3. The middle ground - Gradual weaning in groups
If you have a larger group of mares and foals of approximately the same age, mares may be removed one or two at a
time, gradually, until there is only a herd of weanlings left. While individual mare-and-foal-pairs are weaned abruptly, each has the opportunity to socialize with others of the same age class. Removing two mares at a time allows the
two foals missing their mothers to buddy-up, thus preventing frantic searching behaviors from either single weanlings, or a large group of recently weaned, and potentially distressed and disoriented babies all searching for their
mothers at once. Being gregarious animals, foals will take their social cues from the group they happen to be in, and
if one or two foals find themselves in a group of happy, romping babies, they are far more likely to go play with the
others instead of fretting about their mothers. Removing two mares at a time also introduces the opportunity for
the barn manager to pair up compatible mares at weaning time.
Special weaning tips:
It can be a good idea to make bran mashes with electrolytes added, in order to make sure that your mare and foal are
not only consuming enough water, but to ensure that things are moving along well in their guts during this time of
stress.
Use U-Guard paste as a prophylactic against ulcers in both the mare and foal for the first few days. This is known to
prevent the formation of stomach ulcers.
Make sure each horse has some kind of company immediately following weaning.
Pay special attention to the herd dynamics of a newly formed weanling group. Make sure that smaller foals are not
being singled out by aggressive, dominant weanlings, or prevented from drinking and eating normally.
Make sure the foal is feeding well on solid foods well before weaning. Depending on how much milk the foal has
been receiving, it will experience an abrupt decline in caloric and fluid intake when separated from it’s mother. As
with all horses, additions to a horse’s diet should be made as gradually as possible to accommodate the animal’s delicate balance of gut flora. It is not a good idea to suddenly introduce grain to a weanling; it should begin creep feeding whatever grain you intend to provide it weeks before it is weaned.
Colts and fillies should be in separate groups after 6 months of age, unless the colts have been gelded already. In unsupervised or wild settings, weanling fillies can and will become pregnant, and weanling colts can and will impregnate them.
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