Why do people wean mini's at 4 months ?

[minimom1]

I know I am just full of questions today LOL !

I have a 7 week old colt and I am trying to decide what age to wean him. Unfortunatley he is my only baby but I do have a very sweet 2 yr old filly I can buddy him up with when the time comes and she is close to his size.

It seems that in the past people didn't really consider weaning prior to 6 months and now it is 4 months.

What is the reason for this ?

Is it detrimental to mom or baby to leave them longer ?

I appreciate your input and any tips on weaning seen as I have never weaned a baby (I am not a breeder, purchased a pregnant mare so he will be my only baby).

He is a very strapping young lad and at 7 weeks eats grass, hay, mare and foal pellets and is drinking a tiny bit of water so I think he is off to a good start with eating on his own already.

He was born at 20" and 27 lbs which I thought was huge as Mom was only 28".

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

Generally the earliest anyone will wean is 3 mos and, for me at least, that is generally if the mare is starting to get really thin. I have never had issues with the ones weaned that early. As long as the foal is eating well on its own when you go to wean then it should be fine. My only concern leaving them on too long is like I said if the mare is getting pulled down from it. There are still people who dont wean until 6 mos too. Make sure and have the filly you are going to buddy them up with is in with them at least a couple weeks before you wean so that they get to know eachother beforehand. This is just my thoughts on it and I am sure others will give their input as well.

 

[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

I know there are several who wean early, but I think majority wean around 5-6 months, as I do.. The only reason I personally would wean before 5 months would be the health/well being of the mare, if you've got a mare that does not keep her weight well with a strong, healthy foal, then I would consider weaning early if other measures (increased feed/hay etc.) failed to put/keep weight on her.. Of course if there's health issues with either or loss of mare, then you really don't have a choice, we had to raise a filly from one week old due to losing her dam, and also weaned a colt at just a couple months old as his dam went hypocalcemic (low calcium levels) and we ended up losing her..

I leave my babies on their dams til at least 5 months, gives them a good start plus dam and the herd teaches them the behaviors needed for a herd setting.. During those first few months they're allowed to be just horses, of course they're handled daily to learn the basic (lead, tie, groomed, farrier, clipping etc.), but other than that they get to run, play and grow..

 

[wpsellwood]

So far I havent weaned a foal no earlier then 6 months, if there were problems I would consider sooner, but I would try not to.

 

[wildoak]

I take several things into consideration when I wean - the general condition of mare and foal, the weather & time of year, and my schedule. I want to wean babies when I will be around to watch them, and I try to avoid weaning if it's intensely hot. I have weaned as early as 3 months a time or two, when the mare was getting pulled down, and as late as 5 or 6 months if both were fine and there was no rush. Sometimes I have a foal who is just maturing early, is fat and ready to come off. I have four to wean this year, the two colts are plenty big and old enough (4 months) but it's been so hot I didn't want to stress them. I will just do them all four after Nationals when I'm home to keep an eye on them and - hopefully! - our weather is better. I also wean with the Almanac best days when possible. FYI, this is the same protocol I used with big horses.

Jan

 

[muffntuf]

Generally I wean around 4 months. My mares are bred back and I don't want them pulled down too much for the health of the next foal. Also I watch the behavior of my foals - if they are really getting independent, staying away from the dam for extended periods of time and distance, and are not nursing much, they are eating grass and hay and grain well, weight is good, then I wean. That usually is around between 4 and 5 months. I tried earlier last year at 4 months but my ASPR colt was not ready and I had to play catch up with him for awhile.

 

[Charlotte]

I'm with Jan. I try to wean when all conditions are best suited for it. That's usually between 4 to 6 months.

I guess I have been very lucky all my life. I can't remember ever having a problem with a mare getting too light in weight while nursing a foal. If I think one isn't holding weight well I increase what she is being fed or change/add something. I've just upped Button's feed. (actually her alfalfa pellets) I can see she's dropped a little. She should be back to normal in about 2 weeks. My problem is the opposite. Most of my mares are too fat and they milk like Jersy cows so the foals are real fat too. (Now if someone would just take away MY 'alfalfa pellets'

)

Charlotte

 

[minimom1]

Thank you all for your input and information.

My mare has not been bred again and she seems to at this point have no issue's with health and is a very very healthy weight.

My colt was born late in the year on July 7 so he will be 5 to 6 months in December / January.

Is this an okay time to wean when the temps are in the - 20 to -30 range. He will be kept in a heated barn at night and stalled with my 2 yr old filly who I have put in with Mom and baby already to let them start getting to know each other.

 

[RedTango]

there was a guy I knew who weaned his foals at 2 MONTHES OLD! he said as long as they were eating fine they were good

I personally don't wean until 5-6 monthes of age.

 

[txminipinto]

I wean at 3 months as long as the foal is eating well on its own and is at a good weight. The only reasons I do not wean that early would be a foal that is not doing well or a foal I am showing and want to keep nice trim. Other than that, they get weaned. The mare's milk looses its nutrional value at 3-4 months and at that time, is usually only a comfort food for the foal. I have not had any problems with any of my foals or mares weaning this way.

 

[~Lisa~]

I never wean that early our time was 6-7 months. I personally feel there is so much more a foal gains from being with their dams then just moms milk.

Many mini people tend to wean a lot earlier then big horse people not really sure why that is.

When we were breeding I preferred to breed for late fall babies that way they were being weaned as the weather warmed up not cooled down- didnt have to worry about bugs or flies. For me it was much better of course if you are showing your foals this timing will not work for you.

To answer your question I think that time frame of Dec would be ok as long as you know baby is drinking water well and always best to wean with a friend.

 

[FoRebel]

We wean around 4 months old. We make sure that the babies are eating just fine on their own and that they're OK being without mom and that mom is OK being without them. We also go cold turkey with weaning. We have yet to have a mare or a foal that has a fit about weaning or can't be weaned at 4 months old.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Thank you all for your input and information.

My mare has not been bred again and she seems to at this point have no issue's with health and is a very very healthy weight.

My colt was born late in the year on July 7 so he will be 5 to 6 months in December / January.

Is this an okay time to wean when the temps are in the - 20 to -30 range. He will be kept in a heated barn at night and stalled with my 2 yr old filly who I have put in with Mom and baby already to let them start getting to know each other.

The longer you put off the weaning process then the mare starts to loose weight. When it gets down that cold you already have to make sure their weight is kept on and a added baby will make it harder on the mare. But if you can keep the weight on her then thats fine.

I hear 4-6 months is the time they should be weaned. I never had a problem weaning at 4 months, and by that time you will have some mares wean off the babies themselves. I also consider the longer you wait the mare's milk just doesn't have much nutrition value and your just keeping them on for more emotional support then anything. 1 you got to make sure the foal is emotionally ready, meaning they just don't depend on momma very much if at all, if you watch them you can tell. 2 make sure the foal is eating just fine. 3 wean when there isn't anyother added stress like bad weather, illness, etc...

I wouldn't do any eariler then 4 months and no later then 6 for sure. Its just all personal preference.

 

[Carolyn R]

I never wean that early our time was 6-7 months. I personally feel there is so much more a foal gains from being with their dams then just moms milk.

Many mini people tend to wean a lot earlier then big horse people not really sure why that is.

When we were breeding I preferred to breed for late fall babies that way they were being weaned as the weather warmed up not cooled down- didnt have to worry about bugs or flies. For me it was much better of course if you are showing your foals this timing will not work for you.

To answer your question I think that time frame of Dec would be ok as long as you know baby is drinking water well and always best to wean with a friend.

I feel the same as Lisa. As long as the foal and mare are both healthy, I wait to wean. I know it is not everyones thought, but I personally feel that a young foal weaned earlier is more prone to stress related issues such as ulcers, which can lead to other intestinal inflamation issues. Unless it is needs to be done for the health of the mare, I wait until (min)5-6 months.I have already gone as late as a late 7 months.

 

[stormy]

I find it curious that so many are saying miniature people wean earlier then big horse people, working on Arab and Standardbred farms they always weaned at 3 months at the latest.

I wean my minis at 4 months by removing a couple mares at a time over several weeks, adding Grandma mares to guide the babies on appropriate behavior and feeding clover or alfalfa to reduce the risk of tummy issues. Babies hardly even notice the mares are gone! They stay in the environment they are used to and the Grandma mares give them the security they need.

 

[minimom1]

You all have been so wonderful with your detailed answers.

My colt is not going to be shown, he is a pet only. He is only 7 weeks old now but I wanted to have a game plan for weaning.

I spend a lot of time with him so he is almost more atached to me than he is mom. Of course if he gets scared or thirsty he runs back to mom but otherwise will follow me way out of mom's sight with out an issue. They seem to be fine to be seperated for short periods at the moment. Mom eats her grain in the stall with door closed and baby eats out in the aisle way with me brushing him while he eats. I take him out for grass on his own as well but then he can see mom but never worries as long as I am with him.

I think unless I have to for mom's sake I will leave them together until he is 5 to 6 months and then put him in with my 2 yr old filly who he already knows as she is very quiet and laid back and would never hurt him, she is only 28" so they will be about the same size by then.

When it comes time to weaning is it better just to remove mom from sight or just move her to another paddock ?

 

[JMS Miniatures]

If you wean cold turkey which is the way I do it its best to keep mom out of sight and if at all possible out of hearing distance.

 

[Eohippus]

there was a guy I knew who weaned his foals at 2 MONTHES OLD! he said as long as they were eating fine they were good

I personally don't wean until 5-6 monthes of age.

My stallion was weaned (not by me) at 2 months old (just barely 2 months at that). I wish they would've kept him with mom until between 4-7months as there were so many things (such as manners and more herd type behavior) that he should have learned from mom. There was no medical reason for him to be weaned so young (mom was doing fine, he was doing fine) it was just their personal preference (I think they wanted him gone as soon as possible as they wanted him shipped across country to me just a week or so after he'd weaned. I waited because that just seemed waaaaaay too young)

 

[~Lisa~]

Just remember you have to go with your gut and when you feel he is ready. There is no one answer and no one way. No matter how you slice it or how much you think otherwise weaning is very stressful on babies. More then one vet has told me that studies have shown over 60 percent of weanlings have ulcers.

Of course it needs to be done but only you know the personality of both mom and baby

 

[AnnaC]

I also wean at around 6 months - for us this is usually just after Christmas, for the 'selfish' reason that it allows us to enjoy the holiday season without the extra work of having to keep a close eye on newly weaned babies! But seriously, unless the mare is getting pulled down in condition, then I prefer a foal to stay with its dam in a herd situation as long as possible.

Our mares are removed 'cold turkey' with the foals staying where they are together with the couple of 'grandma' mares who are already running with them and their mommas. We move the mares over to the far side of our farm, out of sight and hearing, but have never found either the mares or the foals bothered by this weaning method in some 25 years of doing it this way.

One thought for you - do you have a friend who could let you borrow a companion for your mare when baby is weaned, or could you send her to stay with a friend with other minis for a few weeks. I think you might find you have more 'trouble' with your mare at weaning than with your little colt if she has no-one else for company!

Anna