Started to wean one of my foal. Baby is across the fence and they can touch nose.
Baby is fine and pretty independant.
Mom is depressed, not eating much.
All vitals are good.
Do some get depressed at weaning?
Is it possible she’s uncomfortable and engorged or even has mastitis?
Yes, some get depressed 
Depressed, or a flare of ulcers from weaning stress.
I’ve loaded up on UlcerGuard to prepare for next week’s weaning at this farm! Also, AlkaSelzer for me!
No mastitis.
Will start ulcerguard tomorow…
She looks so sad…but her bsby is right there on the other side of the fence!
Maybe its worse? I should move her to another farm.
Moving her may just add more stress. Might try just going out and brushing her and talking to her. Depends on the horse.
It is certainly possible for people so I’d imagine it would be for horses. Weaning makes your hormones go nuts. Give her some time and attention, watch vitals carefully for colic of course but she’s probably depressed.
Moving her may just add more stress. Might try just going out and brushing her and talking to her. Depends on the horse.
I’d give her a little extra attention and tlc. Ulcergard cannot hurt. Does she have a friend with her? That helps.
She also might just be really sore and uncomfortable Veronique. My mare this year was so engorged for the first two days after weaning she could barely walk and just shuffled along at a snails pace. Thanks goodness by day 3 she was feeling noticeably better and all is good now. Though in her case she seemed to eat well but due to her being so sore she was pretty quiet for a few days. Maybe your mare is just really sore and has gone off her feed because of that?
You can give her something for any pain (if her bag is large). Don’t milk her however…that just generates more milk production.
It’s best to do a weaning of “out of sight, out of sound, out of mind” if at all possible. Turning her out with new friends will take her mind off her baby.
Thanks guys.
Her “bag” is really not an issue. She is the mare that dries up the quickest. She’s been separated from her foal for 5 days now and her bag is almost back to normal. (another of my mares takes months!!!)-so I doubt that was the source of her discomfort.
Her previous weanings were done out of sight, out of hearing etc… and went without a hitch.
I think I will simply move her, but yes she was with her best buddy the whole time and still is.
In the spring I’m worried about foaling in the fall I’m worried about weaning-ugh-why DO I do this !..
Well, hopefully she will start feeling better. Every weaning goes a little different even for the same mares. They get more attached to some foals than to others. Is she just in a paddock with another mare? Maybe you should try opening that paddock up to the field where the rest of the herd is grazing. I have found mares cope with weaning better when they remain with their herd. Plus the movement of going out to graze will help with their bags - it causes them to stream some milk from time to time, but that relieves pressure and helps reduce the chances of mastitis.
I have always weaned by separating the mares to another paddock that is open to a big grass field. They can see and hear their foal, but cannot touch through the fence. The mares are free to come and go as they please. The mares usually hang out for a while at the nearest fence, then they go off to graze and come back every few hours to check in. I also supply hay for any individual who would prefer to hang close to the baby pen, but soon they’re all preferring to go grazing. It only takes a couple days, and then the mares never come back in except for water.
