what a nightmare weaning

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valentine

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what a day just weaned my 7mth old foal from his mother, mum was a star and loaded straight onto the lorry (thought it was all to good to be true) put my colt into the stable with another colt and he started to kick him not nice too watch!!
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still locked in the stable over night not sure how im going to sleep tonight
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worring about my little man all night ..... anyone been through this any advice greatly recieved. not sure how long they will have to stay in . never want to go through this again
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We had to wean two Tb's early at the stud I used to work at because one of the mares was badly injured (ripped out half her shoulder on a post!) her colt was paired up with a little Double Trigger filly and he kicked 5hit into her at first, then he'd put his ears flat back and reverse into her and buck. I wanted to split them but boss said it would soon stop. About two days of putting his ears flat back and they'd settled down.

Were they both weaned together?
 
no this one is a bit older only one month older .... did you have to keep them in for 2 days ? this is my first time at this and dont wont any problems if i can help it .....
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be glad when its over
 
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no this one is a bit older only one month older .... did you have to keep them in for 2 days ? this is my first time at this and dont wont any problems if i can help it .....
smile.gif
be glad when its over

[/ QUOTE ]

But did you take their mums away at the same time?

We always kept weanlings in for a while with top doors shut, then leave the doors open when you're around and then eventually leave them open all of the time. And then after a couple of weeks start turning them out in the field. Did he/she learn to lead as a foal?
 
no they were only introuduced today the other one was weaned a month ago felt this was a better option then doing it on his own ..... did one of you say weeks to calm down?????
 
You need to get them fairly calm before it's safe to turn them out in a field with safe fencing. Personally I hate shutting top doors, and would only use a grill, but I know a lot of people don't see a problem.
You're going to need to balance things I think. Yes, you want them to be a bit calm and settled before you turn them out. But on the other hand, the longer they stay indoors the more mad they may go when they eventually get out.
 
No sorry. I've never had a dreadful weaning as I wean all mine naturally. Any foals of mine are used to their Mothers leaving them in the field for periods of time starting at around a month old. By the time they are 6 months old, they couldn't care less where their Mother is half the time. At around 6 months I normally stable baby next door to Mum's stable overnight so he can only suckle through the day. By about 9 months the Mother usually kicks them off. Weaning done! Easy peasy and no upsets for anyone.
 
I am sorry if this sounds harsh, but I think it is potentially very dangerous to put two colts in a stable together when they haven't previously been introduced, one has already been weaned a month ago (and was supposedly doing ok?) and then suddenly seperating the other colt from his mother and shoving him in a stable with a strange colt.

Can you seperate them and put them in adjoining stables? They may settle down quicker and its safer than leaving them in together.
 
I would say its more dangerous to put a newly weaned colt in with one thats been off of its mother for a month.

They should have been weaned at the same time.
 
i would also have put the newly weaning one in his own stable.even unshoed youngsters kicking can cause broken legs.
my filly is still on her mother shes 10months old.have been wanting to do it since she was 9months old-plan being to pop them in seperate stables and field them together and then field them seperately, but yard only has the one stable for them at the mo.
i take mum out for hacks though for 40mins or so and filly is fine on her own stabled next to the others(american barn)
 
I agree I wouldn't of put two seperately weaned colts in together if I really didn't have too. Ideally they would be better next to each other as mentioned above and also leaving the turning out until they are totally settled.
Good luck as I know it's a very traumatic time!
 
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