When To Wean?

[MDMminis]

I'm getting Copper as everybody knows well me and the one holding him are debating on when to wean him he says 4mons i say 3? My friend that breeds also said she weans at 3mons of age. Copper was born May,17th so i was thinking around the end of next month? I'm not sure since he's my first foal this young.

Also i'll post some pictures for everybody to tell me what they think.

His Mother:

His Father:

 

[chandab]

You'll get alot of opinions on the best time to wean, the norm is from 4 to 6 months of age. Usually, foals are only weaned at 3 months if they are serious pulling down the mare. The foals and mares will also kind of tell you when they are ready to wean.

I've only had full-size foals to wean, so only have that experience to share.

The first foal I raised was a filly, she was independent from day one and her dam didn't have excess milk (the filly ate a fair amount of foal feed starting at just a couple days old). I weaned her when she was just barely 4 months old.

The second two foals I raised are half siblings (by same sire); the colt was born one day before the filly, but the filly came early. The colt was more than ready to wean at 4.5 to 5 months old, so I weaned him; the filly was not ready, so she stayed with her dam until she was 6 months old and at that time she was more than ready.

 

[MDMminis]

Alot of people say its not good for mare or foal to stay on any longer than 5mons and i think its true the lady at my last boarding stable had a filly on for 6mons and the mare wasn't gaining weight for awhile even after they weaned her off she was still having problems. Alot of people think it puts the mares at risk of loosing alot and the foal can have defects from suckling so long.

I think that people are to soft they think if the foal nickers for mommy she's going to drop over from stress. After 3-4mons i think there fine and Coppers mom already is trying to cut him off. She walks off 95% of the time he wants milk. It takes time for a foal to relize mom isn't always going to be around and once you let them think she will be you create problems for both foal and mare.

Anybody else have and suggestions on weaning a miniature colt off?

 

[sedeh]

I don't like to wean earlier than 4 months. Usually when I have a group of foals I wean them all when the youngest is 4 months.....sometimes the oldest is close to 6 months. This year I only have one and I'll probably wean between 4-5 months.

I don't like to wean earlier than 4 months. Usually when I have a group of foals I wean them all when the youngest is 4 months.....sometimes the oldest is close to 6 months. This year I only have one and I'll probably wean between 4-5 months.

I don't like to wean earlier than 4 months. Usually when I have a group of foals I wean them all when the youngest is 4 months.....sometimes the oldest is close to 6 months. This year I only have one and I'll probably wean between 4-5 months.

 

[lilhorseladie]

I'm waiting for a foal I bought too, but I am stuck on four months, that is plenty early and even if they don't rely on mom for food, they still need her support. I wouldn't take one earlier than four months.

 

[MDMminis]

I'll think about it but i see no reason that they can't be weaned at 3mons 2 of my closest friends have been breeding for 8-9yrs and they both wean there foals at 3mons and never had any problems.

 

[disneyhorse]

4-5 months is a standard across many breeds from mini to draft. Younger than 4 months is unnecessary.

Andrea

 

[MDMminis]

I still feel there will be no harm if he's pulled at 3mons my friend has over 13 mares and she's had many many foals and always weans at 3mons. She said she's never had any health issues from it or any emotion problems from it. She says it helps the mare alot more the less time there suckling.

Any more comments.

 

[Happy Valley]

JMO, full size horses and larger ponies 5-6 months.

I've never bought a mini weanling less than four months. Too young to wean in my opinion.

 

[KenBen]

I like to wean at 5months. I have gone as high as 7months. Our first filly was born end of April and the second first week of June. I will wait until the youngest is 5 months and then wean them both.

Ken

 

[disneyhorse]

If the breeder and most of us say four months, but you don't care and want him at three, why are you asking us?

 

[MDMminis]

wow.. i think 7mons is "WAY" to old to be weaning there over half a year and that makes them depend on nobody but there mother. Much harder to brake etc.. i bought a 6-7mon walker colt and he was weaned at around 3-5mons and he did amazing for me and he's over 1 now.

:

I'm not asking when to wean him i want to see what others think. I want to see if there are any breeders that wean at 3mons and such. Its really just a curious look around.

 

[disneyhorse]

I don't find WHEN they wean to have any bearing on how easy they are to train. Usually the horse's basic personality is what makes the biggest difference... right now I have a four year old stallion and a yearling mare that were both bought wild and basically unhandled from a pasture... they are VERY mellow souls, and thus were super easy to train. The stallion was under harness within three months and winning Grand Champion

It's not the health of the mare that should be of concern. A mare has years of growth, mental maturity, and immunity already under their belt. A foal is MUCH more suceptible to stress and illness. Having their dam by their sides allows them a bit more protection in whatever endeavor you do (teaching them to lead or trailer or show or pick up feet... all should be done before weaning).

Some breeds mature very slowly and benefit from longer weaning times, up to a year... usually the mare decides when enough is enough. Remember in the wild there is no greedy human to rip their babies away.

Andrea

 

[MDMminis]

wow you really need to slow down like i said in New Pony. Your blowing this way out and i'm not greedy.. your really starting to get aggressive about this and getting to be very rude to me. If this coutines i will take it to the admin. You can either calm down or i'll snap back because i'm just looking to see who does what.

Not be called greedy, told how to do things, or have people tell me who i am.. your really running into circles so please control your angry agaisn't whatever your building agaisn't me. This is childish and i don't want it to coutine as if i'm some one sen't for you to look down apon. Nor did i come here to pick fights with anybody. fftopic: