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Post by Guestless on Mar 3, 2011 12:09:41 GMT
Please add your thoughts on this. Feel free to ask any questions, but have a read of the thread in case your question has already been asked.  |
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drea
Full Member
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Post by drea on Mar 3, 2011 21:53:49 GMT
not my favourite time, but i always do mine the same way but i know it wont suit everyones needs about 5 months i start to feed them in seperate boxes and when there settled with that i start to increase there time apart slowly to get the mare and foal used to there own space, until they are apart most of the day then when the time comes to leave the foal in there own box for the first time i have no problims, i keep them apart at turn out for about six weeks while foal is out with a older mare mum's in and vice versa then after the six weeks are up they go back out together, as i say this works for me but not everyone can do it this way
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Post by harrythepig on Mar 3, 2011 22:17:18 GMT
not my favourite time, but i always do mine the same way but i know it wont suit everyones needs about 5 months i start to feed them in seperate boxes and when there settled with that i start to increase there time apart slowly to get the mare and foal used to there own space, until they are apart most of the day then when the time comes to leave the foal in there own box for the first time i have no problims, i keep them apart at turn out for about six weeks while foal is out with a older mare mum's in and vice versa then after the six weeks are up they go back out together, as i say this works for me but not everyone can do it this way ^^^^^^Works for me too. |
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Post by boothsdale on Mar 4, 2011 21:49:43 GMT
We weaned in the field last year and found it far less stressfull as the foals were more settled in the field staying with their friends.
First we built a creep feeder so the foals could get used to eating hard feed without the podgy mares getting any
Then we took out the first two mares (mothers of the oldest foals), loaded into the trailer and took away to another paddock out of earshot - babies barely noticed they were gone.
A couple of weeks later the next 2 mares were removed in the same way... and so on until no mares left
Then we started bringing the foals in at night and turning back out in the day
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sarahp
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Post by sarahp on Mar 5, 2011 16:17:12 GMT
There's more than one way to skin a cat! Different ways suit different owners, stock and facilities, no one way is right and the rest wrong, it's what works for you and your ponies in your situation.
I'm much nearer boothsdale's model, but I do them one at a time and bring mare and foal (and the others in the field) in for the night, together in the same box, and feed them night and morning until foal is eating bucket feed as I don't feed them in the field. Then one morning I put them both out as normal and take mare straight out of the field again and turn her out in my furthest away field. Foal has the odd yell when he gets hungry, but is mostly involved playing with his mates and doesn't fuss. Comes in at night as normal but into the box on his own, supper and bed as he is now used to, breakfast and turnout in the morning which is the pattern for the winter, or until handled and civilised enough to leave for a new home.
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Post by holiday on Mar 7, 2011 8:43:42 GMT
I also agree it is not a clear cut science - our foals are hard fed in the field so will happily eat with mum and have all been in at nights so are settled in stables although if they are out 24/7 I will bring them in for a couple of nights before weaning just to remind them!!!!!
We do instant weaning once the mares are looking fed up with the foals and I do two or three at a time, our boxes are american barn style so they are usually next to each other. I take the mares away and take them to our furthest field. The foals do stay in for a couple of days whilst mum starts calling as they are in hearing distance of each other. Although on the odd occasions I have been able to take the mare out of earshot the foals will go straight back out with their friends with no problems at all.
It is all the matter of time and facilities to which way is the best to wean for each individual.
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Post by Guestless on Mar 7, 2011 9:34:40 GMT
There's more than one way to skin a cat! Different ways suit different owners, stock and facilities, no one way is right and the rest wrong, it's what works for you and your ponies in your situation. I totally agree. I think a fundamental part of weaning is that you need to be prepared to be flexible. I weaned my yearling last weekend. I usually do a gradual process, but in this case I let them have a night together in the stable, then put mare up the hill and put my 3 year old in with the yearling. Mum shouted a bit, but colt didn't even seem to notice she was gone  |
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Post by eskvalleystud on Mar 10, 2011 22:36:03 GMT
I wean with them within ear shot and in view and for the past ten plus years they have been so relaxed this way, no jumping fences to get back in with mum, no screaming the place down etc etc, I tend to wean mine later than what people say you should be I think it causes far less stress! I was also led to beleive to wean them out of earshot and sight but the only time I was able to do this the mare was frantic for days, the foal unsettled, it was just a nightmare, I have foaly in with other company with the dam and then when foaly is really independent I take the dam for a little walk back to the mares field, most of the time the foal doesn't realise and when does realises mum's still about maybe just not there in same field and it seems to have gone pretty well so far, they are all different though
one thing I would never do is to go shut the foal in a stable as you take the mare away and leave foal in there to 'settle' and 'accept' things, must be so distressing for the foal
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sarahp
Happy to help
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Post by sarahp on Mar 11, 2011 8:58:55 GMT
I do so agree about not just shutting the foal in a stable by itself for days and taking the dam away, it must cause so much stress to them especially if they are not used to being in a box anyway. Your way is nearer to boothsdale's and mine although as I have the room here I'd never thought of there being any difference between my way and shipping the mare away elsewhere out of earshot, food for thought! Mine are out of sight of each other but about three fields apart and can just hear each other.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2011 9:46:39 GMT
When i got my foal at 3 months with its dam, she was very protective and we couldnt get near him for her being a bit on the vicious side she never did anything but strongly warned) We would bring them in the stable every day for a few hours and turn them out again. when it came to weaning time, his dam had already pretty much shunned him at 5 months as he was so huge. We walked them both in the stable, walked his dam out left him in. She went straight in the trailer and back home. Not a peep was made from the pair of them. Harvey took some time to get used to us but when we got the headcollar on he was like a completely different little chappy. there was some difficult times but all in all it went smoothly and without a hitch apart from the broken toe my mother received.
Having done the foal shut in the stable scenario, he could look out etc and see what was going on, but he was very much already weaned by his mother, i would never do it to a foal who was still very much reliant on its dam, it isnt fair and i can imagine it being very scary for a little one.
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sarahp
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Post by sarahp on Mar 11, 2011 11:57:46 GMT
He was at least used to coming into the stable though, some are out 24/7 beforehand and never been in one!
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Post by mountainsandhorses on Mar 15, 2011 12:52:30 GMT
Hi all, I am worrying about this silly and foal still 2 months away!!! From reading above it should be possible to wean but keep both on same yard? My mare is a lovely girl unless left alone and she becomes the highly strung TB whom only I will go in with as she doesn't know what she is doing.
My original situation where I had her out at grass with others fell through but from reading the above maybe I can acheive this at the yard.
Please give me all the feedback you can from the experienced weaners;
I have nightmares remembering my friends old arab mare and slightly less old son who had to go everywhere together (even one standing on the xc course at pony club whilst the other jumped) as they had never been seperated- simply put into adjoining stables with a shoulder height partition.
If I need to physically take one of them well away as in to another yard/field then for how long and which one. Unfortunately no other babies due on the yard but there will be some on the one next door which is what my mare can see from her window.
Thanks all!
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Post by Guestless on Mar 15, 2011 15:34:15 GMT
I have only ever bred one foal at a time and have always managed to wean on the same yard. I've had a flexible approach to this as what suits one mare/foal may not suit another. This year I simply put my mare in another field with other horses (along with another from my herd) and put the foal back out with the rest. A bit of calling for around 24 hours but settled since then.
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Post by mountainsandhorses on Mar 15, 2011 15:37:29 GMT
Have you kept any of your youngstock on the smae yard then for longer? I intend to keep this baby as I have bred it for myself. This is already a very helpful thread- I forsee more nights of better sleep! x
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sarahp
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Post by sarahp on Mar 15, 2011 16:18:51 GMT
Well all my babies stay on the premises here until sold, or go away for winter grazing at 18 months old but I do have plenty of room. When weaned as I explained above, the dam is out with the herd as far away as possible, and the foals are around the yard coming in each night, and they won't be out together in the same field until at least the next spring, not even then for the colts.
I think your friend should at least have had two stables well separated mandh, must admit I couldn't be doing with that amount of attachment!
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Post by Guestless on Mar 15, 2011 16:23:10 GMT
Have you kept any of your youngstock on the smae yard then for longer? I intend to keep this baby as I have bred it for myself. This is already a very helpful thread- I forsee more nights of better sleep! x I've bred 4 and only sold 1 although another one is went on loan as a 4 year old. Mother and foal usually reunited after about 6-10 weeks, but you do need to take care at that stage to make sure mare isn't going to let foal nurse. |
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Post by mountainsandhorses on Mar 15, 2011 20:36:17 GMT
Thank you Guestless- so glad I asked questions, there are only so many books I can read and the reproduction modules at uni many years ago don't cover these kind of practical problems.
Sarah P, this all must have happened 40 plus years ago!! They were only truly seperated when the son passed away at 24 years old. The mare coped with a little spotted friend for two more years, going to sleep forever in her 30's.
It was all a bit intense as I remember it and hindered all equine careers concerned! xx
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sarahp
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Post by sarahp on Mar 16, 2011 8:09:30 GMT
Yes it must have done, if they'd been mine I would have done something about it to separate them.
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drea
Full Member
Posts: 287
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Post by drea on Mar 16, 2011 20:41:22 GMT
if it makes you feel a bit better ive got mother, daughter and granddaughter all stabled next to one another no probs and they all get exercised one at a time
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Post by elmere on Mar 16, 2011 21:15:18 GMT
Hi all, I am worrying about this silly and foal still 2 months away!!! From reading above it should be possible to wean but keep both on same yard? My mare is a lovely girl unless left alone and she becomes the highly strung TB whom only I will go in with as she doesn't know what she is doing. My original situation where I had her out at grass with others fell through but from reading the above maybe I can acheive this at the yard. Please give me all the feedback you can from the experienced weaners; I have nightmares remembering my friends old arab mare and slightly less old son who had to go everywhere together (even one standing on the xc course at pony club whilst the other jumped) as they had never been seperated- simply put into adjoining stables with a shoulder height partition. If I need to physically take one of them well away as in to another yard/field then for how long and which one. Unfortunately no other babies due on the yard but there will be some on the one next door which is what my mare can see from her window. Thanks all! I think some horses in general are more clingy than others, we have three Welshys at my stables at the minute, all chestnut mares and they really kick off if theyre split up and the chestnut tb kicks off when his connie gelding friend leaves him. Maybe its just a chestnut thing I dont know but the Connies not bothered and my Highlands arent. Mine dont usually bother when weaned and they will happily go in a stable and not even notice mummys gone. I do a complete split, keep foaly stabled and send mummy back out. If one is going to be sent away then I would send mare away and keep foaly where is familiar to him. |
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Post by mountainsandhorses on Mar 17, 2011 9:52:06 GMT
Thanks for all your advice guys, I am afraid she is a clingy mare with other horses- climbs the walls when others go out ( especially if taken out tacked up so I assume it is mainly an ex-racer thing as she is missing the string) and has jumped out over electric fencing when someone left her last to come in...
Thanks drea, that does help my mind
Sarahp- couldn't agree more, it was a complete faff for all involved and looking back, was probably unnecessarily over dramatised...
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Post by boothsdale on Aug 23, 2011 13:05:41 GMT
Would be really interested to hear any experiences from breeders who have tried gradual weaning - we keep wondering about trying but haven't yet got our heads around how to manage it yet
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Post by elmere on Aug 23, 2011 13:51:28 GMT
Im weaning one of mine a little earlier this year, I have open type stables where the ponies can touch over the wall and I was just wondering what would happen if I put mare and foal in seperate stables but so they are still able to touch, do you think the mare would not dry up and do you think the foal would just get stressed because they couldnt suckle, I suppose it depends on the individuals but any thoughts anyone? It would be more gradual but Im not so sure it will work.  |
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Post by brindlerainbow on Aug 23, 2011 14:01:43 GMT
I am weaning my foal at the beginning/middle of October, she is very independent and has been eating hard food since just a week or two old. Her mum will be going to a farm up the road with my 2 year old section B and the foal will be staying at home with an old section A who is a perfect uncle!!! I have in the last week been feeding them in seperate stables although they can see and touch each other through the window in the wall!! Neither mare or foal are stressed and when the foal has finished her little feed I let her back out with the other 2 ponies until mum is finished. I feel by doing it gradually its less stressful for them both. This is the 3 rd foal I have bred and I have weaned all in this way with no problems Elmere I dont think the mares milk will dry up all the time her foal is in sight/ear shot and will probably cause them stress.I am only going to keep mine completely seperate for 3 or 4 weeks, the foal hardly drinks from her now and her udder is small. Also I need the mare back home before the weather really turns!! |
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sal
Junior Member
Amilas Stud
Posts: 109 
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Post by sal on Aug 23, 2011 14:17:41 GMT
I HATE weaning, i think i get more stressed about it than any of the ponies do! I have tried gradual weaning a couple of times and can't make it work. My old mare will do ANYTHING to get back to her foal as soon as she realises she can't (even if its a 12 month old very independent colt) however once the foal is out of sight and sound she instantly stops worrying and accepts it and If I put them back together a a few days later she WILL not have her foal back, she is quite horrible to it and the foal starts to look so confused and hurt  With other mares I've had foals be the ones to want mum back and wants her NOW whatever it takes to get to her so i have given up. I am alos not sure what happend when you/if you manage to get past very very short periods of separation as I'm now terrified to leave them unattended if there is a risk they will try to get back to Mum and I have to go to work etc so can't spend all day every day supervising until its done. Once eating hard feed I wean mine from the field usually in a group with a 'nanny' they are used to a paddock at the house, none of them get shut in stables alone until they are settled without mum and then they are stabled where they can see/hear/smell/touch another horse. |
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Post by brt on Aug 24, 2011 9:53:04 GMT
I'm weaning next week, I put the 2 foals together in the stable and take the mares away out of ear shot.
After 2 nights i put the foals in seperate stables next to each other and they settle very well. They go out together just the 2 of them in the day, in at night. One is sold and the other is off to be produced so they will go their seperate ways on the same day.
I just find this works for all concerned, the mares settle very well, more worried about being apart from each other rather than the foals and the foals adapt very quickly.
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Post by Dipsy on Aug 24, 2011 10:32:38 GMT
We also started to feed the mare and the foal in seperate stables about 2 weeks before we weaned them.
Then on the day we gave mum a tube of sedalin and when it was working put her in the horse box and took her to a field 2 mins drive down the road and left the foal in the field with our 2yr old.
We was more stressed about the weaning than the mare and the foal, as they wasn't bothered about being seperated at all :-)
Good luck when you decide to seperate them
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Post by elmere on Aug 25, 2011 15:27:01 GMT
www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=17668&src=VWWas looking for information on another subject when I came along this article, it actually says in there that one breeder seperates mare and foal between stables but so they can still touch, starting with a few minutes then the time goes up gradually, may try that way this year.
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Billybob
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There's no such thing as to much HORSEPOWER!!!!!
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Post by Billybob on Sept 24, 2011 14:56:40 GMT
weaning our colt tomorrow, I am dreading it........ I have decided breeding is far too stressful. As much as I love him I have had stress for a year now. Well longer really, I have stressed out since she went to the stallion. I stressed about the birth which we ended up missing and I am even more stressed about weaning him tomorrow!!!!!!! I feel it would be better for him if we bring him in with his mum for a couple of hours then turn him back out with his other field mate our 2 year old filly who he is best friends with. Then we are moving his mum onto a local yard in a trailer, I really hope all goes well I have knots in my stomach |
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Post by brindlerainbow on Sept 24, 2011 16:30:06 GMT
I weaned my filly last weekend, she was 3 days off being 4 months old.Her mum isn't well and the vet said we must wean now to try and get the mare to recover. I put the foal and her "uncle" out in the field with some hay while they were munching away I took mum and her friend out and took them a mile up the road to a farm. Around 4 hours later the foal noticed her mum had gone!!!!!! She called for her mum for a few hours but wasnt in the least bit stressed and ate all her feed and hay that night. The mare called a couple of times but just got her head down to graze!!! The whole process was totally stress free for me and the mare and foal . Because I knew weaning was approaching I had for the last few weeks been feeding the mare and foal seperately, neither were fussed by this at all |
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