Weaning Question?

Question

Ive heard that in the wild, some yearlings will still tag along with their moms, taking a suck or two... but in the domesticated life, how come horses are weaned before their ready too? it does seem cruel, but do they get over it, or will they become emotionally scarred?

Answer 1

There is no need for a weanling to still be nursing past 6 mths.  They are nutrionally able to live on their own, without milk.

Just because some mares in the wild haven't kicked the baby off like other mares... doesn't mean the baby has to still be on.

There is no reason why a colt past 6mths has to be on the mare.. unless you have one to offer.

Answer 2

Well  I know a wild horse, it's mother is 20 and the foal 16 and all it eats is milk. It still nurses and never ate any solids in his life! They get over it after a hour then begin to play with other foals!

Answer 3

It aint cruel...ITS just like your parents takin you off the Passifier LOL how ever you spell it... A foal past 6 months needs to be weaned...it doesn't hurt them and it sure isn't gonna scar them for life LOL! its nature aided by the human... just like fetilizing a garden (sorry i can't spell LOL) but i hope i helped

Answer 4

First we can supplement their feed so it does not induce the same hardship.

Second the longer the foal is on the mare the harder it is on the mare.  This leads to early calcium and other mineral deficiencies and accelerated aging.

This is why I will wean at 3 to 4 months typically if the foal is doing well and eating good.  Then I will supplement with a good quality 16% protein feed.

My stud was weaned even earlier at a little over 2 months and 3 weeks because he hurt himself and would not let me doctor him until I stalled him.  Unfortunately my stall at the time was not big enough for him and the mare.  Despite the early weaning he measured 15.2 1/4 hands last year as a 2 year old and now as a three year old he is 16 hh or maybe a little taller.  16 hand is big for almost any horse and for a fox trotter he is a giant.  He is over a hand bigger than either parent.

For those of you who haven't seen him, here is a pic.  

http://www.justwrightfarm.com/

Just click on Our Stallion.

Answer 5

they get over it pretty quickly because they start to have a lot more things going on in there lives like beging training

Answer 6

They are weaned early, compared to some other animals....they don't need as much nurturing time...they mature faster and become independent.

Answer 7

No they will not be emotionally scared.  Perhaps it will help you relate better to compare it to weaning a two legged child.  It is not good to allow human babies to nurse too long --It can be emotional unhealthy for them.  Also, there is very little nutritional value in the milk after 4 to 6 months --so there is no physical need to nurse.  

In the horse world the mare will put a stop to it anyway, if we didn't.  Every mare is different in their timing of weaning their foal, but they will all do it eventually.  

It doesn't take the foals long to give up nursing and feel OK about it.  They start focusing on other things instead, just like two legged children do.

So fear not -- they turn their focus to grass, hay, oats, corn, carrots and what ever else tastes good.

Just like you did when you were baby.  Are you emotionally scared? LOL  

It's just a part of life and you move on.

You ask a good question.

EDIT: Jeff Sadler is right about it can be hard on the mare.

We usually wean about 4 months.  It gives the foal enough time with the mare and not too much time.  They both come out a head.

Answer 8

If horses were emotionally scarred, we would have millions of messed up horses.....Oh we do!!! .LOLOLOL, A joke!!     They handle it just fine and actually they have a few days that they holler to each other but then its over. They actually do better apart and keeping a foal on a mare to long can actually cause  harm to your mare, especially if she very expensive and a quality broodmare. Foals get ruff, and play hard with mom when they get past 4 to 6 months, they can easily injure her or the other way around if a mare disciplines a foal she could hurt him/her. When breeding quality, expensive horses you want to take the necessary precautions to promote healthy horses.