Remeber when I sold my mare & foal

[zoey829]

Quick reminder a lady came out and bought a mare and foal. But she didnt want to wean them herself. So she asked to take the foal first. But the overall opinion here was take the mare first and then the foal. This way she was leaving the foal in familar grounds. We all knew what would happen after they reunited. And it did within seconds the foal started to nurse off the mom. Ok. So now the lady wants me to take the mare for about a month. SHe said when her daughter took her out of the pen the mom and baby freaked. I told her I cant do that to the mare. ANd it will only happen again. She needs to take baby steps and not to take the baby out of the pen right away. It has only been 24. Mess with the baby in the pen and gradually take her out. It is still only a baby. She wants her daughter to train the foal for shows next spring. But being a mini she can work her were sh is for now. Any opinions would be great.

Thanks

 

[Jill]

It sounds to me like the new owner needs to come up with two separate pens or paddocks to keep the foal and mare apart for a couple months.

 

[Carolyn R]

Sorry, this sounds harsh, but I have it in my contract that once the animals step off of the property, wether it is with a 3rd party shipper or the new owner, the owner becomes fully reponsable for that animals care (and I am relinquished of all obligations).

I will offer on going consults, don't get me wrong, but I am not going to put my little hand picked herd at risk by taking animals on and off the premises at the request of the new owner. What if you should bring the mare back and she has a virus, what if you have gotten a new horse in the meantime (didn't you just get two geldings?) and they are immune to a virus they have, but carry it to your horses. Even if it is only a slight fever, are you the one that is now responsable for a horse you no longer own? There are too many things that can happen. I just think that there is a point in time when the new owner needs to step up and take responsability. JMO

Carolyn

 

[zoey829]

Thank you!!! That is what I told her. It iwll be fine and justtake your time. I will do what Ican but I cant stress these animals out. And it is not fair to them or me. I too have it in my contract they are the fully responsiable. Period!!!! You have to or all of a sudden I am paying for all medical bills and having a return policy!!!! I guess people panic.

 

[barefoot]

Suggest the Ezz Wean Halter. Not tried it, but I think it is the coolest idea.

www.horsingaroundllc.com

Emma

 

[loveminis]

If it was me I would not have sold to her in the first place, if she is going to own horses she needs to step up and take responsibility. She does not seem to want to take your advice and do it herself, she wants you to do it for her.

 

[Getitia]

Based on the information contained in your posting, it appears that the new owners have very minimal or limited horse knowledge.

Your taking the mare back for 30 days will not prevent the same behavior from happening again when the mare is returned. When we wean our foals - they are separated from August/September until the following April/May time frame. In the past, we learned that even after being separated for as long as 3 months - some mares would allow the foals when reintroduced back together to bond and start nursing again.

I would suggest she obtain some literature on horses/foals/behavior for her and her daughter to study. She needs to listen to your advice in response to her questions, and the first task she needs to undertake is to immediately construct a small paddock section whereby the foal is totally separated from the dam and thus not allowed to rejoin her for about 6+ months.

 

[Lewella]

Suggest the Ezz Wean Halter. Not tried it, but I think it is the coolest idea.
www.horsingaroundllc.com

Emma

I have a Shetland filly in my pasture who was one of the test subjects when they were modifying these for small equine (a friend of mine owned her at the time). It worked for weaning her and her half sister. They wore breakaway halters for safety while this device was being used for safety.

 

[Margo_C-T]

Getitia is right, about everything in her post.

You might be very surprised at how frequently a supposedly weaned youngster, even when kept separate from its dam for three months or even LONGER, would almost immediately take up nursing again! And if the dam is amenable(and many are), this would have the mare back 'in milk' VERY quickly, also. I believe this is especially true when you have only the mare and its foal as companions, and put them in together.

When I was younger, there was a very simple homemade 'weaning aid' that could be attached to a halter...it involved a piece of good heavy leather and some tacks, and you attached it to the noseband of the foal's halter, where it hung over the nose, sort of like the 'nosepiece' on some of the 'full coverage' fly masks you see nowadays. When the foal tried to nurse, it annoyed the mare enough that she wouldn't tolerate it...of course, you WOULD want a 'breakaway' feature to the halter.

When I was 14, I bred my excellent little FAST mare to a regis. QH. I had no way to KEEP them separate after weaning, and sure enough, the filly began to nurse again, even after a LONG separation .... I made one of these, and within a week or two, problem solved. Not sure I would suggest such a thing to such newbies, however.

Margo