Weaning: when to do it?

[Jetiki]

I have a colt who was born on April 28th, I'd like to know whats the timeline for weaning? He's eating feed, he spends more time with my gelding than his momma. I've been taking momma away from him for grooming time, baths etc for up to an hour. He doesn't seem to care. He's leading fine. He's starting to drag her down a bit, she's also supposed to be bred back, but usually when on pasture she's fat as a pig but now she isn't, I've upped her hay and her grain and she's not thin but she's not obese like she usually gets on grass. I know obese isn't optimal but if she was on unlimited pasture with no hay she'd be a blimp I'd usually have to closely watch her time out etc, now I'm trying to keep weight on her it seems. If all of that makes sense.

I was planning on waiting til around the 1st of August, but should I wean him sooner? He's a tub by the way, solid muscle.

I would be weaning baby with my gelding as I don't have another colt for him to play with, my gelding is 3 and is very good with him.

Thanks

Karen

 

[chandab]

I haven't raised any mini foals yet, but... Here's what I did with the three full-size foals I raised.

The first filly was weaned about 4 months, maybe a little older; she was eating grain from practically day one and her dam didn't have enough milk, so I went ahead and weaned a little early.

Colt - was weaned right at 5 months. I sold the mare and the colt was staying; he was more than ready to be weaned and had been eating solid food for a couple of months.

Second filly - was weaned at about 6 months. She was a little pre-mature, so needed her dam for awhile longer. She was ready for weaning at 6 months. The colt above is her brother and they weaned together; I left the colt with his sisters after weaning (filly and her dam were both his sisters; mare and colt were out of same dam, filly and colt were by same sire - confused?).

 

[Sunraye Miniatures]

If this was my baby I wait till 4 months, so next month on the 28th. Now unless there is a possible health risk to the mare than I would do it sooner. Some people think the baby will be fine, its doing great now, but once you wean it early it will go down hill. I have a 3 month old baby now and she thinks she is part of the herd and wants to be away from momma but she will have to wait.

What type of hay and grain is she getting?

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I have a colt in the same position except that he is not pulling his mother down- I have never had nor seen that happen, not sure why, but there you go.

This colt was born a week before yours.

He is fat, full of himself and a pain in the ar*e, and I would dearly, dearly like him out of there.

There is NO way I would ever consider taking him off before the end of August at the very earliest.

Mother comes off and stays away without a problem, baby does not call for her, baby is eating (but NOT being given) feed- not given it as he is WAY too fat!! :lol:

Still not weaning him until the end of August.

Just not good for the foal, no way, not good for it psychologically, even if physically it is ready.

Like sending a pre schooler to University- just because they have the IQ does not mean they are ready

:

Been doing this for forty five years now, tried it every way in the book, but this is the way that works.

:

edited because I cannot remember when my foals were born

 

[BRONSKIMAN]

Respectfully, if you dont know the dates they were born how do you know when to wean??

 

[capall beag]

I think foals are all different, as are all babies.

I have 3 foals here 2 colts and a filly.

The 2 colts are very bonded and their mothers are very calm, easy going mares with tons of milk. They are very independant of their mothers and run to them to nurse and then race off together again. They are very bonded to eachother and have been eating grain since very early on. They eat their grain, by choice away from their Momma's much of the time. They, IMO will not be stressed by weaning and I won't wait as long as on the filly.

My filly is more attached to her mother, looks to here for reassurance still. Hangs around her mother more and always eats her grain with her mother. She simply "needs" her mother more still for more than just milk! She is defiantely going to need more time.

I think you can tell by the foals reaction and where they will be on weaning, if they will be alone or without a fellow foal buddy I think they need longer.

JMHO.......I have weaned only 3 foals prior to this but have never had a problem, except one mare who really did not want to give up being a Momma at all!, ever!

to add, my colts are between 2 and 3 monthe old as is the filly.

 

[BRONSKIMAN]

I think foals are all different, as are all babies.

I have 3 foals here 2 colts and a filly.

The 2 colts are very bonded and their mothers are very calm, easy going mares with tons of milk. They are very independant of their mothers and run to them to nurse and then race off together again. They are very bonded to eachother and have been eating grain since very early on. They eat their grain, by choice away from their Momma's much of the time. They, IMO will not be stressed by weaning and I won't wait as long as on the filly.

My filly is more attached to her mother, looks to here for reassurance still. Hangs around her mother more and always eats her grain with her mother. She simply "needs" her mother more still for more than just milk! She is defiantely going to need more time.

I think you can tell by the foals reaction and where they will be on weaning, if they will be alone or without a fellow foal buddy I think they need longer.

JMHO.......I have weaned only 3 foals prior to this but have never had a problem, except one mare who really did not want to give up being a Momma at all!, ever!

to add, my colts are between 2 and 3 monthe old as is the filly.

Sounds very sensible and with the best interests of the horses Capall Beag, what method do you use?? Do you seperate them suddenly or slowly??

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Excuse me?? Bronskiman I have NO idea what you are talking about- perhaps you would care to explain?????

 

[BRONSKIMAN]

(quote) edited because I cannot remember when my foals were born

 

[rabbitsfizz]

still do not understand what you are talking about- I edited it and changed an incorrect date, that is all, it may be as well to check these things before making that sort of comment??

 

[Matt73]

I only have experience with big horse foals thus far, but four months is the minimum that I have experienced/heard for weaning. Even if they're not nursing, there is still an emotional "thing" that should be tapped for as long as possible.

 

[chandab]

still do not understand what you are talking about- I edited it and changed an incorrect date, that is all, it may be as well to check these things before making that sort of comment??

I probably shouldn't butt in, but here I am. I think it was the way it was worded in the edit, that caused the confusion.

edited because I cannot remember when my foals were born

Quite easy to confuse exact dates on foals, especially when you have more than one and are going off the top of your head.

 

[Relic]

We wean cold turkey just take them of moms one day stick them in with a maresitter till next spring after the first 2/3 days no one is crying or seems to care about moms except maybe the odd mare is concerned for her foal they are across a double fenced paddock so can be seen at all times just not get at the milk. This year the oldest will be almost 5 months and the youngest 3 1/2 months. Fall weaning for us is to stressful on the foals with switching over to winter feed and winter sure isn't a good choice up here.

And sometimes l also can forget the births of the foals around here. Happens ya know once in a while to the best of people..

 

[BRONSKIMAN]

(Q)I probably shouldn't butt in, but here I am. I think it was the way it was worded in the edit, that caused the confusion(Q)

Sorry, yes, I was confused by the edit.

 

[Mercysmom]

IStill not weaning him until the end of August.

Just not good for the foal, no way, not good for it psychologically, even if physically it is ready.

Like sending a pre schooler to University- just because they have the IQ does not mean they are ready

:

Been doing this for forty five years now, tried it every way in the book, but this is the way that works.

:

I also agree with Jane on this one - made the mistake of "early" weaning at 4 months on some of my minis and Mercy and I had to hash it out with her charging me and kicking at me to show her displeasure... with her dwarf Connie, I let her stay with Mercy for a year and Mercy took care of the weaning and Connie did not stress out at all. They weaned successfully even though they were turned out together during the day - Connie ceased nursing and only sought Mercy if she was getting picked on by Freedom.

We have a small farm here so I can accommodate mares and foals that need extra time as I have a foal or two every couple of years.

Freedom was a late bloomer and she really needed her mom Hope for almost a year. I was glad I kept them together.

Intrepid and Nefertiti will stay together as long as they need to...Neffie is becoming more independent but there is nothing like Intrepid's guidance and discipline to make her behave like a lady!

Sometimes, Mother Nature knows best and I try to follow her suggestions.

:

Denise

Silversong Farm

 

[Miniv]

We wean WITH a buddy (or buddies) at a minimum of FOUR MONTHS......unless there is a health risk to the dam.

We don't look at how the foal is eating on its own, as most of our foals are sharing mom's feed by the time its a week old. What's most important is the mare's health AND the foal's mental well-being. Because of that, we sometimes wean a foal who is older.......

For a weanling buddy, we either have other weanlings close to the same age, or a young yearling or two who can step in. Because we have 10 to 15 foals a year, we usually don't have a problem with that. It just means adjusting a time of month to accommodate two or more babies, so the youngest is at least 4 months.

There is no hard and fast rule with weaning! It depends on the individual foal and her dam, IMO. So much depends on if the mare is either non-existant (which happened to us last year), is being pulled down......OR.....

if the foal is immature either physically or mentally and NEEDS mom a little longer. Four month of age is ONLY a guide-line to work from.

I HIGHLY recommend letting the foal stay with mom the full four months for a MINIMUM, even though the foal "seems" mature enough to wean.

MA

 

[capall beag]

I wean them gradually, I put the mares in the round pens next to the foals. They can nurse if the mare allows it and I have only done it 3 times prior but there was little to no reaction from either mare or foal! No screaming, pacing nothing! UI would do this for periods of a day nto for a whole day at first. I allowed this to continue for sometime before I would seperate them for a full day and then finally it was a permanent thing! It went very well.

Most people I know around her wean between 3 and 4 months and it works well.

I think if you know your horses well you can watch their behaviour and make decisions based on this. I love my horses and would never cause undo stress. For some weaning will be somewhat stressful no matter when you do it others just go with it!

: True for all young really, even kids

: One of my daughters would have been happy to nurse forever, it would seem

: , but I was ready and lo and behold she was grand with my decision!

:

 

[Jetiki]

Thank you all for your comments and ideas.

I am trying to find some Black oil sunflower seeds to up mom's fat level, I never thought I'd have to do this with this horse but it looks like she needs more fat than she's getting right now.

Thanks again

Karen

 

[woodnldy]

I was told by a vet to add canola oil to their feed to add fat and help with coat. Anyone else heard of that?? She said just a tablespoon or so. Hmm also with all my animals,dogs,cats, goats,cows and last years foal I have always also checked the moon signs in the almanac. Never wean if signs are above the waist(sounds silly but it works.) My filly last year was across fence from mom and neither one of them had a problem. mom was uncomfortable for a couple of days but in 21 days i turned them back in same pasture with no problem.