[aBreeze]

Originally Posted by banat

Well there ya go.
If you, Stella and Tulah are fine with the arrangement who cares what anyone else thinks?

Not I, but I do care about my girls and I dont know what the future could hold.

My thing has always been when Stella starts to send baby away, away baby will go... The only other babies Iv been in this situation with are now 2 year olds and they were weaned together at 4 and 5 months. BUT the one mama was a) crazy and b) sold. So we wanted her gone. We dont have that issue with Stella.

Iv heard the horror stories of unweaned 2 year olds, etc. but as of now they love being together.

I hear what everyone is saying... but Tulah doesnt sound anything like these spoiled babies. She's very well behaved if you take into account she's a yearling and has her moments.

Im just concerned and want others take on the situation... I only want whats best for my girls.

Not to mention Haas has me a bit... cant think of the word.

[imacowgirl2]

Originally Posted by aBreeze

Iv heard the horror stories of unweaned 2 year olds, etc. but as of now they love being together.

I hear what everyone is saying... but Tulah doesnt sound anything like these spoiled babies. She's very well behaved if you take into account she's a yearling and has her moments.

Im just concerned and want others take on the situation... I only want whats best for my girls.

Sounds like you're in the same boat as me...I think when it comes right down to it, if they are both independent, then there is no reason to formally wean at this point.

Now, if the filly was around the traditional weaning age of 6 months or so, I'd say to wean them for a month or so just to let the mare dry off completely (might even do this sometime in the future if you don't notice her milk intake continuing to decrease) and then not worry about any "comfort nursing" that takes back up after the weaning period...but you are beyond that age, and they both seem completely OK with the situation, so I'd leave it. However, if you notice them becoming to dependent on each other in the future, then I would make sure and work with them a lot to prevent it from getting worse.

[Carly]

why NOT wean her?
Why bother letting her get milk from Mama.. if they are fine when separated, why not completely wean her and they can just be pals when together?

I know a mare and foal.. foal is now almost two and has heart attacks and spaz outs if Mare leaves, or if she away from her.. and if Mare is away or whatever, she gets super attached to another horse and then flips if they are taken away.
Herd bound horses drive me CRAZY!
ETA.. foal hasnt nursed from Mare in over a year.. but is still SOO attached as was not properly weaned.

[imacowgirl2]

Originally Posted by Carly

why NOT wean her?
Why bother letting her get milk from Mama.. if they are fine when separated, why not completely wean her and they can just be pals when together?

I know a mare and foal.. foal is now almost two and has heart attacks and spaz outs if Mare leaves, or if she away from her.. and if Mare is away or whatever, she gets super attached to another horse and then flips if they are taken away.
Herd bound horses drive me CRAZY!

Not weaned does not necissarily mean herd bound...the pair in question are not herd bound to each other from the sound of things, neither is my mom's mare and filly -- our geldings are actually worse about being herd bound (I wouldn't even call them that bad) than the two mares

ETA: I dunno, I guess I just have a different perspective on it after this year's filly for us, and being a lactating mother myself.

[Solsalia]

Now that you've showed more that they don't throw tantrums being away I don't see it as bad.. But from nursing my own babies. I know the bond I have with them and when weaning them it is in a way sad that we don't have that certain bond anymore, BUT they become more independent and don't rely on me as much plus we still have our mother child bond. Emotionally I think it becomes better. With mine I wean as time is necessary between each child. The longest was 10 months. I think when they are eating foods well there is no need to nurse anymore. Helps them to grow emotionally and me to get a break. It's not fun having your 'bag' full and needing to be relieved. Actually painful. Her being worked and having that pressure is not comfortable and it's actually causing discomfort for the mare. I think weaning them would be beneficial as you don't know what discomfort she is in when she is away for extended periods of time. They would still have the mother daughter bond. My mom's Mare and her granddaughter have that bond! They had been seperated for a month and the instant of being back together they where scratching each other. All up to you though, just an opinion I thought I would throw in.

[aBreeze]

hmm, theres defintely alot to think about here...

I have no issue's with leaving Stell out in the pasture tomorrow night... but my dearest mother will probably have a fit. This should be interesting.

[aBreeze]

Wait a second... she might be going out of town Thursday-Sunday... I might have to push for that...

[Haas Horse Farm]

Just for something to think about... The bond will always be there just like pasture mates. My friend has a 3 year old mare that was here for two years while she was trying to get divorced. She is going on a trip to PA and taking her one mare... she was concerned about the other mare going spastic because she is taking the one mare with her. As it is now... and it is not her daughter... the filly would go nuts when she rides the other mare... so she would have to leave the 3 year old in the barn.

I hauled my 3 year old to her house and put her in the pasture. I went to the barn and got her mare. The two mares started whinying at one another the minute they saw one another and the mare was not acting up when my friend came riding up the drive on her other mare. Some horses have separation anxiety regardless of who the horse is. LOL

I think you would find that things are much improved if you just flat wean the filly. I bet the mare would be happier.

[Farnorth]

I would think that the foal is leaching much needed calcium away from the mare and the mare may pay the price for this in bone density in her older years....thats the only thing that would concern me.

That and most unweaned youngsters cause a ruckus when separated and who needs that to go on for years (though you say yours separate with no problem).

The last thing is if the bag never gets to dry up I think it can become sort of stretched out from being full for such a long time and always be a bit more saggy than it should be.

[Lexy]

Originally Posted by banat

Well there ya go.
If you, Stella and Tulah are fine with the arrangement who cares what anyone else thinks?

DITTO.

When I met hubby he only had two horses at the time. A paint mare and her paint stallion. NO..... not a colt, a full grown 5 yr old stallion. He had never been "weaned".

And now that I am older and know a little more about horse, it just dawned on me THAT might be the reason he never bred his dam. He was never put through the weaning process. Something to think about.