how long do you wean

[LittleRibbie]

Cameron is being weaned now and its only been a week. I did wait longer than most of you would to wean ( he's almost eight mos. ) but Mom was still looking great, actually better than she looked prior to being preggo and I was sort of hoping he would wean himself and the fact that he's our first foal I just loved seeing them together....crazy I know but thats the way it is.

Anyway, he seems to be enjoying him self with the rest of the herd and I plan on gelding him first week in May when I will be done working for the Summer. Peanut got a quicky sponge bath yesterday and she appears to have no more milk but Im worried that if i put her back with Cam and a couple of the others that she may still let him try to nurse and perhaps she may again produce milk....is that possible? Im thinking of just waiting till gelding and that should be plenty of time...correct me if Im wrong. I would certainly only keep him with the quietest buddy while he heals. Thanks for the help in my second phase of "raising a foal"

 

[Jill]

In our experience, you need to separate them for about 6 months or longer or they tend to do try to nurse again. We've never had mare who is not the dam allow a weaned foal to nurse from her but that's not to say it couldn't happen.

 

[REO]

Im worried that if i put her back with Cam and a couple of the others that she may still let him try to nurse and perhaps she may again produce milk....is that possible? Im thinking of just waiting till gelding and that should be plenty of time...correct me if Im wrong.

I've seen yearlings that had been weaned the year before nurse & the mares let them. And yes, they will develop milk again.

I don't put mares and daughters together again until the daughters are 2 yrs or more (filly groups are old enough to join older mares.) And colts get sold or are in colt groups and don't rejoin their dams. But you have a single colt (foal) so your situation is different.

 

[chandab]

My filly and her dam were separated for over 3 months, and when put back together the filly tried to nurse, so I had to separate them again for a longer time. I too weaned late, left the filly on her dam all winter (weaned early spring); tried to put them back together in the fall and ended up wintering the filly with a friendly gelding. Spring of her 2 year old year, she was able to go back in the mare herd where her dam is and it was fine them.

 

[ssshowhorses]

We had a filly that we weaned and she went a away to another farm for about 10 months and she came back and went right to nursing (or at least trying to).

 

[mini horse mania]

We purchased a 2 yr old "filly" & her dam..she finally weaned her at 2.5 yrs old.we tried to separate them and they both tried to hurt themselves getting back together....we ended up selling them together.most of my mares wean around 5 months by themselves.i have noticed that the bond is very strong the longer they are left together.lol.i too have had a mare try to nurse her foal after being separated a few months.i bought the ez wean halter..it is great.they can stay together with no problems.they end up weaning themselves.

 

[Matt73]

I've had a different experience. With Lex's first foal, Briar, I separated them at 6 months. I put them back together after two weeks and there was never any attempt to nurse. Lucky, I guess. I'm hoping the same for Levi. He's been weaned since October and was gelded this week...so the plan is to eventually (in a couple of months or so) have him be able to go out with his dam and Willow (I sure hope that after 8 months there is no hint of wanting to nurse....I highly doubt there will be as they're in the same barn together and don't even notice each other anymore)..

 

[dgrminis]

We have 2 fillies that were seperated from their dams for 6 months and when put back together 1 was fine and the other went right back to trying to nurse and even though I did not think she was being successful -- I have seen her dam "shoo her away" apparently she is because I have now seen her nursing several times so she will have to be "reseperated" for another period of time... I am thinking that whoever mentioned they keep them seperate from their dams until they are 2 year olds might be the policy we adopt around here just to make sure. Good luck with your little guy.

 

[Eagle]

I can't help you Heidi sorry, I have always moved my colts out of the herd at weaning and into the "boy band" I am lucky enough to have a very laid back stallion that loves to hang out with his sons. I personally don't like the idea of babies not having other babies to play with so if I were you I would buy or borrow another colt for Cam to romp with

 

[supaspot]

for years Ive only seperated them for about a month to six seeks and only ever had one nurse again , a couple have tried but the mums tell them to get away , I wean at 6-7 months

 

[Marty]

Yup they will go right back and nurse so separating them for a few months is what I do too. This would be the perfect time to separate the boys from the girls permanently. Cam can go with your geldings.

:yes

 

[LittleRibbie]

Thanks everyone......looks like hubby will be putting up another pasture area this Summer!! He's going to be thrilled!! Both my geldings have their own little mare that they adore....but you still think they should be separated? Is there a reason...its easily doable but just not sure why? Hoping to breed all my girls with Nick around June in order to hopefully get May/June babies next year because of me getting summer months off work.

Renee, I agree having 2 is much better and thats is what i was hoping for but unfortunatly Holly lost her baby last feb and that left only Peanut preggo.

I think i told you diane offered to loan/give me a colt to keep Cam company but being a new foal owner I was a little reluctant and wanted to just concentrate on one foal...but having 2 would definatly be the smart thing to do.....wish I was smarter

PS Marty, I cant seem to find your new #......havent talked in mos.......please email it to me...please

 

[Mareish Mom]

I've only had one foal but this is what I did at my vet's (a reproduction specialist) recommendation. At 6 months he went in with his favorite uncle on one side of a fence and his mom was left on the other side with his other uncle. They could see and touch each other through the fence but the rails were too close together for him to nurse. After a month I put everyone back together. My vet advised that if he were to try to nurse and mom let him that I should separate for another month and try again. Worked great. Mom wouldn't let him nurse, his uncle let him sorta nurse on him a bit and everyone was happy. I'd advise waiting until after he is gelded and recovered so that there's no way he could breed his mom then put them together and watch. It's quite likely she would discourage any attempts to nurse. She might let him try for a little while at first. If she does not push him away then separate and give it another month and try again. My colt (after he was gelded) lived happily with his mom and the uncles for 6 years until I gave her to my friend.