Weaning/Gelding etc.

JellyBen

JellyBen

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Just want your opinions really, as I like to know what others do/recommend..

What sort of age will you wean at, and what method?
And again, what age will you geld if you plan on doing so?

Another question, as it was my first foalie, what sort of age will they start showing, boy like behaviour?

(He's a mini shettie :) )

Thanks!
 
JellyBen said:
Just want your opinions really, as I like to know what others do/recommend..

What sort of age will you wean at, It depends on several things, how well the foal is doing (condition, independence), how well the mare is doing, if she is in foal again. Generally about 6 months, although I have weaned earlier when the foal is pulling the mare down.

and what method? Usually I put the foal/s in with my mini in a paddock beside the mares, so they can touch, just not nurse. The mares tend to hang around for a day or two and then they toddle off. Or, as the foals are already established in the mare herd I will take the mares out and put them in an adjoining paddock.

Foals stay with the mare herd for their first winter, colts move to a colt herd in Spring, fillies stay in the mare herd (IF I ever had a filly that is, for the last 4 years I have had nothing but colts!) Young horses not only benefit from having playmates they need adults to teach them how to be horses and to mind their manners, babies without adults often become brats.

Back to weaning - I keep them separated for a month or so, or until the mare has dried up then put them all back together again. The foals always go to nurse and my mares always tell them to get lost.

And again, what age will you geld if you plan on doing so? I don't geld until the colt becomes a pain to handle or it makes it easier for me to sell them on. Usually about 2.

Another question, as it was my first foalie, what sort of age will they start showing, boy like behaviour? How long is a piece of string? That is a very individual thing, I suppose they start to feel their oats in their second spring, maybe sooner. As soon as a colt begins being bratty, throwing his weight about, biting, rearing, generally being an unpleasant little oik etc then it is off with his plums. My mini was gelded at 2.

It also depends on their nature, if they are good and well behaved then I will leave them longer. I am fortunate in that this place is set up to take colts and stallions.

Also... regardless of size, although smaller is easier, you have to take into account whether your facilities are suitable to keep a colt rather than a gelding. Away from the mares from their first spring onwards. Are you at livery or is it your own yard? Do you have to put him where you are told, rather than do your own thing?

(He's a mini shettie :) ) The huge advantage with minis is that they are controllable even when they are acting like hormonal teenagers, just because of their size.

Thanks!
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Enjoy your foal.
 
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Thank you for taking time to reply!

Mum is actually looking good now, she was looking a little tired and miserable before he was born, but is a very very large colt! but shes looking very good now, and nope, she wont be infoal for next year! :)

If i did geld him, id like to put him back with mum once shes all dried up, as our other two minis live together! But I still dont know, its our own yard so we have space to keep him seperate, (we have 4 bigger horses he could be with!)

But hes already very colty, if its a word! hes already mounting our 2 mini mares, and doing a rather good job! im not sure he knows quite what hes doing yet, but every morning the second he goes out hes straight on both of them, and hes quite frisky, sometimes, he has reared and bitten, which is more or less sorted, and knows its bad, regardless of how exciting life is!

BUT, hes not even 2mths old!
well, 2mths on Sunday!
He does seem very advanced for his age :confused:
 
Is he doing this sort of thing?

2a58c46b.jpg


My colts all start that malarkey when they are a few days old, it is just playing at the moment.

I wouldn't be at all worried about it at 2 months (almost) if he were one of mine :)
If his bits have dropped then presumably he could be gelded at any age, I have never had colts under a year done personally, just because they weren't ready, something to be guided by your Vet I should think.
 
Well yeah, hes always done it, as any foal would really, but if hes supposed to have everything out while doing it now, then thats fine! he still thinks its playing, as being a baby, but i wasnt sure if everthing else should be present at the same time :o lol
only in the last week or so tho, and not mum!
Yeah, I dont want to worry and would like to think its all fine, but thought id ask first, just incase!
I ve known colts to be done at around 8mths before, but again, its all new to me and i like to know what others do aswell!
I will keep an eye on him, and try and catch some of his innocent behaviour, thats well not looking so innocent anymore! lol
 
Mine was a little bugger at bang on 8months but had nothing there so had to wait for 4months to get him done. Still a little monkey but lovely to handle again
 
He's not too bad, well, hes only little so hes easy to manage, just pick him up and move him :p
Just dont really want my other 2 in foal, or his mum! wouldnt be the end of the world (for the 2 non related!) but would prefer it if he didnt lol..
Im also very sure theres already something to remove.. :eek:
 
JellyBen said:
Well yeah, hes always done it, as any foal would really, but if hes supposed to have everything out while doing it now, then thats fine! he still thinks its playing, as being a baby, but i wasnt sure if everthing else should be present at the same time :o lol
Click to expand...

Colts are very 'relaxed' and expose themselves a lot of the time, photoshop is a critical skill, otherwise decent pictures are spoiled by them flashing.
 
his is 'relaxed' sometimes, like the photo (and any man :D) but atm, with the girlies, it is not relaxed!! total er, opposite :o:eek:
i did actually get a video of him, felt quite awkward actually, but he is really going for it! and far from relaxed, it almost looked like a proper covering.. and being large he can reach her, maybe not too easy, but definitely within cm's :eek:
thanks vicijp, was thinking this, if he lasts that long!! :p
 
enfys, can i ask, when your foals are born are they living out 24/7 or do you have them in at night?

ive had 2 6 week old foals come to me with their mums recently both from different studs. One filly been living out 24/7 with very little handling and unsurprisingly is being a bit of a pain to get near now. Kicking out and rearing. It doesnt help that she's a headstrong little madam anyway but i cant help thinking if she'd been brought in at night and out in the day and handled more we wouldnt be having an issue with having to get her used to people now.

its amazing how big and strong they can just in 6 weeks!
 
yeah, hes still all over the place, but he does do it the 'right way' as he did today, i think her rug which is a bit big managed to save her :p
(it was half the price, but a size up :o )
but hes er, definitely not relaxed lol.. if he couldnt reach, wouldnt be worried lol
 
vicijp said:
Tend to geld at 5/6 months old, on the mare. I can't really understand why anyone would leave any colt for longer, unless they had a stallion's pedigree.
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You aren't in Canada with May/June foals! We can already have snow and minus temps - that's why I don't geld on the mare.:)

A lot of my colts are stallion material, I find that buyers prefer to make up their own minds whether to cut them or not. I geld any colts I buy in.
 
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