weaning

mylittlegraycj · 08-12-2003, 06:43 PM

this is my first expierience with a foal--he is now six mo old and is ready to be weaned yet i am not sure of which way i should approuch this. any suggestions would be helpful. i also have 2 other geldings who have been turned out with mom and baby.thanx for any suggestions.

kayla

RubySlipper · 08-12-2003, 07:25 PM

You need to start putting the baby out with most gentle of the two geldingd and the mom out with the other. Put the mom and baby in seperate stalls as far away from each other as possible. They might scream for a few days but they will get over it soon. You need to do this soon, the foal is definatly old enough, my vet says that you should wean them between 4 and 5 months.

horse_crazy · 08-13-2003, 10:12 AM

Yes i agree with RubySlipper......Put the calmest gelding out with the foal/weanling and the other out with the mare. If your stalls are too close together.....I would suggest putting the foal/weanling in a stall and leaving the mare in a pasture or vise-versa. They will scream.......if you have one or both mare and foal/weanling in the stall(s)....put the radio on loud! I think if they cant see each other the better...and if they cant hear each other that is even BETTER! One or both horses(we usually see the foal not eating as much) may slack off on feed....keep a salt block handy to incourage drinking(some horses start to lack drinking also)Keep the foal/weanling friendly and calm...and same with the mare. Well good luck...the weaning process is one of my least favorite things to do with mares and foals! wink

08-12-2003, 06:43 PM	#1
mylittlegraycj Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: MO, USA Posts: 7	weaning this is my first expierience with a foal--he is now six mo old and is ready to be weaned yet i am not sure of which way i should approuch this. any suggestions would be helpful. i also have 2 other geldings who have been turned out with mom and baby.thanx for any suggestions. kayla

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08-12-2003, 07:25 PM	#2
RubySlipper Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 566	You need to start putting the baby out with most gentle of the two geldingd and the mom out with the other. Put the mom and baby in seperate stalls as far away from each other as possible. They might scream for a few days but they will get over it soon. You need to do this soon, the foal is definatly old enough, my vet says that you should wean them between 4 and 5 months.

08-13-2003, 10:12 AM	#3
horse_crazy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,067	Yes i agree with RubySlipper......Put the calmest gelding out with the foal/weanling and the other out with the mare. If your stalls are too close together.....I would suggest putting the foal/weanling in a stall and leaving the mare in a pasture or vise-versa. They will scream.......if you have one or both mare and foal/weanling in the stall(s)....put the radio on loud! I think if they cant see each other the better...and if they cant hear each other that is even BETTER! One or both horses(we usually see the foal not eating as much) may slack off on feed....keep a salt block handy to incourage drinking(some horses start to lack drinking also)Keep the foal/weanling friendly and calm...and same with the mare. Well good luck...the weaning process is one of my least favorite things to do with mares and foals! wink