# Single Mare & Foal Weaning Advice



## lizwharton (14 October 2009)

My maiden mare has a colt  foal who is currently 3.5 months old, they are currently at home with no company. I have  two other geldings, one is 20 and retired, the other 11 and in work and are currently on land nearby. Thinking ahead to weaning i want to do this as naturally and stressfree as possible for both the mare and foal, and not until the spring.I have considered the options of introducing the older geldings or  the possibilty of having another foal of the same age initially wth its mother, and then to remain . What do others feel would be the best way forward, the mare is not in foal again and I plan to bring her back into work when the time is right.


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## competitiondiva (14 October 2009)

I had no access to other horses that would be suitable to go with my foal, all bigger and with shoes!!! I therefore bought a weaned foal and took the new one to a yard up the road, stabled him and took my own homebred and mum up there, I put my homebred in the stable with the new foal and turned the trailer around and my friend drove my mare back home.  My mare had her normal horsey friends in the next door fields and settled very quickly, my homebred was so overwhelmed at a new friend to play with he soon got over mum going too!! For saying it was a quick and definate weaning it went very well indeed, very little stress and my homebred was eating his breakfast within 1/2 hr of separation!! He was turned out for an hour the following day with his new pal and after that they were back out 24/7 at the new yard! They'll stay there for about 8 weeks in total before coming home! My mare is so happy to be back ridden again, her coat is gleaming!


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## Waterborn (14 October 2009)

We use our miniature shetlands to help the process. They are fantastic with the foals, don't damage them with their frolics and generally enjoy each other's company. If you don't have any to hand (most people don't), you could advertise to see if someone close by is in the same situation. You may find someone quite willing to loan you their foal in return for free grass keep?


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## competitiondiva (14 October 2009)

Sorry to hijack the post but love the pic in your sig waterborn, who's the horse? Is that you jumping????


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## christine48 (14 October 2009)

Ideally you need to find another foal or yearling to run with yours. The best way is to introduce them to another mare and foal then take one or both or one of the mares away after a few months/ weeks. On saying that our 1st foal was weaned with an older gelding but he was a bit of a thug, lacking in the socialisation from another young horse. foals need another foal to play with in my opinion.


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## Waterborn (14 October 2009)

Machno Carwyn, sire of one of my youngsters  Cariad


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## Doris68 (14 October 2009)

I bred from my mare and there was just her and her colt foal here at home.  Had to send him away (at vast expense!) to be weaned.

Anyway, it was not something I would repeat as I feel he would have been so much better running in a small herd and learn some manners - his dam was too much of a push-over and far too kind!  Just my experience as I think he was a bolshy lad with a personality much bigger than his mum! 
	
	
		
		
	


	





Good luck!


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## KarynK (14 October 2009)

If you have the ability to divide a field with an electric fence,  as the foal will be quite old and independent by then you will probably only need a single strand one, you can try putting the foal in with one gelding and mum in with the other the other side of the electric fence.

That way the foal will have someone to hand when mum goes out to work.  Once weaned all mine will do is call when I take the foals to shows or out for a walk, and the foals will call if mum is out, although they are a close family they are quite happy with comings and goings at that age.  Once he shows little interest in feeding or mum in feeding him they can all go back together. 

I have never had the need to take mine anywhere to wean they are all are weaned next door to their mothers in the field in with other youngsters and or family members.


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## lizwharton (15 October 2009)

Yes, thanks memo,I think thats my prefered option, to introduce another mare and foal and then they can become mates and be weaned together. Neither of my geldings are ideal, one is old and frail and the other is 11 but lacks social skills (probably because he was weaned and cut at 4months! not by me I add ) and is shod.


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## lizwharton (15 October 2009)

Thanks KarynK. Thats sounds a good way and I have the facilities to do that. What age do you wean generally and start taking the mother away?


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## Maggie2 (15 October 2009)

I can't think of a single foal we ever weaned that would accept being the other side of an electric fence without eventually running straight through it.  Wouldn't even consider that personally.


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## lizwharton (15 October 2009)

Hi Maggie. What method have you found works well and any advice you can  give would be most appreciated.


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## Maggie2 (15 October 2009)

We either take the foal away, or the mare, totally off the property.  I have sold foals that went straight from the mare to their new homes, and in fact they soon seem to settle in with no problems.

Or if we retain a foal the mare goes away at livery somewhere as we don't have enough land to be right out of earshot.

The last mare we weaned would have stopped at nothing to get back to her foal even if he wasn't bothered.


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## imafluffybunny (16 October 2009)

Personally I would take the mare out of earshot, I generally introduce my shetland who becomes friends with the foal, then take the mare away. I find the mare is usually more upset then the foal. 
I wouldn't do the electric fence, I know mine would run through it.


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## daisalph (17 October 2009)

I like your idea KarenK - my foal respects electric fencing already and waits behind it when I do stuff with the mare in his sight. Another colt or gelding is what I am hoping to use then i'll be able to take the mare out and leave the foal with a friend for gradually longer periods.  
We have a very old mare at our yard who suffers from extreme separation anxiety when my mare is out of her sight.  Will this rub off on the youngster do you think?  I don't know how to handle it - she's too old to change I think.


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