3 mo old for sale - Is that too young?

[user 3234]

I saw an ad on craig's list of someone selling a mini colt at 3 months old. Isn't that a bit young to be taking it away from it mom? I know it is not an orphan because the ad showed a current picture of colt at Mom's side.

Just wondering.

 

[chandab]

For many, yes that is too young to be weaned, but many do wean at 3 to 3.5 months old. Its preferrable to wean between 4-6 months old, but many do it sooner. [plus just because its advertised now, doesn't mean it'll sell quickly. Does the ad say ready to go now? Or, are they offering for sale to be ready to go at a later date?]

 

[user 3234]

I believe if she does not sell him by Friday they are taking him to an auction. But this auction is not a bad one and minis usually find homes

 

[AnnaC]

If that is true then I feel very sorry for the little chap (and for his Momma as she has hardly had him long enough to start (naturally) getting a little fed up with him.

If he falls into inexperienced hands at this age then he is probably going to be in serious trouble, poor lad. Lets just hope that someone used to dealing with young foals buys him and gives him the care and attention he will need.

So very sad when people do this with their unwanted colts/foals.

Anna

 

[HGFarm]

I dont like hearing this either- he is too young in my opinion. If folks dont want the foals, why do they breed the mares?!! I just dont get it! As a RESPONSIBLE horse owner, they should at least make sure this foal has a good start before sending him out into the world. How sad.

Horses are not puppies or kittens.

 

[LittleRibbie]

do you live in Fl. There is one on Craigslist Ft.Myers Fl. today even younger than that. i believe he's like 9 weeks. I didnt call so maybe they are selling after weaned but there is no mention of it

 

[miniwhinny]

Let me tell you how a horse does it without human interference and you can decide...

In the wild a mare will have TWO babies on her (unless of course - she skipped a breeding) she will have this years baby and the previous years baby. When next year comes around and a new baby the conveyor belt moves along and off pops the 2 year old.

No one leaves foals that long in captivity because the owner maybe wants to sell, use the mare or whatever but if left 100% alone a horse (a very social creature) will leave a foal a full 2 years (of course by then they are only nursing for comfort and closeness rather than nourishment)

IMO, YES, 3 months is way too young - that baby has such an immature brain and body and needs the security (and milk) from it's momma still. Too bad too many "horse people" don't really care about their horses physical and more importantly psychological needs.

 

[Melinda Dean]

Sadly, I do know of some large breeders who do this.

I put a deposit on a little fellow when he was 7 days old, expecting to not bring him home for months. The breeder called me when Chester was 3 months old and said he was weaned and in the pasture with the other weanlings. I was very upset that he had been weaned so early.

I drove 2 hrs. there to check on him. I was surprised to see him looking fit, and happy with all his little buddies. Apparently, he was a handful for his momma, was eating his food and hers! He had become buddies with another foal that was a bit older and ready to be weaned, so Chester moved with him. They said he whinnied for his momma a few times, then started separating the fillies from the older colts! I made arrangements for him to stay at that farm for another month or two, but a week later was called to come pick him up. All the weanlings had been sold and were leaving by Christmas Eve for their different destinations. He would be all alone!!

To finish the story, I ended up with an unexpected Christmas present for my two gentle mini geldings. They spent the first night just out side his stall, watching him through the openings and touching his face. He had been very afraid of the breeders and other people. I put him in with my boys the next day and crossed my fingers. It turned out great. They have raised him and taught him manners and that humans are wonderful slaves.

In this case, it worked out. I really think it is important that the foal stay with it's mother much longer than 3 months. They learn so many things from them besides just getting milk.

 

[Songcatcher]

I try to not be too judgemental about situations when I don't know the circumstances. Personally, I always advertise foals before they are 3 months old. That doesn't mean they will be sold at 3 months. I did sell one at three months old, in order to meet transportation. I have since decided that is probably not the best idea. As a general rule, I think 4 months is the youngest they should be weaned, but circumstances sometimes require something different.

Let me tell you how a horse does it without human interference and you can decide...

In the wild a mare will have TWO babies on her (unless of course - she skipped a breeding) she will have this years baby and the previous years baby. When next year comes around and a new baby the conveyor belt moves along and off pops the 2 year old.

.... Too bad too many "horse people" don't really care about their horses physical and more importantly psychological needs.

I truely hope you are not implying that you think nature is perfect. In nature, that new foal sometimes starves or at the least is malnourished because of the older foal robbing all the milk. When a mare is nursing one or two foals continually, they are often drug down in poor condition where they are weak themselves and cannot flee from predators. Nature can be very cruel. Most "horse people" (as well as anyone involved in any aspect of agriculture) try to improve on nature. Without agriculture (altering nature) we would only be hunter-gatherers. If you like that scenerio, pick which 5 billion people you wish eliminated from the earth.

 

[RockRiverTiff]

I unwittingly bought a three month old foal once. I saw her on a sales page, loved her, and purchased her within 24 hours. It was summer and they said she was weaned and ready to ship, so I just assumed she had been an early foal, but when she arrived with her papers I saw she wasn't yet four months old. Ultimately she was very healthy and did fine with a little extra care, but now whenever I inquire about weanlings I get their foaling date. Even though it turned out fine, I would never knowingly purchase and ship a foal weaned at 3 months unless there were special circumstances.

 

[mizbeth]

Yes! Pretty much toooooo young.

 

[sfmini]

We used to wean at 3 months but now stretch it to 4 - 6 months and the babies do better. BUT if the mare is getting pulled down too much we will wean early. Our broodmares are older so we have to be careful with them. I had a mare foal a week ago at the age of 19 and her colt is a bruiser and is really beating her up. Hoping that the next 19 year old foals soon and has a baby that can play with him so mom isn't such a punching bag. I have a feeling he will have to be weaned early as he is already pulling her down and we are graining her as heavy as we are comfortable doing so, (she is foundered) and she is getting free choice hay as well.

We will also sometimes wean a younger baby if an older one is getting weaned so they have weaning buddies but never younger than 3 - 3 1/2 months and only if they are eating well and able to handle it.

I would never send them to a new home until they are fully weaned and comfortable on their own.

 

[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

I just sold one of my month old fillies, however, she won't be weaned until she's 4-5 months, depending on how she matures and on her momma (I go by mare's weight and foal's physical/mental maturity)

 

[HGFarm]

Exactly.... I will advertise mine, but they wont leave until they are old enough and ready. I find for many about 4 1/2 months is ok- had a couple on til 5 months- depends on the baby.