Weaning - What Should I Do?

measles

measles

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 March 2005
Messages
7,918
Location
Avonmill, Up a bit but not at the top
Visit site
I've not been able to get onto the forum very often - I always get the error message - but tonight it's actually working!

I'd really like some advice as I'm not sure what the best way to wean our foal is. At the end of November the foal will be 6mths old and ready to be weaned. A lovely family are going to have the mare on loan to bring back into work but I want to make sure that she's as untraumatised as possible as she pulled her check ligament in May 06, hence the foal.

Since the mare is going away but the foal staying how should I engineer the seperation? Load up the mare and leave the foal (she'll protest) or take both and risk the foal panicing in the lorry - sounds like a recipe for disaster.

I'd seperate them on our yard but have no stables to move the mare to that are out of earshot of the foal. Do I need to get my husband out with his hammer to build one somewhere remote??
 
Cant you get them used to being apart now, ie in separate stables. I have to say I am not having this problem, this morning the colt went out with the yearling & was quiet happy to leave mum behind while she was ridden. I just think he is odd, but it helps to get the used to being apart before hand. This way you should be able to load the mare while he stays in the stable with a feed & hopefully they will be out of earshot when they start calling.
 
with our first foal a gelding ran with the mare and foal prior to weaning. When the time came we put the foal in his stable with a full grid and a bit of feed and boxed the mare up and took her away. She didn't call or look back (mind you she 's never bothered by weaning time). the foal called for a few minutes but was more interested in his feed and within an hour he was turned out again with the gelding and didn't call again
 
Do you have any other horses?
If so, try to put mare and foal in a herd group (with nice horses that won't damage them, obviously), then start taking mare out for little periods, until you eventually load her and remove her.
Old mares are very good for this...I weaned my two youngsters by putting them in with my old mare who rules them with an iron nip, but looks after them too.
S
smile.gif
 
I personally dont stable my weanlings, luckily I have a great old retired Gelding who is an excellent babysitter. He goes into the field a month or two before I wean (usually at about 8 months or so).

Mine are always well handled from birth and familiar with electric fences (I only use the thin wire as I have found the rope and tape don't break when galloped through and I've seen some bad injuries from them). Then I start by putting the mare the other side of the fence for a few hours, increasing daily.
This means the foal can still touch the mare and the milk production starts to decline without mastitis. Once they are comfortable I just allow the mare in when her udders are really full for a couple of minutes, and increase the time between feeds to drain them.
If the foal is staying I find I can put mare and foal back in together after two months, but the mare and foal quickly become independant at which point I can easily remove either without fuss or stress.
 
This is taken from another thread;
Weaning can take place gradual or you just remove the mare from ear shot. Each situation is different will depend on the mare & foal I have used both methods but prefer the gradual system. You can start by putting them in separate stables at night, this also helps to dry up the milk. To get Harvey used to this you can start by putting him in there to give him a small feed & some hay/haylage with mum outside. How long it takes for them to settle again depends on them. This years colt was born beginning of June & is happy to stay in the paddock with the yearling while mum goes off to be ridden. Last year the colt was introduced to my other two mares after grazing in the next paddock after 2mths. When it came to weaning he was established in that group & was not concerned when it came to being weaned. This was hurried as at 5mth he ran into a wheelbarrow & had to go on box rest, so I took this time to wean him. When he was allowed out with the others his mum was grazing in the next paddock & he was fine with this, but the fencing is electric which I think is the safest option. So I would find a friend for him before the weaning process starts, it does not have to be another youngster, but does need to be fairly steady & not shod behind. The thing is what works for one does not always work for another & each circumstances need to be looked at. Becki took hers to a stud with the intention of taking the mare away later on so that is another option.

If you put in weaning on the search bar it will bring up all these threads relating to this topic.
 
If you leave your foal on the mare for a bit longer than is standard practice then weaning is often easier and calmer for both...as there seems to be a point where the foal and mare lose a bit of interest in each other.
My two were weaned at around 9 months...but I know this is not the norm.
S
smile.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top