Social pasture situation post-weaning, Northern CA

[QuestionMark]

I am thinking about future plans for a foal (a colt, we think), due in May this year. Assuming all goes well, he’ll start out with just mom and then be in a small pasture group–mom, an early 20s boss mare, and a 7-year-old gelding once it is safe for them to be together. Eventually he’ll come home and rejoin the home crew (I plan to keep him).

After weaning, I’d like to send him somewhere where he could spend some time (a season? Longer?) with at least a few other youngsters playing in a pasture situation, since he’ll be the only baby here. I would want there to be minimal handling but obviously knowledgeable people, safe fencing and good nutrition, etc but haven’t thought much about the other details yet.

Has anyone else shopped around for a situation like that? I’ve searched for and found many boarding situations in the past, but always for older horses with much more typical needs. What should I be searching for that would accept a weanling boarder? Maybe a racehorse farm? What questions would you ask if you were me?

[Brown_Derby]

Maybe Liz Jenner in Acampo.

[minnie]

I wouldn’t want minimal handling for my growing youngster, but maximum handling reinforcing manners, voice commands and day to day care routines. From the day they hit the ground.

[QuestionMark]

Prior to weaning that’s what I’m planning on. I’d consider more handling if I have a chance to get very comfortable with the people in the hypothetical pasture situation, but I realize that might not be totally feasible.

[candyappy]

I raised plenty of “only foals” in with my small herd and they did just fine. They had plenty of play time with my geldings and were home where I could handle them daily.

They were well rounded mentally and physically and grew up just fine. I think that is better than being in a group of unhandled youngsters but that is just my preference.

[QuestionMark]

Thanks for this! I’d be very happy to do it this way if it can work logistically; great to know that your small herd “only” babies turned out great. I think one variable might be how willing the gelding is to be a play buddy; have not seen him in action with a youngster yet.

In your case, did everybody stay onsite for the entire weaning process?

[candyappy]

@QuestionMark

In your case, did everybody stay onsite for the entire weaning process?

Yes. I actually just let the mares wean them naturally. It was done usually by 7-8 months. One exception was in a weanling mule foal I was selling. I weaned her at 6 months in a large stall/ dry lot where her mom could visit but she couldn’t nurse. Kept everyone happy.

My mares held excellent weight so the nursing never dragged them down at all ( I fed well). No yelling or screaming or stress and they bothered my old gelding enough that even he was up for some playtime now and again.

I had a younger pinto gelding for my kids and he was a great playmate for those foal raising years.

[Laurierace]

I have only ever had one foal that was raised with another foal, the rest were all with adult horses of various ages and all did fine. Made weaning super easy since the only thing that changed in the foal’s life is the mare is removed. My last foal will be two in April and is still turned out with the same horses she was turned out with since she was a few days old.

I can understand why you want your foal raised with other youngsters however, it is a nice thing. I adamantly disagree with the minimal handling part however. That would be an absolute dealbreaker for me.

[QuestionMark]

I appreciate your perspective and experience too, thank you! During your typical weaning process, did you remove the mare from the property or were you able to separate them but keep both onsite?

I should clarify about the minimal handling–what really feels most important is that I don’t send the foal somewhere he will receive the sort of handling I will regret later (since I will not really know the handlers beyond what I would know about any strangers in a new boarding situation). If I decide to pursue a weanling boarding situation (maybe I won’t have to, though!) I’d rather do as much handling before and after (and during whenever possible) he is away myself rather than having strangers do it. Of course I’d like to get to know these hypothetical people as much as possible, but I’m not sure how that will work out when the time comes.

[Laurierace]

I have done both keep the mare on the property and remove the mare from the property due to circumstances unrelated to the actual weaning. The on property ones were a little louder for a day or two but otherwise not really any difference.

Young horses go feral in a heartbeat. If you don’t trust the people caring for your weanling enough to put a halter on every day or so, lead them in and out of a barn and handle their feet then you really shouldn’t be sending your horse there. That basic level of horsemanship shouldn’t be beyond anyone’s capability. Someone has to trim their feet, the horse can’t be feral.

[QuestionMark]

Thanks so much for your perspective and advice! Really gives me a lot to think about as I plan and try to be as ready as possible.

[endlessclimb]

If you can’t find anywhere, any chance you could be the one to take on one or two youngsters to give him playmates his age and size? That way you’re in control of what happens on a daily basis.

[QuestionMark]

I sure wish I could do this! Can’t do it on the property we are currently on.