advice needed

[stormyskies]

i have 1 foal left now who i am keeping ;D she is currently almost 4 months and is a big stonking foal. Mum is a good doer but had dropped weight - not to the point of skinny but as she is always so big i noticed - but is still well covered ;D so they are currently in overnight having some hay and she looks much happier.

I am in no hurry to wean and was thinking of keeping them together over winter as thought foal would benefit and it would also keep mums weight in check.

I plan to ride mare and at minute they are both happy to be seperated for 10 mins while i walk mum out. Just starting slowly and little un is always left with her other mare friends and a human.

so would this work? i leave Lola on India at night but during day Lola is out at grass with another friend while India is in turnout area all day with ad lib haylage and other mares (no grass turnout for mares in winter) and in between i bring India slowly back to fitness for showing in new year.

Will they then just wean naturally? i want it to be as stress free as possible. Will any hard feed be needed for foal. Mare is sorted for feed.

[boots & saddles]

i would think the foal would continue to feed and the mare would carry on producing milk, not sure if that a good idea, to be honest why cant you wean her from the foal for a few months while milk drys up etc then put her back out with her in a few months, you have already started to separate them so whats the problem, i think taking her away all day then bringing her back each day is far more confusing to the foal,
just my opinion good luck in what ever you choose. xx
and i would of been feeding the mare and foal by now so when you wean the foal ,it still gains weight etc and if it drops off a bit it wont matter too much, weaning foals naturally out in the wild the mare would almost surely be in foal again by now so would tell her off as mare would be wanting to give every thing to the unborn foal.

[jop]

my mare dropped weight this yr so i weaned at 4and half mths . i weaned mine gradually otherwise my mare gets upset .i first just took foal away few hours for few days then all night then completey my mare gets less stresssed doing it like this

[stormyskies]

i was presuming that mares milk over winter would be a better option for the foal and then wean in march time. India has a tendency to gain weight and thought her baby milking off her would keep weight down. Was trying to do it naturally.

Ans sorry i didnt make myself clear about turnout. At the minute they are out at at grass together and in at night together.

when winter comes i have limited grass turnout but wanted the foal to have a couple hourse grazing a day so was going to put her out with shetland while mum was in turn out area or being ridden. Then back in together.

i have no problem weaning them at 6 months, but my question is really would it harm or be beneficial to leave her on as long as possible??

sorry i typed original post in a hurry and i havnt made myself clear.

am experienced weaning foals and know how to do it but as keeping this one i have no pressing need to wean at 6 months so just wondered of there was an alternative.

mare has dropped weight but is still very very well covered

[pencaedu]

As I have said on a previous thread, we weaned one 'foal' at 3 years old. Everybody said we'd have awful trouble weaning because they were so attached (He was still suckling). It was the first time we'd had a mare & foal together, and it was awfully tempting to listen to what people who do breed say, as they have the experience, but we did what suited us. The mare was out and about being ridden on occasions, but mostly with him. Neither even noticed when she left for good!!!!

If you can leave the foal on the mare 'til March / April - so much better - longer if you can. Good luck

[Guestless]

I do gradual weaning with my foals (since I have always only bred one at a time) and never had any problems. Foalies tend not to be stressed when it's gradual and they almost don't realise that mum isn't there unless they want a drink.

My foal from this year has just started being taken for walks on his own without mum and he seemed to really enjoy it last weekend. My mare is still carrying a lot of weight, so he will be left on her over the winter in the hope it helps her drop a bit of condition. As long as your mare is in good condition, I think it's a good thing to do.

[stormyskies]

thank you. thats what i was after. never left a foal on so long but couldnt see harm, but wanted to double check.

there is no reason why i can ride her and she still have foal.

she is fed stud balancer and foal will also be fed that when necessary.

thanks for your replies