weaning

[mad for mini's]

....weaned or bought a weanling at two and a half months? Is it OK to if the mare is visably weaning him herself and baby seems socially independent and doing well on his "own" ? Just looking for opinions , please no flames .

 

[Songcatcher]

In my personal opinion, the only way I would wean that early is if it was an emergency of some sort. I'm not saying it can't be done, just that I don't think it would be in the best interest of the foal.

 

[mad for mini's]

Thanks for your replies , I was concerned that it was a little early but he is not mine and I will be purchasing him . It wasn't my request at all to wean him this early and just want to be sure that he will be OK when we bring him home. I did watch as he tried to nurse his mom and she would not allow him too . He seemed to be in good shape .

 

[Warpony]

Thanks for your replies , I was concerned that it was a little early but he is not mine and I will be purchasing him . It wasn't my request at all to wean him this early and just want to be sure that he will be OK when we bring him home. I did watch as he tried to nurse his mom and she would not allow him too . He seemed to be in good shape .

My colt was weaned between 2.5 months and 3 months. I didn't like the idea, I thought it was far too early. I was VERY concerned. In the end the only problems it cause were with me being so worried. However I did have a pony that he was put in with immediately and the pony basically took over the educational duties of being mom (and he made a better mom than my colts own mom because she let him get away with everything and Jamie made him behave). I wouldn't choose to wean my own animals that young, unless mom was really unable to keep nursing the foal (my colts mom was really getting pulled down) but my colt did wonderfully. I would be really hesitant to buy one that was going to weaned that young if I didn't have a buddy to put them in with but in the end everything worked out beautifully and as long as your foal is eating well I bet it will do just fine.

 

[lotsofspots]

I know this is a controversial subject. Many people believe it's best to keep a foal on a mare for six months. In my experience, some foals are ready at 2-1/2 months and some are not ready until five or six months. In the last few years, I have had to wean foals at 5 weeks and 2-1/2 months on my vet's recommendation or I would lose their dams. Both foals did absolutely FINE. Both were supplemented with Foal-Lac powder until they were 3-1/2 months old and both had already been eating grain and hay readily. The 2-1/2-month-old was a dwarf also, and I had never planned to wean her until she was at least six months old! Both dams contracted a viral infection which caused many other problems. Happy to say both dams and babies came through with flying colors. I also had the opportunity to put the dams next to their foals (in separate paddocks/stalls) which did help with the transition. I have done a LOT of research on early weaning and have found that as long as a foal has a buddy, is eating well and is showing signs of being independent, it is actually BETTER for both the foal and dam to wean around three or three and a half months. Granted, it all depends on the foal, too. I wouldn't worry about yours. Some excellent books on this subject are "Blessed Are the Broodmares" and "Blessed Are the Foals." Some die-hards will swear not to wean so early, but I say every case is unique. I'm ready for any flames!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I have never, in all my breeding life, had any foal that was "ready" at two and a half months, to be weaned.

I have raised orphan foals and I have weaned at eight weeks in an emergency but not one of those foals was READY, it just had to be done.

I cannot for the life of me see why anyone would do this without good reason.

A lot of mares get a bit ansty with their foals- this does not mean they will not let the foal nurse only that they were being disturbed and the foal was old enough to learn some manners and wait!!

Either that or the mare was ill or poorly fed and had dried up- but I have never had that happen either!

I would not buy a foal weaned at that age for no good reason on principle, sorry but it is another attempt at deceit in my book- the foal looks really cute and "foal-like" at that age, especially if it has been clipped, and of course it also looks tiny.

No, not for me, not ever.

And if you have no animal to put it in with you are storing up trouble and headache for yourself.

Foals should not be weaned, under normal circumstances, before four months.

Surely everyone knows that????

 

[Jill]

My experience is limited really to 3 foals. Two I had born "here", and one where I bought a mare and filly together.

In one case, my first born foal, I did wean early, at 3mos, because the mare's condition was being brought down so much. Everything went fine. I don't really remember back well enough to recall how they were at 2.5mos...

If there is no real pressing reason to wean that early, I wouldn't see myself doing it to / with the horses.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Its a liiiiiittle early in my opinion. I'd try to wait for three months if possible; its only a few weeks longer. I generally try to wean between three and four months, personally.

 

[mad for mini's]

I was there a few hours and watched him the whole time I was there , the foal seemed fine and the horses looked good and seemed to be very well taken care of . I only saw the foal try to nurse once and the mare would not let it . At that age how often do they nurse ? Also they are weaning the foal now whether I buy it or not . I do have other mini's so the foal will not be alone when I bring it home.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Foals of this age nurse randomly, as opposed to "every so often".

A foal involved in a game, or sleeping, may well not go to nurse for some time.

Mares differ in their approach to foals and their willingness to allow a foal to nurse ad lib.

A mare out on grass and adequately fed will rarely be "pulled down" by a foal- I have not had it happen yet but my mares are out on good grass 24/7.

I just cannot see the point of weaning younger than four months- what on earth is the hurry??

It's like this insistence on training to ride or in our case drive at two- for God's sake give them their childhood- who knows what life has in store for them, they may not have anything else!!

The foal may well be being weaned anyway but refusing to buy a foal weaned too early, and citing that as the reason, will give them pause for thought, whereas buying it anyway will make them think this is fine- OK to do again.

It is not OK, it is not fine, it is detrimental to the foal.

 

[Bess Kelly]

All good observations. Personally I find the colts are more independent than fillies, in general.

While a foal can and will survive nicely at this age, I prefer that the foal is with mom until at least 4 months. It is the social interaction they learn that is of value.....confidence, so the speak, not the milk as that is milk sugar water by the 2.5-3 mos stage and more a nuturing and slow conversion of the foals internal needs to be ready to totally leave milk! (thus the foal-lac when we do wean early)

I like to have the mare/foal pairs go in with some of my younger herd mares just before weaning. I find the younger mares like to play more and the foals, form that relationship with another, then I remove the mare from the group and put her in adjacent field, they all transition well.

Here's a good example: Wednesday a gelding -- who has NEVER believed the deed was done -- found a section of fence that he could get through and did. There were 3 mare/foal pairs and 4 mares 5-7 yrs in the field and had been for 2 weeks. (my transition crew

: ) At the top of this large field were 3 adjacent stallion runs, with stallions there-- again, had been for months. OH, the water source was at this top end.

I look out and find the gelding is herding all to the lower end of the field -- near where he & another gelding were fenced. No way he wanted me to catch him!

: He'd come to me, wouldn't allow a halter.

So, I opened the gate and ran EVERYONE into "his" field, let them all do their run around and settle (10 minutes). Then called the mares to remove them, and leave the geldings where they needed to be.

He would not go back into "his" field........or let the last two foals (both colts, about 3 mos)....and he began herding them!!! The moms didn't come to their rescue but, one of my 5 yr old maiden mares DID.

:

She blazed back into the field, herded those two into a corner and dared that gelding to approach!!! We are talking kicking out and ears back patroling in front of those foals! :bgrin

He went back into his field with all the others. A "feed time" call to those girls brought them back to me and up where I wanted, then I closed the gate on that rascally gelding. All was well.

BUT---there's the way the support group will work and when totally weaned this month, the foals will be fine and protected by their "big sisters".

:

 

[rabbitsfizz]

It's wonderful to watch a true "herd ethos" working, isn't it??

And all those stupid films that portray the "Noble Stallion" as Da Boss :bgrin

 

[mad for mini's]

Thank you for your help , I don't agree with having him weaned so early but I really want this horse and I know that they have another seller lined up for him if I don't take him so he will be sold at 3 months no matter what . I was so love struck by him and could not resist . The owners handled him a little rougher than I would have but I know that everyone has their own way of doing things. He has such a wonderful temperment and seems to pick up on things very quickly.

 

[Miniv]

I totally agree with Jane (Rabbit). What's the hurry with these people?

Why can't they take a deposit and let the foal stay with mom til four months old?

Foals may be showing a lot of independence at 2.5 months, but they still need mom for many various reasons, primarily for security and social ones.....the milk by then is secondary, but still has a reason or it wouldn't be available.

We personally bought a colt from a farm who (unknown to us) was yanked off mom at 3 months. We brought him home thinking he'd been formally weaned. Three days later we were hauling him to OSU Vet School for colic surgery!

Just thought I'd throw in our own experience there.........if for nothing else, but to point out that weaning too early can cause problems. Of course, there are special circumstances to wean early, but it doesn't sound as if those apply in this case.

Please encourage the breeders to keep the foal on mom longer, for HIS sake.

MA

 

[Minimor]

We've bought two foals that were weaned at 3 mos.--they came here straight off the mares (not together) and they did fine. One was really fussy about eating grain because he wasn't used to having it--we tried oats and 3 kinds of pellets before we found something he liked. He was also used to pasture, not hay, and as it was fall green grass was getting a bit scarce here--we'd hunt around for patches of grass we could pick for him, and then would try to coax him into eating 3 different kinds of hay--he looked a bit dejected for a few days but then he perked up & did just fine. The other one had no problems at all.

We also weaned one foal at 3 mos., for his own safety. His mother was getting nasty to him (maiden mare with a snakey attitude when it came to other horses--we were dismayed to see that bad attitude being directed toward her own foal. This colt was eating well, and weaning him early caused him no stress at all--he really didn't seem to care.

As for "boycotting" this seller in hopes that he/she will take notice & see that some people are opposed to weaning such a young foal--I'd have my doubts. He/she would likely give a shrug of the shoulders & turn around & sell him to someone that didn't have any such qualms--just as mad for minis has said would happen. Nothing would be learned.

I'm glad to hear the foal is going to someone that will be sure to give him the extra care he needs at this young age.

 

[MSRminis]

What about putting down a deposit and the rest at weaning. That way the seller wont sell the colt to someone else? I think Miniv suggested this. I know when my babies are weaned (no earlier than 4 months) I do it it in pairs whenever possible or at least with one of my two "babysitters". I always keep my foals for at LEAST two weeks to make sure they are eating, drinking, pooping before going off to their new home. I too brought home a foal not knowing she was not weaned till that point and she developed a bad ulcer. Had a lady who called me this year looking for a foal as the one she brought home had not been weaned until she showed up and four days after bringing him home he died of colic. I know things dont always happen but just be prepared.

 

[Margaret]

Never.. I saw a filly pulled from her mom at a very earily age and she never did grow up right.

All mine are weaned at 5-7 months old depending on how they are doing.. Some babies tend to drink more at certain times, like more in the PM hours..so you may not see their heavier nursing times.

 

[mad for mini's]

Thanks everyone , I know the seller loves the horses and cares for them deeply but they are in a bad situation and need to have them placed in new homes as soon as possible. So I fully understand and feel badly for them but was concerned about any effects it might have on the baby, what I have to watch for and any special attention that he might need . He really is a little doll , I will post pics when I get him home.

 

[sdmini]

I wouldn't personally do it but from what you describe it's going to happen anyways and as long as your prepared for the extra needs and potential problems arising from it I say go for it.

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

I wouldn't buy a foal weaned at that age and pulled of it's dam. I have mares that get thin, etc., extra feed will do the trick there. It's not just the nursing as the nutrition level drops off but its the comfort and social interaction/learning from their dam that is crucial to me.

I would have a real problem with a seller selling at that point to regardless if the foal weaned itself or not. Out of close to 140 foals born here I've had one that self weaned herself at less than 3 months - she was extremely independent, but was in a herd of aunts, cousins, etc., just didn't hang out with her dam.

On the other hand my three old ladies that were retired with their last foals in 2005 (all mares 19-24), are still nursing their now two year old daughters - no milk or if there is any it's in a dried up looking bag, but they will let them 'nurse' and want their daughter within eye sight at all times. I let them do this as previous owners did wean their foals early (they've all had between 11-16 foals). I promised all three they could keep their last daughter and they have.

Anyway, to me that early time is bonding, learned to be a horse, etc., so I wouldn't wean or agree to buy one that was weaned at that age. I do hope you have a kind mini that will take this foal under it's wing and I would watch for stress related ulcers. Good luck.