oln
Well-Known Member
thinking of weaning my 7 month old foal soon .i have to keep both mare and foal here. wondered on most stress free way?
weaning
- Thread starter oln
- Start date
magic104
Well-Known Member
This has come up so many times it is a shame the search facility has gone from the forum. This is taken from one article done by H&H
Foals are individuals and react in different ways when their mothers disappear.
"Some don't even notice and others will run up and down for a couple of days," says Sarah. "Make sure the fencing is safe and it helps to get the mare's milk dried up if they are out of earshot."
Minimising stress is important for humane considerations, but also for long-term health.
"Anything that stresses a foal stresses its immune system," says Sarah. "The development of the immune system is related to exposure to different diseases and it isn't completely developed until over a year old. Stress-related problems include gastric ulcers and recurrent respiratory disease."
Some breeders like to have colts gelded while they are still on the mare, reasoning that it is less stressful at that stage.
"Foals do seem to take the stress quite well when they are on the mare, so if the testicles have descended it might be worth considering," says Sarah. "But if it isn't possible, it should be done well after weaning when the foal has had a chance to become established."
Making the break is a big step. But planning ahead gives odds in favour of mare and foal going their separate ways without stress or setbacks for any of you
You dont say if there are other horses where you are or if your mare & foal have been grazing with others. Last yr the mare & foal went in with my other 2 mares when he was 3mths old after grazing in the ajoining paddock with his mum. He was nearly 6mths old when he came in with an injury & as he had to be on box rest for a wk he stayed in while his dam stayed out. When he was allowed back out he stayed with the other 2 while he mum went into the other paddock with a good electric fence between them. This year my other mare has been back in work since her son was 2mths, at 4mths he chose to stay in the paddock with the yearling while mum came out to be ridden. She has since been out to shows, hacked out etc without either showing any stress what so ever. They will stay together until they have to come in at night, then he will go into his own stable but will go out with her & the yearlings during the day. I will wait now until Spring before putting the mare in the ajoining paddock, though she may well have weaned him herself by then. Each situation is different, but I would never have a foal on its own.
Foals are individuals and react in different ways when their mothers disappear.
"Some don't even notice and others will run up and down for a couple of days," says Sarah. "Make sure the fencing is safe and it helps to get the mare's milk dried up if they are out of earshot."
Minimising stress is important for humane considerations, but also for long-term health.
"Anything that stresses a foal stresses its immune system," says Sarah. "The development of the immune system is related to exposure to different diseases and it isn't completely developed until over a year old. Stress-related problems include gastric ulcers and recurrent respiratory disease."
Some breeders like to have colts gelded while they are still on the mare, reasoning that it is less stressful at that stage.
"Foals do seem to take the stress quite well when they are on the mare, so if the testicles have descended it might be worth considering," says Sarah. "But if it isn't possible, it should be done well after weaning when the foal has had a chance to become established."
Making the break is a big step. But planning ahead gives odds in favour of mare and foal going their separate ways without stress or setbacks for any of you
You dont say if there are other horses where you are or if your mare & foal have been grazing with others. Last yr the mare & foal went in with my other 2 mares when he was 3mths old after grazing in the ajoining paddock with his mum. He was nearly 6mths old when he came in with an injury & as he had to be on box rest for a wk he stayed in while his dam stayed out. When he was allowed back out he stayed with the other 2 while he mum went into the other paddock with a good electric fence between them. This year my other mare has been back in work since her son was 2mths, at 4mths he chose to stay in the paddock with the yearling while mum came out to be ridden. She has since been out to shows, hacked out etc without either showing any stress what so ever. They will stay together until they have to come in at night, then he will go into his own stable but will go out with her & the yearlings during the day. I will wait now until Spring before putting the mare in the ajoining paddock, though she may well have weaned him herself by then. Each situation is different, but I would never have a foal on its own.
no_no_nanette
Well-Known Member
We have an almost 6 months foal who we are planning to wean in 3 weeks time, and have been planning for some time! I think that this is one of the key things. I just hate the examples I have seen where (as in some of the continental WB foal sales) mare and foal are torn away from one another on the sale of the foal. We had a lovely Hanoverian gelding who had been bought at one of the German foal sales at barely 5 months, and immediately fell ill when he was imported, had to be bottle fed for weeks .... imagine the stress! He ended up having the most awful life-threatening colon disease when he was 9, which I'm sure was down to the long-term effects of a traumatic weaning.
We are planning to import an "uncle" pony to go in the field with mare and foal and another young gelding, and then the foal will be moved to a stables up the road with "uncle" after several weeks. We are already doing lots of practising leading them out of sight of one another for as long as possible, and it all seems very chilled!
Key points (as above) I think are planning for the weaning to be as stress-free as possible, and to accept that each foal (and mare) is different, so to work with them as individuals ....
Good luck, and let us know how it goes!
We are planning to import an "uncle" pony to go in the field with mare and foal and another young gelding, and then the foal will be moved to a stables up the road with "uncle" after several weeks. We are already doing lots of practising leading them out of sight of one another for as long as possible, and it all seems very chilled!
Key points (as above) I think are planning for the weaning to be as stress-free as possible, and to accept that each foal (and mare) is different, so to work with them as individuals ....
Good luck, and let us know how it goes!
apkelly01
Well-Known Member
The stud decided to wean Super and Bandit 2 days ago. He's only 5 and a bit old. They wean them in the abrupt way - basically took the mares out of the field and left the foals. The mares were moved to a field at the back of the stud - out of sight, smell ear shot of the foals.
I have to say it worked out well. Even though Bandit was the youngest, he coped the best. Super's coping well as well - if anything she looks bored in the field, so I'll give her a few more days and bring her back into work.
I think the next time, I'll go for the abrupt method as it worked so well this time.
Good luck to everyone with your weaning
I have to say it worked out well. Even though Bandit was the youngest, he coped the best. Super's coping well as well - if anything she looks bored in the field, so I'll give her a few more days and bring her back into work.
I think the next time, I'll go for the abrupt method as it worked so well this time.
Good luck to everyone with your weaning
volatis
Well-Known Member
We wean in the same way akelly. The foals stay in the herd they know with the other mares and foals and we take the mares away one at a time over a period of weeks. The foals settle within minutes and never drop weight or get unsettled.
oln
Well-Known Member
Many thanks. Think maybe will keep the foal in a stable for a few days to begin with, then turn her out with my old pony by day and put the mare out of sight but cant get her out of earshot. Not looking forward to it though. does that sound sensible?
StaceyTanglewood
Well-Known Member
I think it would be better for you to contact a local stud and move mare and foal down for a week then bring mare home for a couple of weeks !! then foal could come back xx