to swap with someone for a few weeks. Borrow a horse and send one of yours away. But I agree, now is not really the time for the sake of the foal. Have you upped the mare's food? There should be no reason for her to drop off

 

[crabbymare]

Agree with the others that you are not set up for weaning. Mine was done ths same way I used to do foals which was that the foals are in a settled herd with other foals and sensible older horses, mother or preferably 2 mares were taken out, loaded in a trailer and driven away well out of earshot of the foal. There was rarely a problem and the foals would just whinney a few times when they decided it was milk time, because all their friends were still there and it was only mum that was missing. Foals learned how to interact in a group with other horses from their mothers and after weaning still had the security of older nanny horses that kept them in their place but were not nasty. In your situation you need to somehow introduce a friend for the foal that the mare will accept, and then get the mare away out of earshot for at least 10 weeks. The problem will be later because the foal has never learned how to behave with other horses so has got to this point thinking it can behave with all horses the way it does with mum. As for the mare losing weight, she needs a worm egg count and also at this time of year wormed for encysted redworm and tapeworm, for which September would have been too early, other than that she should not be looking too bad if she is getting plenty of good hay. I hope you can sort something out for them.

 

[paddy555]

whilst not ideal I don't think from what you have described that you are in a position to wean the foal ATM. Unless you are able to sent him away to wean or make some other arrangements you may have to just let her kick him off idc. That may be the safest based on your set up.


the guide below tells you about worming foals. I would be worming especially for roundworm. For the mare I would do a worm count. That will give you a idea if her weight problem could be due to worms. If that can be eliminated then I would use equest around now to deal with encysted redworm and I would also test for tapeworm and worm if needed. There is a lot of info on worming on the westgate site (per the link below) If you are still unsure if you ring them they will be very helpful.

https://www.westgatelabs.co.uk/info-zone/worming-mares-and-foals/

I would also get the teeth on the mare checked. That is another reason why she could be losing weight

are you feeding the foal hard feed as well as mum?

 

[Clodagh]

What is your weaning plan? Could it be tweaked to accommodate the time of year? I agree that is is best to leave them together until March if you can, but you may end up with a pregnant mum if you don't geld him before then.

 

[Equi]

Keeping one of them in for a day or two wont do anything, as soon as they get together again the foal will attempt to suckle and if the mare is still producing milk/full she will let him. It can take weeks for them to stop producing milk especially if the foal is still there. At this time of year and with his age, its not likely he will do anything to her so if i was you i would get some serious food into her and keep the foal off her during meal times so she gets the food and is not sharing it and make sure there is enough hay out for them both, and the foal is getting his own feed so he is less likely to need milk. I think at this age its more a comfort thing than a need for the nutrition so they don't suckle as much, but still the act of making milk is draining for the mare. And yes, they probably both need wormed again.

I would ask your vet for advise on gelding stating that he is with his dam and you do NOT want any accidents. Gelding asap will take some of the pressure off at least, but no its not an ideal set up if not only for the fact the colt wont get any other horse interaction and mares tend to be soft as piss when it comes to their colts.

 

[honetpot]

How about find someone in the same situation and put the two foals together and the two mares together?
The mare will tend to go down hill as they tend to do the foals well at their expense, I would also have the vet out and check she is not in foal again.
I think you have to decide what your long term plans are, quickly. Its really not a good idea to keep anything on it own. If she has been a brood mare she will have been used to living in a group. I know people who have kept mares and foals together long term and it means they become totally dependant on each other.
I would try and find an experienced home for the foal, where they have age appropriate companions and get company for the mare.

 

[Equi]

I know people who have kept mares and foals together long term and it means they become totally dependant on each other.

This but i will also say it depends on the animals. My filly and her mother are close, and i did wean her a bit lazy like - she was separated and off her for about three weeks (both in other herds) then i just threw them back together. Neither cared either way and she never started suckling again and both can come away from each other without a care in the world. They are generally the two i stable together in the big stable cause they don't bother each-other and don't much care if one is taken away without the other. If they are let out to the fields, one might go to the top field for the day, one might go to the bottom field (my field gates run directly from the stables so they generally get to decide where they want to go) Either can be taken out of the field and the other will barely lift a head. I have never trained this into them, its just how they are..but im must be quite lucky

 

[Goldenstar]

Send the mare to reputable livery or stud to dry her off and keep the foal at home. Bring the mare back in 10 weeks.

That’s what we always did the foal will need horse companion .
We settled the mare and foal in small group we removed the mare for feeding daily for a few days then one day just loaded up and left we never had a problem .