Is a 4 month old foal too young to wean from it's mother????

Question

Is a 4 month old foal too young to wean from it's mother????

Answer 1

5 or 6 would be better. Our mare weaned her own filly at 4 months - basically mum went "no more milk, get away!" and so we had to wean them. Personally, the filly would have been better to stay a month or two more but we had no choice.

Answer 2

absolutly. They are doing studies at the moment that show wild equids don't fully wean until 3 years. This just isn't practical for domestic horses but I wouldn't wean any earlier than 6 months but preferably leave the foal with mom until 9 months or a year. It doesn't do mom any harm and benefits the foal. You should also mix the mare and foal in with other horses. Preferably unshod ones but it lets the foal play and learn horse etiquette.

Answer 3

I had to do one at 3 months.  A rescue i got was way thin and i need to get the weight on her and the vet said go for it, the baby is monster huge and has been eating fine on his own.  I do turn him out next to her so he still gets a little milk but he isn't sucking on her all day.  He knows when its time to go to his stall he follows you, he is a good baby ")  

Answer 4

Not really. Six months is the standard, but if you have some reason for needing to wean this foal earlier, it can be done. If you're able to wait until 6 months though, it would be better.

Answer 5

No-any where from here on in you're good to go.

Answer 6

no, if you leave it much longer, he might start biting his mum's t***s and she will reject him. then if hes not weened properly then he might have trouble drinking and you dont want that.

i would wean him now, 4 months is a good age.

Answer 7

Some trainers today are weaning as early as 4 months. Its usually done between 4 and 6 months though.

Its up to you, but if you are in no hurry, wait til 6 months. The extra two months of milk will be good for the foal.

Answer 8

4 month is a good age to wean the foal. Weaning can take place between 3-6 months depending on the foal. But four months is probably the most common time to wean the foal.

Answer 9

Six months is ideal, but if there is some reason that makes it imperative to seperate the two, four months will work, try to get the colt eating well before you do it though, he will probably already be eating on his own anyway.  When you do seperate them, put them where they don't see, touch or smell each other...no visiting for either of them, it's easier on the colt.  Spend some time with the colt, give him a chance to bond with you, he will be looking for something to bond with.  

Answer 10

4 months is fine to wean a foal, I plan on weaning my colt at 4 months. He is already independent and eating grain with his Mom and grazing much more than he drinks. He's only 2 1/2 months right now.

From what I read the nutrition in the dam's milk begins to decline after 3 months.

Answer 11

That  is very young. I have been breeding horses for 20yrs. I wait until 6 mo. Unless something is wrong with the mare or foal.  The mares milk is the perfect food for your foal. In the long run it is healthier to let them nurse longer.

****edit*****

BornEventer is WRONG!!!

Answer 12

I'm sure it's been done, but I wouldn't wean before 6 months.  

Answer 13

Nope - not too young.  You can  wean any time between 3 and 6 months.

If you show the mare or the mare has personality issues that you don't want passed on to the foal (vices like cribbing or seperation anxiety) - the foal should be weaned closer to 3 months.

So, if you have a reason to wean it now - by all means, go ahead.  If not, it's perfectly okay to leave it until closer to 6 months.

Best wishes!

Answer 14

I wouldn't say it's too young but most people wait until the foal is 6 months old before weaning.  I suppose it varies from breeder to breeder.

Answer 15

It is done at that age, I have bought weanlings at horse sales that were just 3 months old. I like to wean mine later than that.

Answer 16

I would not separate any of our babies from their mothers at four months.  Even if they are eating on their own long before the recommended six months, we see no benefit in separating them that early.  Babies will often develop ulcers when they wean and will usually lose some weight, there is no need to unduly stress a young foal.  

Babies get their first teeth right about 2-3 weeks so the concern is not that they will bite their mother's teats.  If you have no real reason to wean early, I would hold off on doing so.

Answer 17

nope but supplement it with calf manner..you will fine that the mare and baby will be a lot better off

Answer 18

Personally i wouldnt wean at 4 month, 6 month is the best age to wean at! That the sort of age where the mother will naturally start weaning her young.

But i'm sure its been done, its up to you!

xx

Answer 19

in the wild horses dont wean there foals until they are 8 months to a year old, so i would say wait until he/she is 6 months old at least