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And really, really hard work. Not really easy solutions to needing a companion at all
Weanling Advice
- Thread starter Ellietotz
- Start date
Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
Yeah, foals are cute, but they're a pain. I would not have one if I had a choice. At that age, they are like little kamikazes.
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
Yeah,people aren't being party poopers, I weaned my foal a year ago today and kept her at home with a young friend, I'm totally in control of the set up and even then it's been tricky at times just because young horses are dingbats ? mine is well handled and easy to do but I still wouldn't want her on a shared yard.
Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
My mare almost had a brain at 2 and a half. She did jump out of a field. Now at three, she's brilliant. You could train her, or leave her in a field to mature. Whatever. Something of that age might suit you.
Lois Lame
Well-Known Member
Oh do I know this feeling.
I was just telling my OH on our walk yesterday morning that if I get another horse again, I won't be getting XY to trim his or her hoofs, even though XY is very good. I'll stick to YZ because, not only does he have a lovely way with horses, he doesn't have a giant ego.
Esmae
Well-Known Member
I knew of somebody who put an 8month old colt in with a mare for company. The colt covered the mare and she was in foal, so I seriously wouldn't put them together until he is gelded. Personally, given your circumstances, I think the youngstock livery is the best option in the shorter term.
Ellietotz
Well-Known Member
There is no youngstock livery local to me, I've been looking.
Would he be able to reach? He's only about 8hh and my mare is 14hh!
Pinkvboots
Well-Known Member
They have been known to do the deed no matter how big the mare is.
I don't think a weanling colt makes a good companion for a much older horse especially if it's a mare.
Ellietotz
Well-Known Member
Will have to get him done ASAP then providing I go through with it.
Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
Maybe it's just 'other side of the fence' thinking, but the wee girls seem easier. I'm sure @milliepops will tell me they are not!
Lois Lame
Well-Known Member
It might be best to pull out of the purchase. If this little fellow doesn't have other young playmates, he will mentally tire out your mare. He really needs lots of natural exercise, lots of room, at least one playmate of more or less the same age and lots of good grass (and hay if not enough grass) (and NO concentrates).
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If you're set on a youngster why not get a 2/3yo filly?
Spottyappy
Well-Known Member
I am another who thinks your set up is far from right for a foal.
we purchased a Welsh D 8 years ago, as a 6 month old. We also purchased a Second one, to keep him company. They really do need friends of a similar age.
we deliberately brought a dun Welsh D as the companion, as we knew he would sell on. Which he did, to the first viewer.
this year, my Daughter had a foal out of her own mare. The foal is staying at the stud she kept both at, as she has 2 other weanlings with her. We don’t have the room now to purchase a companion, as we did 8 years ago, and imho it is not fair to bring a foal to our set up with older horses.
I would also not put a colt in with a mare, that is asking for trouble in the pregnancy department.
if you were to go ahead, I also do not agree with your YO of keeping hIm in a month. He does need some handling, but a baby being kept in, confined and alone, for so long is asking for trouble (going ballistic with pent up energy) when he did go out. If he were stabled with another foal, at least he would have company but I am not an advocate of keeping any horse in 24/7 let alone a foal.
we purchased a Welsh D 8 years ago, as a 6 month old. We also purchased a Second one, to keep him company. They really do need friends of a similar age.
we deliberately brought a dun Welsh D as the companion, as we knew he would sell on. Which he did, to the first viewer.
this year, my Daughter had a foal out of her own mare. The foal is staying at the stud she kept both at, as she has 2 other weanlings with her. We don’t have the room now to purchase a companion, as we did 8 years ago, and imho it is not fair to bring a foal to our set up with older horses.
I would also not put a colt in with a mare, that is asking for trouble in the pregnancy department.
if you were to go ahead, I also do not agree with your YO of keeping hIm in a month. He does need some handling, but a baby being kept in, confined and alone, for so long is asking for trouble (going ballistic with pent up energy) when he did go out. If he were stabled with another foal, at least he would have company but I am not an advocate of keeping any horse in 24/7 let alone a foal.
DabDab
Ah mud, splendid
Don't get the weanling. It will be a lot of work and is unlikely to make a good companion in the short term.
A 2yo would suit much better and there are usually some relatively inexpensive ones around at this time of year.
A 2yo would suit much better and there are usually some relatively inexpensive ones around at this time of year.
foxy1
Well-Known Member
By this, do you mean one or both of his testicles have not dropped?
MotherOfChickens
MotherDucker
I bought an Exmoor weanling some years ago now. He went to stay with a breeder-basically he was unhandled, for two week he lived in a large cattle pen beside a very calm mare while we got him halter trained etc and then he went out in a mixed group of geldings-from weanlings to older horses. He stayed there until the following spring when he came home to my two geldings.
If there are any breeders about it might be worth asking if they have other colts he can run with.
If there are any breeders about it might be worth asking if they have other colts he can run with.
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LadyGascoyne
Well-Known Member
Ellie, another thing to consider is that you may have problems if you’re planning to ride your mare at all - or to take her out on her own for any reason.
A weanling on its own with an older mare is going to take a lot of comfort from that and probably get very attached. And you may find your mare becomes very attached too, which could make life tricky. Milagra did with my yearling filly.
My answer to this would be to buy two weanlings, and I’d probably go for fillies. I’d want to turn out together for a while and then introduce the older mare.
But I appreciate I have less experience than some others here.
A weanling on its own with an older mare is going to take a lot of comfort from that and probably get very attached. And you may find your mare becomes very attached too, which could make life tricky. Milagra did with my yearling filly.
My answer to this would be to buy two weanlings, and I’d probably go for fillies. I’d want to turn out together for a while and then introduce the older mare.
But I appreciate I have less experience than some others here.
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
i have nothing to compare mine too! she hasn't been difficult in herself, because I was expecting to have to make my life revolve around her needs so i was ready for anything pretty much. And I've done all her handling since she was a minute old so she knows what she needs to and has a secure environment.
Having a planned tiddler and being able to set yourself up to try and make things as easy as possible is different to finding yourself in a situ and having to try and make it work. and that's different again to knowingly choosing to import a problem!
ETA i took lots of advice along the way from folk who have been there and got the T shirt, although i've had horses for decades a total baby was a very new experience. some of those are on this forum. I wouldn't have pressed on against their advice.
TreeDog
Well-Known Member
Aside from all the other management issues already mentioned, I would not get a colt to be a companion for a mare (unless you are certain both testicles have fully descended and you can get him castrated asap.) I got a little yearling colt last year, he was being rehomed as the previous owner only had mares and he 'wasn't ready yet'. It took nearly a year for the second testicle to drop enough for vet to do the op standing, even then it was a little tricky but my vet was excellent and managed to get everything. By then he would have been fertile. Fortunately, the yard had another yearling and 2 year old boys he could live with in the meantime.
Roasted Chestnuts
Well-Known Member
I bought my weanling. He wasn’t put on youngstock livery. He has been kept on standard livery yards with suitable facilities like herd turnout. He has been with horses of varying ages since I bought him. His constant companion for the last three years has mostly been a late teenage gelding but he gets turned out in winter with a larger mixed age gelding herd. The herd at the moment ranges from 18months to 20yrs old.
When I got him his first companion was my elderly gelding Kia, he was quarantined in the field for 3weeks with him. He got handled daily in the field when I was feeding them both. Taken short walks and picking up feet. Then when Kia passed he went in the field with a mixed age herd. Then I moved from that place to my current place and he’s had varying ages to play with.
Youngsters don’t need to be flung into a youngstock herd they can be kept and educated perfectly well on a standard yard with herd turnout. My boy is well mannered, well adjusted and knows how to be a horse. I have never believed in only keeping youngsters together. I’ve never seen one having issues from being in a mixed age herd. This is the first year he hasn’t been the youngest. Only had the 18months old come this summer.
Dont have peoples opinion on here make out that youngstock livery is the only way to go. It isn’t. There aren’t a lot of youngstock liveries in Scotland, you just need a yard with all year herd turnout.
When I got him his first companion was my elderly gelding Kia, he was quarantined in the field for 3weeks with him. He got handled daily in the field when I was feeding them both. Taken short walks and picking up feet. Then when Kia passed he went in the field with a mixed age herd. Then I moved from that place to my current place and he’s had varying ages to play with.
Youngsters don’t need to be flung into a youngstock herd they can be kept and educated perfectly well on a standard yard with herd turnout. My boy is well mannered, well adjusted and knows how to be a horse. I have never believed in only keeping youngsters together. I’ve never seen one having issues from being in a mixed age herd. This is the first year he hasn’t been the youngest. Only had the 18months old come this summer.
Dont have peoples opinion on here make out that youngstock livery is the only way to go. It isn’t. There aren’t a lot of youngstock liveries in Scotland, you just need a yard with all year herd turnout.
windand rain
Well-Known Member
I agree CC to a point a colt with only one mare for company is not ideal but is very doable as long as he will stable while she is ridden. We always only have one baby at a time and have never had a horse with separation anxiety they are in pairs almost always fillies but have had the livery colts from time to time. I do swap the pairs about so they are not bonded I do think it is easier the younger they are but I appreciate that others have had differing experiences
Ellietotz
Well-Known Member
My YO has raised several foals, they all came straight back to the yard and put with one other after being stabled first and they've all turned out very independent and confident. No separation issues at all.
If I can find a way to suitably secure him in my field shelter so my mare can live around him for a few days to settle before letting him out with her, would this work?
Then I can see how things go with how he is when separated from her for short periods but I can take this very slowly and I will just leave her if needs be in the field until he is more settled.
I have asked the breeder if he can geld first for me too and I'll pay him or even just have me arrange it and the vet goes there instead. Problem is, no one has been able to check if he has dropped fully or not yet. So perhaps while he is in at mine, I can spend some time with him until he let's me check and I could get him done while he is still in before letting him out providing he is ready.
Does this sound okay? I can put him in when I take her out too in case but presumably, if he is watching her walk around the field grazing for a few days, she will be coming in and out of his range of sight anyway?
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AmyMay
Situation normal
If your Yo is experienced with weanlings then it could be ok.
Get him gelded prior to leaving his mum.
Get him gelded prior to leaving his mum.
Esmae
Well-Known Member
Well you know what they say "Where there's a willie there's a way!" I seriously wouldn't risk it. Particularly if the mare turns into a tart and helps him out.
windand rain
Well-Known Member
Get him gelded before you pick him up if possible and your plan of introduction sounds great. Make sure before you let him out that he is easy to catch coming to you etc and his first few times out leave on a field safe or tatty old leather headcollar/slip that will break if caught and make sure his water bucket/trough is not big enough for him to get stuck in
Polos Mum
Well-Known Member
Even without both balls being dropped he could cover a mare - I've seen pictures of mares kneeling down to 'help' the small stallion.
Definitely don't bring him home until 3 weeks after castration - you can't do it 'asap' when you get him home as he has to be turned out when it's done and he will be fertile for a good few weeks so no company for him to turn out with.
Definitely don't bring him home until 3 weeks after castration - you can't do it 'asap' when you get him home as he has to be turned out when it's done and he will be fertile for a good few weeks so no company for him to turn out with.
ihatework
Well-Known Member
Honestly, I'd just back out now, loose your deposit and find yoursef something a bit older.
Yes the weanling *might* be ok. It *might* adapt to the situation, It probably won't cover the mare.
Getting something else doesn't mean nothing will go wrong, but you will be stacking the odds more in your favour.
This sort of situation for a weanling really saddens me - having seen many ways of bringing them up.
Yes the weanling *might* be ok. It *might* adapt to the situation, It probably won't cover the mare.
Getting something else doesn't mean nothing will go wrong, but you will be stacking the odds more in your favour.
This sort of situation for a weanling really saddens me - having seen many ways of bringing them up.
windand rain
Well-Known Member
Not such a huge problem in winter but certainly have to be three months done by Spring
bonny
Well-Known Member
I’m finding it hard to believe a six month old foal is fertile and interested in mating, if that was true they would mate with their mothers or other mares in a herd and that doesn’t happen. Maybe by next spring that could be an issue but surely not just now.
Asha
Well-Known Member
i havent commented as it looked as though you where backing out of the idea. But now seem up for it.
Please listen to those who have experience with weanlings.
IHW has given you the most sensible advice. Please back out now and get a 2/3 year old.
Yes, you may be lucky and everything works out, but should you really be buying a weanling with the facilities youve mentioned based on luck ?
what happens if he panics and attempts to jump out of the field shelter ?
The other year a young girl i know asked for advice about buying a weanling and keeping him on a livery yard. She ignored all the advice given. Brought the weanling back and he ran through all the fencing and got into a paddock with an unsuitable companion. He was hurt, spent weeks on box rest. She fed him way to much as she felt sorry for him on box rest. Next thing we heard he was PTS