Weaning is the process by which a foal learns to depend on solid food rather than its mother's milk. In nature, it happens naturally when the foal is around 6-12 months of age. In the stable, a decision must be made to wean it to keep both foal and mare healthy. To do this, you will need to choose when to wean it, whether it is to do it abruptly or gradually, and you will need to know how to take care of the foal once it is weaned.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Preparing to Wean the Foal
Step 1. See if the foal is ready for weaning
If he shows some independence, moving away from his mother and spending time playing with other foals, it is a good indication that he may be ready for weaning. If you see him doing these things, he will probably be inclined to be weaned.
Step 2. Consider the mother's health when deciding when to wean the foal
The natural weaning process usually begins when the foal is around six months old. If the mare has a health problem that makes it difficult for her to produce milk or care for her baby, it is possible to start weaning as early as four months of age. However, before five months, the foal's digestive system will not be fully developed, so it may have some difficulty assimilating solid foods.
If the foal is weaned very early, it may not get all the nutrition it needs and, therefore, will need to be monitored as it grows. This means that he may have slow growth, fail to gain weight and fail to reach his full physical potential in adulthood. However, if the mother is ill, it can be a necessary risk
Step 3. Wait to wean a sick foal until he is healthy again
A sick foal needs the nutritional supply of the mother's milk. They are also less likely to eat solid foods, thus depriving themselves of much of the energy, minerals and vitamins they need.
Additionally, the stress of weaning can weaken the immune system at a time when it has to fight off infections
Step 4. Understand how important it is to prepare, regardless of whether weaning will be abrupt or gradual
By doing adequate prep work, you can get used to the foal's digestive system and reduce stress during the weaning process.
Step 5. Look out for signs that the foal is consuming things other than mother's milk
At around 10-12 weeks of age, the nutritional needs felt by the growing foal will most likely exceed the amount of milk provided by the mother. Therefore, the foal will begin to search for other food, such as hay, grass or grain. This behavior indicates that her digestive system is changing, as she is able to break down foods other than milk.
This phenomenon can be delayed if the mother produces a lot of milk, keeping the foal's stomach constantly full. In this case, he will not feel the need to look for other foods
Step 6. Purchase foal-friendly food
Just as there are foods intended for puppies and kittens, so there are specific foods for foals (the so-called "creep feeding"). It is a dry concentrate made to be easily digested and meet the nutritional needs of growing foals. Generally, it is recommended to give half to three quarters of a ration per day for every 100 pounds (45 kg) of the foal's body weight.
Step 7. Give the foal creep feeding one month before you plan to wean it
Creep feeding is normally given one month before weaning. The ideal is to give it to him in an enclosure from which you can measure the quantities consumed. The feeder with adjustable bars is a pen with a narrow entrance so that only the foal can enter, without the mare. This way, you will know for sure that the food consumed was eaten by the foal.
If you put creep feeding in the field or stable, you will have no idea which horse has consumed the feed, and it can be difficult to know if the foal is feeding sufficiently for its needs
Step 8. Introduce the foal to other younger horses one month before weaning begins
Horses are social animals, and if the foal is separated from its mother and left without company, it risks amplifying its stress, decreasing the likelihood that it will eat properly.
The appropriate time is about a month before weaning, so that he becomes familiar with the presence of others, when his mother is no longer with him
Step 9. Find a "nurse" for the foal
The ideal companion is a tame horse who will not chase him away or hurt him (therefore, it is a good idea to remove the horseshoes).
- Some horses are more likely to "nurse" than others. The horses that probably least intimidate a young one are geldings with a sweet temper, old mares, or short horses.
- The temperament of the nurse is also important. It is better that he is sweet and easygoing rather than rebellious and territorial, otherwise he can see the foal as a rival, behaving in a bossy way.
Step 10. Find a friend for the foal
The ideal companion can also be a foal of a similar age, as they will be able to play together and learn to socialize. Also, they can be weaned at the same time and give each other support in this difficult time.
Part 2 of 4: Deciding between an Abrupt and Gradual Parting
Step 1. Know the difference between an abrupt and a gradual weaning
There are two methods of weaning: one abrupt and one gradual. The former refers to a sudden separation of the foal from the mare.
Gradual weaning mimics weaning that occurs in the wild. During this process, the foal is prepared for the final separation from the mother through cycles in which he lives away from her for a certain period of time before actually being separated
Step 2. Consider gradual weaning versus abrupt weaning
Gradual weaning requires a significant investment of time, however, it is more similar to what happens in nature and, therefore, is less stressful for the foal.
Abrupt weaning, on the other hand, is potentially more stressful for the mare and foal, as the resulting stress causes the production of adrenaline and cortisol, which weakens the immune system and lowers the foal's natural defenses against infection.. The foal's immune system is not fully mature until it reaches 12 months of age, so the stress of weaning can predispose the foal to problems such as stomach ulcers or lung infections
Step 3. Consider the space you have for weaning
The first factor is the amount of space available to you. If you apply rough weaning, you will need to keep the mare away from the foal, so that she does not see and hear her, dozens of hectares of land and possibly a stable away from the fields must be available. If this is not the case, then you should consider taking the bitch to another area of the farm or using a different weaning method.
Step 4. Consider whether the foal is used to being handled
Another factor is to consider whether the foal is used to being handled or not. If the answer is no, then abrupt weaning may be better. Once the mare is turned away, human influence replaces her presence, establishing itself as a new guide for the foal.
However, if the foal is used to being handled, separating it from its mother for short walks around the pen before weaning it can facilitate weaning gradually
Step 5. Realize that abrupt weaning can lead the foal to develop obsessive-compulsive behavior if the separation occurs in an insensitive manner
If you manage abrupt weaning too hard (without giving the foal a company within 24 hours and keeping him isolated in a stable with no other presence), he is very likely to develop typical obsessive-compulsive behavior disorders, which manifest themselves in the biting into objects or staggering.
These behaviors are similar to that of a baby sucking his thumb. The repetitive nature of swings from side to side releases endorphins (a chemical similar to morphine) which give the foal a natural feeling of euphoria. Over time you get used to this feeling, and if the staggering movement stabilizes, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to break the habit
Part 3 of 4: Separating the Foal
Abrupt separation
Step 1. Get the bitch out of sight of the foal
To properly perform an abrupt separation, it is necessary to move the mother away so that the foal can neither see nor hear her. You can do this by placing her in another stable or taking her to a different field or barn.
Step 2. Join him with his playmates, after he calms down from the sudden separation
As soon as he calms down (this could take anywhere from a few hours to a day, depending on the animal), get him to get in touch with his playmates. The presence of the other animals will help to reassure him and to recover. Horses are creatures that live in groups. Being alone for long periods only adds stress to the foal, so when he is calm take him to the animals he knows.
Step 3. Be prepared for the foal to react negatively to a sudden separation
Each foal reacts differently. Some may recover fairly quickly, but most cry and ask about the mother, sometimes for hours. Others get very agitated and try to escape to follow her.
When you drive the mare away, there is a greater risk of the foal getting hurt in the field or inside the pen. The places where you are most likely to get injured are fences, ditches, hedges and watering holes, so it is best to take care of the safety of the barn. Remove anything the foal might get hurt with, even a bucket of water
Gradual Separation
Step 1. Mount the mare next to the foal to wean it gradually
To decrease the likelihood of the foal reacting badly to the separation, you can ride the dam in the same field where the foal is one week before the separation. As a result, he will tend to run after her or stop and graze with her on sight. In this way, he will get used to the idea that his mother will not be constantly by his side, without it being a concern for him.
Step 2. Repeat this every day
Do this for 4-6 weeks before final weaning. By exercising the mother, you will also help her body stop producing milk. This way, he will be more likely to fend off the foal's attempts - when he has gotten older (6 months) - to suck, give him a sweet bite and send him away. By doing so, you will facilitate the gradual separation.
When you mount the mare, also consider placing a friend alongside the foal. If he is distracted by his new playmate, he will be less likely to panic when he separates from his mother
Step 3. Realize that some foals react badly to gradual separation
If the foal is properly prepared for the removal of the mother, he will be more relaxed and will not worry about her absence. Even if he is upset by the change, he will accept within hours that his mother is no longer available to feed him.
Some foals, on the other hand, may react badly and attempt to load the fence, run away, or cry
Part 4 of 4: Monitoring the Foal's Progress and the Mare's Health
Step 1. Check the foal's growth
Monitor the foal's growth before, during and after weaning. You can do this by recording your height and weight (or, if you don't have the right facilities to weigh the foal, use a tape measure around the circumference to record your body mass gain) every week. Food manufacturing companies offer some graphs indicating estimated body weight gain over time to check the foal's progress.
If you are putting on too much weight, you should cut down on your food rations. If, on the other hand, he is not gaining enough weight, consider having him checked by a vet, as it is possible that it is a health problem that is interfering with his appetite
Step 2. Check the mare's mammary glands daily to make sure she doesn't develop mastitis
When the foal is taken out of the mother's care, it takes time for the mare to stop producing more milk. Abrupt weaning gives the mother's organism less time to adapt. If the mammary glands are too swollen, the mare runs the risk of developing mastitis, a bacterial infection. So, to keep it healthy:
Check for symptoms of mastitis every day, which include warm, painful, swollen mammary glands. If you notice any of these symptoms, contact your vet right away
Step 3. Reduce the mother's feed for 7-10 days after separation from the foal
By lowering her calorie intake, you will help prevent her from developing mastitis, as she will have less energy to produce milk.
Step 4. Keep the mother in a place where the foal cannot hear her
In this way, you will prevent the foal's crying from activating the secretion of prolactin which transmits the signal to the body to produce milk.
