Weaning RANT!!

[lennysmith]

Ooops sorry I've started a new thread.

I am SOOOOO pissed off!!!!! I couldn't be any crosser if I tried!!

Got down the yard juts after I post this morning. Got told Josie's new best friend was out on the box but coming back at 2. Mmmm, I thought, not ideal, wanted all day to be about for any eventualities, but ok we'll cope.

Well, we did baby D's stable. Put his grill up. Put him hay in. I took piccies of them playing in the menage, and promptly got upset. Then we waited and waited and waited and... you get the picture. They turned up with the horse at 5 oclock. I went mad. They groomed her then said 'right we going?'. I then explained it probably wasn't a good idea as it would be dark soon and i didnt really want to be walking about fields checking on her at 11pm with a torch. They said 'oh you wont be needing to do that wll you?' How STUPID are they??? This is my pride and joy we are talking about!! Oh and 'they' are the YARD OWNERS!!!

Grr I'm so angry. I did Josie and Denver's bed and stomped off they yard. I cant beleive how thick they are! Or is it just me? Is it sensible to be seperating them at 5.30 pm?

Anyway sorry for the rant. My, it was quite a good one. Weaning will commence at 9.00 tomorrow morning. Thankyou soooo much for all the good luck messages, I shall carry them forward to tomorrow if thats ok??

Oh and just to clarify, Denever is actually 5.5 months old, it's 8 months since I found out he was soon arriving. Sorry to confuse everyone.

Off now to have another sleepless night. xxx

 

[eohippus]

ahhh, that would p*ss me off too. not at all proffessional, not only did they not give time but turning up late just takes the buiscuit. I would have ranted too, so good for you.
Best of luck for tomorrow, hopefully now they know you are not one to be walked over they will actually turn up in time and the new one will settle in fine.
Best of luck
Dawn

 

[Cobnut1]

Sorry for butting in here, but isn't 5.5 months a bit young to be weaning? I was always taught no earlier than 8months..... (unless Mum has problems maintaining the "milk bar", but then you can just top baby up)

 

[teapot]

Hope you get it sorted

 

[Ginn]

Oh god - what a nightmare. I'd be pretty p*ssed off too. Hope you get it sorted soon.

 

[Tia]

Not sure how you are doing the weaning? Is D going to be shut in a stable? And Josie going out in the field? Sorry I'm a bit confused

, LOL!!

Why didn't you just put Josie out in the field? Why would you need to wait for the YO's horse to return? Apologies if you have already explained it in another thread

.

 

[Oaksflight]

Nope, 5 to 6 months is norm, especially if mare is going into foal again soon. Thought u were leaving it a bit late with D, but all makes sense now!

 

[S_N]

She needed to wait as the pony that had gone for the day had been promised as D's weaning companion - already friends AFAIK (D & Pony that is)

 

[S_N]

Oh hunny - the last thing you need is stress right now!! Huggles - have a bottle of vino - tomorrow is another day! J & D had no idea what was planned for today, so they are no the wiser and for them life carries on as normal for another day!

 

[Tia]

Ahh okay I understand now. Oh well, SN is right.....just wait for another day.

 

[S_N]

[ QUOTE ]
Nope, 5 to 6 months is norm, especially if mare is going into foal again soon. Thought u were leaving it a bit late with D, but all makes sense now!

[/ QUOTE ]

You can wean from 4 months onwards, though inadvisable at that age, it can be done. Most foals are weaned at 6 months - though they are being left longer lately, which IMO can be a good thing. 9 months should be the max age really IMO of course

 

[Oaksflight]

How come they're being left longer nowadays? I don't know much about breeding, just the basics of what I've read etc!

 

[S_N]

Because peopleare realising that it mimics nature and are more aware of the state of minds of the foals - i.e. H is mentally too immature to wean yet - he is 6 months and 1 day old!

 

[flyingfeet]

Chill!!

We have a livery with a "pride and joy" yearling and they drive me nuts. We have essentially let them borrow one of our horses to do with as they please. If it was a horse in work it simply would not work, as I couldn't be on their time table!

Weaning isn't really that big a big deal. I don't think any of ours noticed mum had gone, but partly because she didn't have access to much grass (threat of laminitis). So grass was way more interesting than mum.

 

[Oaksflight]

Learn something new every day.

Thanks x