What is the earliest you would wean in this problem situation?

[fordtraktor]

If you have been following the Foal Watch 2023 thread, you will know that my mare had a lovely foal April 22, but has an extreme case of possessive/aggressive behavior and won’t let anyone near the foal except me, and then only when I am feeding her.

I have found a situation for the mare I am happy with, so she will be rehomed to a professional and very experienced situation.

At what point would you wean this foal? I don’t want him to pick up her bad habits any more than necessary and am inclined to wean as early as possible. I’ve been giving him concentrate for the last week or so. He’s a lovely young dude but needs to be handled and halter broken sooner rather than later. Would also really like my farrier to be able to trim him! So far his legs look good, but usually I have them trimmed from birth. I have a reliable old pony mare he can be turned out with, she lived in a broodmare field with babies for more than a decade.

Thoughts?

[sunkistbey]

If the old pony will teach him manners I would do it as soon as your vet gives the ok.

[ZuzusPetals]

@fordtraktor

I have found a situation for the mare I am happy with, so she will be rehomed to a professional and very experienced situation.

I’d love to see how she turns around in a pro’s hands. Wonder whether having the foal made her kind of … tricky … or whether that was her nature. Good luck with the baby. I’ve been following that thread and admire all the workarounds you came up with for feeding, etc.

[Highflyer1]

I would wait at least until 3-4 months if you can. We’ve had a few orphans over the years (and one that was so naughty and his mom so over it that he was weaned for safety reasons) and that seems to be the earliest that they are semi ready. And definitely plan on doing ulcerguard. Obviously if you have to do it earlier you have to though.

[fordtraktor]

Definitely not considering before 3 months. Just wondering if I can do 3 instead of 4-6. I have never weaned a foal so early, 3 months seems so quick to me, but might be best here.

[JB]

Until 4 months, the foal can’t digest adult food (though will still eat it), so if you wean before then, you’ll have to provide milk-based food, whether milk replacer (look up foal igloo feeder), or milk-based creep feed

At 4 months he can start digesting non-milk things, but is still ramping up, so you’d start weaning onto a ration balancer, as his hay/grass intake increases, and you can keep the milk replacer in the igloo if you want, for a couple more months, if he likes it and drinks it, that’s fine, just the same as if he was still nursing off his dam. By 6 months or so you could wean off that and just do the ration balancer, or move to a low NSC growth/foal feed if he needs more calories.

[NancyM]

As others have said, 3 months minimum, 4 months better. Don’t worry about not handling him early if it isn’t possible. Once weaned, he’ll be looking for a friend, and a mentor. “You” will be that for him at that point. Just wait.

[4horses]

I would probably try to do panels or something so you can separate him from mom with her next door within sight. Then you can spend some time handling him without getting attacked by the grumpy mare. And continue this until weaning.

[Arlomine]

Are you able to create a situation where you can separate them yet have them be within sight of one another, so you can handle him for a little bit on his own? Essentially a creep feeder for handling? I know he’ll take a lot of space because if she gets upset you don’t want her reaching over and grabbing you. Personally I would try to wait until four months.

[candyappy]

@4horses

I would probably try to do panels or something so you can separate him from mom with her next door within sight. Then you can spend some time handling him without getting attacked by the grumpy mare. And continue this until weaning.

I was wondering about something like this too? Then you could wean when it is best for him.

[fordtraktor]

The vet was here yesterday and said the best thing for the foal is to get him away from his (insert expletive) mother. (My interpretation.)

She is scheduled to leave to go to a very experienced person on his three month birthday. She can always come back to me if they decide she isn’t a fit.

I am going to order milk replacer pellets and have arranged for the vet to come sedate her for the weaning. He is already creep feeding and eating hay.

I think this is the best scenario we can do. It is far from ideal, but nothing about this has been ideal.

I do have a fabulous old pony who was in a breeding herd for a decade. She’ll be his weaning buddy. She loves people.

[JB]

I think that sounds very reasonable Good luck!