Any tips? 
My girls are really doing quite well–mom has settled in with a new friend and is totally chill 24 hours later–and Lily is better than I expected… But hearing her cry when she sees me come, or worse, when I leave, is heartbreaking. My poor little baby had her mommy stolen from her . Clearly I do not have what it takes to be a real breeder… Between the anxiety of the 11 month wait and the guilt of weaning, I’m just not strong enough for it.
Does she have a buddy? We will be weaning ours next week. I am still deciding who to put with out only foal this year. Glad to hear everyone is taking the process well.
It’s awful isn’t it! I don’t know if you like the group Snow Patrol but they had a song a few years back called Chasing Cars. We used to say that was the weaning song.
Then last year I had to wean in 2 parts. I had a colt born in Feb. In August his mom got a dreadful stone bruise which vet and farrier were very concerned about. Mare needed box rest for 10 days. Blah blah, too long. She was fine but obviously not keen for the colt to be in with her. He was grand because he was out with Lila and her mom. Went to wean Lika, aka The Cupcake, this time last year and it was horrid. She was the angriest I had ever seen a foal! And she took all her aggression out on the colt twice her size. Man she really was horrible to him. The Matchbox 20 song Unwell reminded me of her. “I’m not crazy, I’m just a little unwell, I know right now you can’t tell…”.
I’m not cut out for it either really, hate it!
Terri
Did you wean them right away from each other? I wean mine over the fence to each other so there is really no upset and they can still stand next to mom if the want and have the emotional bond. Both have a friend(s) with them that they are comfortable with. After the first few days the just naturally start drifting apart and taking more interest in hanging with their friends and after 2-3 weeks I can totally seperate them and not an issue. It has by far been the least stressful type weaning for me.
Yes, she has a friend… well, they might not be friends yet, the buddy just arrived a few days ago. Babysitter is an absolute sweetheart, he had me the first time I saw him. He has such an “I’m a good boy!” expression. They’re stalled next to each other for now, when Lily is nice and calm they’ll go out together. I think I’m more upset about it than they are. Mom is totally fine and Lily is okay–she’s eating and not trying to run me over to escape.
Cindy, yes, they were totally separated, mare is now at a farm about 20 minutes away. I waffled a little but felt a clean break would be best. They have been separated before for short periods and were fine with it.
October weaning dates 2nd - 6th! Good Luck everyone!
[QUOTE=VirginiaBred;5858282]
October weaning dates 2nd - 6th! Good Luck everyone![/QUOTE]
That is what we are waiting for. We have done it that way every year. Thanks VB 
Oct 2 - 6th? What makes those dates weaning dates? Full moon or no moon? or??
I had a very late foal this year, July 13th. I will wean in December and just checked the dates. I get to wean on Christmas Day. Happy, happy, joy, joy.
[QUOTE=back in the saddle;5858381]
Oct 2 - 6th? What makes those dates weaning dates? Full moon or no moon? or??[/QUOTE]
…or…equine intelligence/emotion data report for the latest animal documentary such as the most ridiculous one I have EVER seen in my life…titled: “Do
Animals Have Emotions?”. Yes. This is an acutal documentary. Was there ever any question?
I have NEVER had an upset baby weaning time because I do not do the cruel thing…namely YANK the baby. How hard is it to judge each mare/foal relationship on their own merits and do the right thing by the baby? What is the big rush? Horses have not evolved the way most would have liked them to …as in the most convenient and fastest way to make money… It is an education to see how wild horses procreate, wean, grow up. No wonder animals develop vices…same goes for puppies and kittens.
Amastrike: You DO have what it takes to be a real breeder. You have empathy and observational skills which have led you to seek out information on how to do this better. It’s so easy. Lily does not have to go through this. She will be a more confident youngster growing up and into maturity without this unneccessary source of stress and anxiety. Have you ever wondered why there are so many threads on ulcers in horses and especially in young foals? This is what happens when people force their standards and conveniences upon these giving and forgiving creatures.
If there’s a next time breeding and weaning for you, I would simply wean over the fence, in the next stall, on the same property. No one gets hurt or sick. The people don’t have to shed any tears. No big deal. SIMPLE.
Breeding should be a joy, not an expensive/emotional hassle.
Those are the best dates to wean according to the moon signs. I usually compare my dates with the folks at Bloodhorse Magazine or the TB Times.
Juliet will be getting weaned on Sunday and now that she has met Randee she knows exactly who to thank for picking that date!
Geez, a little harsh Dbay girl. WTH? So we don’t like it. It gets done and amazingly enough horses and people cope just fine
Couple of things, you mention the wild. Everyone mentions wild horses all the freaking time. So I suppose you just let yours wean whenever. This way they won’t get ulcers am I correct?
Maybe I just didn’t understand the gist but I don’t think attacking Amastrike is a nice way to go about it.
Terri
Good luck Juliet! You can do it!!!
Can someone explain the whole weaning by the moon?? Never heard of it and why it would have any effect on weaning…
P.
[QUOTE=dbaygirl;5858414]
I have NEVER had an upset baby weaning time because I do not do the cruel thing…namely YANK the baby. How hard is it to judge each mare/foal relationship on their own merits and do the right thing by the baby? What is the big rush? Horses have not evolved the way most would have liked them to …as in the most convenient and fastest way to make money… It is an education to see how wild horses procreate, wean, grow up. No wonder animals develop vices…same goes for puppies and kittens.[/QUOTE]
How nice for you. If you’d actually bothered to read and comprehend my posts, you would see that the mother and baby are both doing just fine. I am the one feeling bad. I did judge the mare/foal relationship and felt that “yanking” the baby (well, technically mom was the one getting yanked, baby is where she’s always been) was the best course of action for my horses. As I bred this foal for myself and have no intention to ever sell her, I fail to see how weaning this way is a convenient and fast way to make money 
.
Mare is totally cool. It’s like she never had a foal. She and her pasturemate are buddies, but she was still quiet and relaxed when I took her out on a walk today. Baby isn’t thrilled with being alone, but IMO it’s important for horses to learn how to deal with it. The babysitter is in the stall next to her, in a couple days they’ll go out in pasture and everything will be just fine.
I totally did not wean by the signs and they’re doing just fine anyway. Polydor, it makes no sense to me either. Unless horses stare into the full moon and are so engrossed by it they don’t notice their mother/baby is gone?
Read my weaning by the signs thread (the “Sticky” at the top).
Here ya go:
The theory is that for many years the old farmers weaned calves based on the astrological signs. The Feed/Seed Co-Op stores usually give away this kind of zodiac calendar. The theory is based on the belief that certain zodiacs rule certain parts of the body.
Capricorn ruled body parts include bones (skeletal structure), joints, knees and teeth.
Aquarius ruled body parts are the circulatory system, ankles, Achilles heal, calves and shins.
Pisces rules the feet and the immune system.
Those are the three zodiac signs that govern the lowest part of a body.
Farmers used that theory that when the zodiac (moon) signs were in the lowest part of the body - during Pieces - otherwise termed that the blood was in the feet, the lowest part of the body during this phase - that less trauma occurred and events of a more dramatic nature were less stressful. Thus, weanings and geldings were always done when the signs (zodiac/moon) were in the lower extremities - with Pieces being the best time.
Old time horsemen followed this theory and it has always lent itself to a smoother, less stressful weaning and gelding.
Weanings in general always work best when the natural progression of weaning has already begun by the dam, and that, along with using the weaning by the signs theory, almost guarantees a smooth and safe event.
Use the final three days in the run of days ensures the most grounded time frame for weaning.
We add the “buddy” to the herd early on so all are comfortable with each other. We have pastures side by side with 20 foot lane between them. We walk the mare into the pasture with the weanling, then walk the mare out and put her into the other pasture. Weanlings are so used to going to each other or the buddy they really don’t figure out mare is gone right away. Usually the first 5 minutes is the “big deal”. Running, calling.
We usually leave them out all night for the first days. By day 3 its all over. The mare can see the foal and vice a versa. Then we start bringing the weanling in to eat their meals… then take out again again right away. This way they are learning to be in stall by themelves, without sight of another horse but just for short time. We use the time to groom them and spend time with them. We do this for a couple of days. Lastly after about a week to 10 days we take weanlings in for meal and leave them in individual stalls over night. First night they are calling (first time in stall all by themselves). Second night all is fine. BTW when weanlings come in for meals or overnight their buddy always comes in too, but mares stay out.
We used to wean them in pasture where mare and foal couldn’t see each other and or put foal in stall and mare out, etc. it was tramatic. This way is much easier on everyone! Including us!! :lol:Always remember take the mare away from the foal… NOT the foal away from the mare. Good luck!
I wean in the same way as a number of others on this thread whereby I move the mares into the adjoining field and the foals remain in their field with their nanny mares. The mothers and foals can still touch and snuggle over the fence but the foals aren’t able to suckle. Weaning is a total non-event at my farm; the mares don’t get upset and the foals don’t even seem to notice that they are being weaned
I would like to try the weaning over the fence method but I know the barn owner would balk as he would be afraid that one of them would attempt to jump the fence. That wouldn’t be an impossibility as my filly loves to jump the jumps in the arena. We had a horse years ago jump one of the gates for an unknown reason and he was found dead of a broken neck in the morning. We usually leave the foal in it’s regular stall for a few days before resuming turnout. It’s not ideal but I think it is probably safer.
