Weaning a foal

[Eclipse]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#At what age do you prefer to wean your foal? My personal preference is not before the foal is at least 5 months of age... I only ever had one foal to wean and I did so when he was 6 months old (young).#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[lokukac]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#At least 6 months. But 8 months is even better, if you (and the mare) has the patience.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Ruth]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#It depends on the condition of the mare, but not before 4 months. One of Draygonfyne's mares loses a lot of weight lactating (no matter how much she is fed, or how good condition she is in before foaling) so her foals are weaned at 4 months so she has a chance to get some weight back on before winter. The other factor is if we want to show them at all, it is much easier to take a weanling to a show without mom, but I certainly wouldn't wean earlier than 4 months for the sake of a show. If there's no weight or show issues then 6 months.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Patricia]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#When breeding larger breeds like Hanoverians....I often wean earlier....especially if it is a rowdy colt.  They often start abusing the mare by jumping on her back, kicking etc.  I find like Ruth my older mares often lose condition and weight..although the foal blossoms.  Especially if you are planning on re-breeding the mare I then wean at 4 months...to give the mare a chance to gain back some weight.  Our last Hanoverian born was a filly.  She stayed with her dam till almost 6 months.  They got along fabulous and the mare kept her weight.  We then got a cute turnout companion for her another filly same age.  They are now inseparable.  #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#