[DLee]

So she has never been out with any other horses yet except her mom?

Really hoping this goes okay for you. Honestly, it sounds a little shocking to me.

[Dr. Doolittle]

Thanks, everyone.

I'm kind of a nervous wreck. Forecast is now saying an INCH of rain overnight, and I just texted the BM with my concerns, she still wants to wean today at 1:00.

She texted that she would call me at 11:30 (she is very busy since she has MANY horses to take care of), and I responded with my thoughts about postponing this until next week--the ground will at least have had a chance to dry out!

Will let you know what she says.

Not quite sure what to do, but appreciate the support and input!!!

[Laurierace]

If she is going to be in the stall for a day or two the ground should have time to dry up. It will be fine, but I would still be looking for somewhere else or having a heart to heart with the BO.

[Dr. Doolittle]

If she is going to be in the stall for a day or two the ground should have time to dry up. It will be fine, but I would still be looking for somewhere else or having a heart to heart with the BO.

Laurie, they are already in (the hunt comes through the property on Thursday, so she keeps them in), which will mean that she will have been "in" from 4:30 last night until sometime late Friday--or Saturday (or whenever she turns her out for the first time)--and will have a TON of pent-up energy! She also RUNS. And has no issue with jumping out of the pasture, apparently.

It will be cold and windy, which will NOT help matters...

IF we weren't getting ALL this rain overnight, I wouldn't be nearly as concerned.

I need to get through this weaning stuff before addressing the "other issue", but I plan to.

[JB]

I would not remotely be thinking of weaning in weather conditions like that, sorry.

What a foal does of its own accord isn't necessarily any indicator of what he's ready to be forced to do. Foals wander off and leave mom all the time - it was their idea, they know they can go right back. That doesn't at all mean they are ready to be in a forced separation situation.

So, just because she's 6 months and jumped the fence and left mom doesn't automatically mean she's ready for weaning. If you want her to be ready, it will work because it's done safely all the time, but there's no way I'd do it with impending wind and rain. Exactly that sort of weather, combined with a pending vacation, is why mine wasn't weaned until 8 months, with no harm done on either side.

[Zu Zu]

Trust your BO ~ this is her method ~ she will modify the 'event' if need be due to TERRIBLE weather ~

Jingles & AO ~

ALL will be FINE !

* perhaps stop coth reading til tonight *

[Dr. Doolittle]

I would not remotely be thinking of weaning in weather conditions like that, sorry.

What a foal does of its own accord isn't necessarily any indicator of what he's ready to be forced to do. Foals wander off and leave mom all the time - it was their idea, they know they can go right back. That doesn't at all mean they are ready to be in a forced separation situation.

So, just because she's 6 months and jumped the fence and left mom doesn't automatically mean she's ready for weaning. If you want her to be ready, it will work because it's done safely all the time, but there's no way I'd do it with impending wind and rain. Exactly that sort of weather, combined with a pending vacation, is why mine wasn't weaned until 8 months, with no harm done on either side.

This! ^^^

I have been texting back and forth with the BM. I expressed my concerns and said I was extremely uncomfortable with the weather situation, so she will postpone.

She said "after the Holidays" and "when she has time", but I suggested the middle/end of next week since the weather pattern will have been in place for awhile and will have settled down, and after this rain comes through we will have 6 days of dry, sunny, cold weather. The ground will have a chance to dry out.

January is notoriously unpredictable, and I think we should take advantage of this brief period of weather stability, but she said "TBD", and "when I have time", so I guess things are still up in the air.

[kealea31]

I am very sorry you are going through this, and I hope it all goes well for you. I would never let a barn manager sedate one my horses for any reason, unless it was done under veterinary advise and supervision.
FWIW I wean by the signs, and have never had an issue. I always put the foal in with another foal of similar age/size, or leave it with my old mare, who is turned out with the mares and foals after they are about a month old.

[Zu Zu]

Great news ! Now you will have time to address the other concerns !

Honestly !!! I was Jingling my head off ~ this scenario was not anything I would be comfortable with in many regards ~

JB's post ~ three thumbs up !!!!

Please know I was simply attempting to keep YOU, DR. calm as it seemed like this 'event' in this manner was a done deal ~

Plan ahead !

PHEW !!!!

[Dr. Doolittle]

Thanks everyone

I am breathing a sight of relief, but of course this is a temporary respite since it's simply been "postponed"; I can start worrying again shortly.

If we wean "by the signs" we missed our window for this month, and it will be WELL into January before it's the right time again, I don't think it's wise to wait until the worst weather month of the year (statistically.)

Ideally we should try to do it during a spell of DRY, stable weather (since it's only going to become *less* dry and stable in January), but it is still up to the BM. Next week would be a good choice IMO--and maybe one of our last shots before we start getting snow and ice??, and I will bring that up again when I talk to her today.

[Fairview Horse Center]

Any possible way of putting mom and baby out with the group of foals for a week, and then just remove mom? It is always so, SO much easier on the foal & safer to wean if nothing changes in their lives, except for mom being removed.

[Kadenz]

Am I the only one who is wondering if the BM has *really* had much success with this method? It seems....unnecessarily difficult. I guess I also wonder why this foal has ONLY been with her mother. The whole situation makes me scratch my head, honestly.

[siegi b.]

This BM sounds like one in this area whose barn I visited and she proudly showed me this contraption where the new-born foals were strung up by their hind legs for a few minutes in order to "release any fluids in their throats"!!!! And yes, she had foaled MANY that way.

Putting the mare and foal in with the four weanlings for a week or so makes the most sense. Then you can just remove the mare and the foal will have company it already knows. Jumping the fence doesn't mean the foal is ready to be weaned - it could have just gotten startled. Go by weather, footing and company for the about-to-be-weaned foal.

Good luck!

[Fairview Horse Center]

This BM sounds like one in this area whose barn I visited and she proudly showed me this contraption where the new-born foals were strung up by their hind legs for a few minutes in order to "release any fluids in their throats"!!!! And yes, she had foaled MANY that way.

That is totally horrible!

[Nootka]

This BM sounds like one in this area whose barn I visited and she proudly showed me this contraption where the new-born foals were strung up by their hind legs for a few minutes in order to "release any fluids in their throats"!!!! And yes, she had foaled MANY that way.!

OMG WTf!? that is insane!

[rosebudranch]

Dr. Doolittle.. I swear if I had my own place I'd tell you to bring them there, but alas I don't.. And the place I'm a is probably even farther from you. I'm horrified at your experience. Ill be keeping my eye out for places for you.

[Dr. Doolittle]

Just got home so will respond to those who suggested putting mare in with the foal herd. First of all, I HIGHLY doubt that BM would go for this, and secondly, my mare is a nasty Alpha. I don't know whether I would trust her with other horses--even babies--in the same field as her *precious baby* (yes, she is still in love with the filly and NOT a disciplinarian, go figure ), and I would NEVER want (even potentially) to put other people's foals in any sort of jeopardy.

I told my BM all about this beforehand, and she was able to accommodate me with private turnout for the two of them--another reason I moved them there.

After the filly is weaned, the mare will go to another barn on this property, and BM will *try* turning her out with two passive, retired broodmares in a huge field. With luck the dust will settle and the pecking order will be established early--if not, BM has lots of fields (and T/O options), so we will figure something out.

(My mare has been turned out with passive geldings in the past, she runs the show, they tuck their tails between their legs and submit happily, and all is fine

Thanks so much, rosebud--you are too kind!

And siegi My BM is not Batshit CRAZY, thank goodness!! She is not a bad person or a nutjob, and takes good care of her animals.

She just has "her own way of doing things", and there is never any compromise or feedback allowed. (She knows everything.)

[crosscreeksh]

Any possible way of putting mom and baby out with the group of foals for a week, and then just remove mom? It is always so, SO much easier on the foal & safer to wean if nothing changes in their lives, except for mom being removed.

This!! I never wean "cold turkey". Never in foul weather. Never sedate!! I separate during the day for as long as it takes for BOTH mare and foal to be unconcerned. Then do the final separation by the signs. This year the mare voluntarily went out the gate to the other mares, the filly out the gate with the other youngsters and neither made a peep or acknowledged that the weaning had begun. Each evening they would come to their respective gates and meet in their stall for their grain...no hysterics or even mad nursing!! Peaceful weaning is the best!!!
Sounds like your BO has more of a personal schedule that horse/weaning experience!!! Best of luck!!

[Dr. Doolittle]

This!! I never wean "cold turkey". Never in foul weather. Never sedate!! I separate during the day for as long as it takes for BOTH mare and foal to be unconcerned. Then do the final separation by the signs. This year the mare voluntarily went out the gate to the other mares, the filly out the gate with the other youngsters and neither made a peep or acknowledged that the weaning had begun. Each evening they would come to their respective gates and meet in their stall for their grain...no hysterics or even mad nursing!! Peaceful weaning is the best!!!
Sounds like your BO has more of a personal schedule that horse/weaning experience!!! Best of luck!!

Yes, this sounds ideal

I have asked the BM (a few times) whether she should try some gradual, trial separations before the actual weaning--but she said "No. This will work fine, don't worry. I've done this many times before."

End of story.

You're right about the personal schedule thing, she has a TON of clients and horses to care for, and simply doesn't have the time to spend on any ONE horse by prioritizing its needs--even though she only has 4 foals under her care (not including mine) at the moment. However, this one particular milestone is *very* important in a foal's life, so one would think that it would take a bit of priority!

Frustrating, to be sure, but she "has my horses hostage", so to speak (and they are getting decent care otherwise), so there's not a lot I can do about it...

[RyTimMick]

This is just so disturbing to me, yet so simple to resolve. Horses know how to be horses, and operate in a herd. Create a small herd by introducing 2 more horses to the mare and foal. In two -3 weeks remove the mare. Its that simple. No drugs, no hysterics, no magical days of the year, just plain horse sense. Weaning on our time is not a natural thing, but one that has to occur for the most part. So make the rest of the process as normal for the foal as possible. Let the herd take care of the foal, they know how to do it.

I turn my mares and foals out with the herd in about 3-4 weeks from weening. Around 5 months later (after inspection) I pull the mare away. Its that simple. It shouldn't be this stressful for you, or your horses.

Tim

P.S. Gradual weanings work, but aren't neccessary and just prolong the process.