[wrightdanes]

I own a 6 yar old mare (confident and steady) and her dam. They've been together since the begining - self weaned. Why do we find it necessary to pull foals away from their mother so early? Other than sales... I find it really shapes their personality in a negative way.

[Acme Acres]

Because most mares are back in foal for the following year and it's way too much stress on them to provide nutrients for the embryo they're carrying plus the foal that's nursing on their side. We had a mare that wasn't being rebred so we decided to leave them together... almost a year old and we said enough is enough and pulled them apart. And, for showing, foals need to be dependant on their handlers for their confidence, not their dams. Futurity babies are shown at such young (relatively anyways) ages, that it's important that they know it's perfectally fine to be away from their dams.

[Jenje!]

Because the mares will not always "self wean", in fact they RARELY do. Then you wind up with a baby who is not really a baby, drawing milk from a mother and sucking up nutrients that the mother needs for herself.

It shapes the personality in a negative way? That's a new one for me! I weaned my baby at something like 5 1/2 months and her personality is GREAT! She's independant and secure, has a great mind. So actually I rather resent that comment. Every horse on the planet who hasn't been "self-weaned" has a lesser personality? I doubt it.

[lilrider]

Originally Posted by wrightdanes

I own a 6 yar old mare (confident and steady) and her dam. They've been together since the begining - self weaned. Why do we find it necessary to pull foals away from their mother so early? Other than sales... I find it really shapes their personality in a negative way.

Normally a mare will not naturally wean a foal unless they are pregnant. In nature that is why foals are weaned as the mare is pregnanta nd needs her nutrients to feed the growing fetus inside her. Many foals if allowed will continue to nurse off their mothers. This also helps to form a bond with people rather than only with their mother. The main point of weaning is because often the mare will not do it herself wether she is rebred or not.

[cowgurly02]

I have bought a few weanlings before as re-sale projects, and they all were weaned at 5 months and had lovely personalities. It did not effect them at all "negatively". My horse was weaned at 6 months and he is a wonderful horse with a wonderful personality. I really do not beleive that weaning a foal affects them negatively at all, unless of course they are weaned too young.

[lilrider]

Actually my mare who is now 5 was self weaned and she is a total peopl ehorse. Another person I know with a self weaned foal who wasnt weaned until almost 9 months old had a untrusting horse who wanted to be with horses and not people. So really it depends on the horse itself and the mare and such.

[Blistering Winds]

Some people use the "breast fed baby weaning" syndrome to horses on weaning issues.

When the theories really don't have much proof either way.



I've seen some VERY "herd bound" horses that were "self weaned" and some really Excellent horses who can leave the herd without going into a panic attack from those that have been weaned.

And vice versa.

Weaning is an excellent time to teach a baby to depend on YOU and themselves and that they are not going to die being away from momma.




If you had a baby be affected in a "negative" way, look to yourself, not the overall process, for a fault. because how we handle it as humans, to make it as easy, low stress, and EDUCATIONAL as possible.....Molds how Positive or Negatively it affects the baby.

[cowgurly02]

Actually my mare who is now 5 was self weaned and she is a total peopl ehorse. Another person I know with a self weaned foal who wasnt weaned until almost 9 months old had a untrusting horse who wanted to be with horses and not people. So really it depends on the horse itself and the mare and such.

Exactly. And you can't really attribute those personalities to their weaning experience, horses just have different personalities. They are many other aspects of their lives that shape their personalities as well. You can't attribute a herd bound horse as being herd bound because they were self-weaned, or a nervous horse as being nervous because they were weaned by people.

[lilrider]

Originally Posted by cowgurly02

Exactly. And you can't really attribute those personalities to their weaning experience, horses just have different personalities. They are many other aspects of their lives that shape their personalities as well. You attribute a herd bound horse as being herd bound because they were self-weaned, or a nervous horse as being nervous because they were weaned by people.

Exactly and you want to know the crazy thing? My mare was born raised and weaned in a field with a bunch of other mares and foals. She was halter broken 2 weeks before I got her as a 2 year old. And shes a race bred thoroughbred (not known to be bred for the sanest of temperments). But she is an absolute doll. She looooves people and will put her head in my arms and just sit there. She will follow you everywhere and get into whatever you are doing.

Thats just her personality though it has nothing to do with her weaning

[Vengeance]

My colt was weaned at 4 1/2-5 1/2 months old...He is great, great mind (a bit too smart...)...
He knows that it is fine to come with me, be alone, and all that. He's fine.
It depends on the horse in general, I guess...lots of mare, as stated b'fore, will not self-wean the babies.