Weaning

[tinastephenson]

Thanks jap. We have just been chatting about it at home now. The way our place is set up means lot of work but more to the point money to make barn secure fir her

So what do you think of this idea? If we turn calico and apache who is gentle gelding straight into field on their own. Rooney who can be balshy will be in adjacent field on his own.

It means though I can catch her up everyday but would not be able to bring her indoors until all horses ready to be turned out together.

What di you think? Is it ok for foal to go straight out?

[jap]

is your fencing secure if she tries to get out. They soon forget, we have weaned pedro two socks last week, he has never stopped eating. Is somebody going to be around in case there is a problem.At least the foal knows you and when you feed etc.If she is quite calm i would go for it.

[tinastephenson]

It is a big field and two sides are fencing plus good high hedges one side is new fencing but the fourth side is electric to break field up
Calico likes a good canter when she meets new horse but usually sensible otherwise
Do you think electric ok?

[jap]

does the foalie know electric fencing already, if so cant see a problem as long as it is on.

[tinastephenson]

Electric would be on but she has no experience of it yet

[jap]

is there any way she can experience electric fencing before the move.she wouldnt know what it is so may well walk through it, get a shock as well as just moved.its quite alot together.also she may run with it attached and get lots of shocks as well as letting the other horse in.it would be better if she knew it bit and respect it.we have a strand of electric wire on the top of all our fences so the foals soon learn about it.

[tinastephenson]

Thank you jap for all your sound advice. We have decided to remove electric tape across field for now.
There is not the opportunity to get her used to it before as farm has none.
This will give the two of them a good size field and Rooney can go in paddock next to them
Hopefully this should sort the problem . Still not looking forward to it but bit happier about situation
Will let you know what happens

[tinastephenson]

What a fiasco!! Cali refused to load. Three hours we tried using every thing we have ever learnt from Richard Maxwell...
Did not want to use force and have problems forever so left the weaning for another day.
Following day she went straight on grrr
Going to take it slowly and try again in few weeks. Would rather have her happy on there and sorted for life
Don't you just love the little darlings

[Debbie]

how stressing!

How are things going with her weaning?

[charliefar]

Hi,
I had a similar problem a few years ago. I had a welsh mare and a colt foal but they were my only two and only had one field so couldn't wean properly until he was eventually sold. I got around the problem by doing the following.
- I would bring them both in together and then tie one up and put the other in the stable (usually the foal) and shut the top door.This was just so he didn't try & jump out. I'd then play with Tilly , brushing etc and take her for a little walk around the farm. Not for long just 2/3 mins in the beginning and increased it over a few days. In the end he always knew she'd be back so stopped shouting and Tilly didn't mind at all as long as there was grass involved on her walk.
- When the difficult decison was made to sell him I did trailer practise with them both for a few days in a row. I'd let him follow Tilly through the trailer but never put them in together.I didn't want him thinking that it was somewhere mum should be. I then would ask him to go 1st and straight through and then go 1st and stand whilst I gave him a treat of some sort, not for long tho only a few seconds at a time.
- When the fateful day came. I pulled him out of the stable and through the tears loaded him up straight away, partions and all and tied him up. He went straight in and travelled the 1st ever trip in a trailer. When he got to the other end (it wasn't far) he was so excited to see all the others he totally forgot about Tilly.
She was fine too when I got back, she neighed for a while but not long. I spent some time feeding her and then put her back to the grass.
I'm sure it will work out but I fully appreciate how hard it is. Take a deep breath the day you decide to move her, have everything set up ready to go have only a few selected helpers organised and that know what you want them to go ie ramp up, door shut etc before you even touch the horses and go for it..If its any consolation I didn't sleep for a week before either.

Good Luck I'm sure you'll be fine ;D

[tinastephenson]

The day started well and Cali loaded like a true pro. Sweated up a bit on the journey but otherwise no problems at all.
Unloaded and led her quietly round for a bit then let her go and put Apache in the field as well. All lovely for couple of hours
Did not see what happened but Apache started chasing Cali and biting her. Not just once or twice to put her in her place but flat out galloping and cornering her!!
As I was running over she tried to jump the fence and got her knees stuck between fence and barbed wire!!! Shoulder is all cut. She let me help her then galloped off again with Apache chasing her
Once I got into field she came straight over and virtually hid behind me!!
We got Apache back into the next field which he shares with Rooney so poor Cali is now in a field on her own. Not a good way to be weaned.
Rooney is very terratorial and not sure if she wandered too close to his fence for Apache liking. Scared to try them again in case we get repeat. She was so scared and sweat dripping off her but it probably won't do her any good being on her own either

[tinastephenson]

Finally we have peace....
After over a week of greetings of a sort over the fence I decided to risk it again. I want Cali to learn to be a horse and not be too dependant on me...
Apache was let back in with Cali with both Paul and I standing at the ready, headcollars in hand and nothing happened
Quite a few days further on and Rooney seems to have accepted his lot being on his own, Cali and Apache seem to be getting on well. He puts her in her place now and then but she needs it.
She still comes cantering over the minute I walk into the field but if I take a grooming brush in she stands rock solid and seems content to wander off after ten minutes or so. So so relieved.
Next question is, how long do you need to keep them apart before she can go back to farm where Charity is kept? I cannot keep her here indefinately unfortunately....

[Debbie]

No ideas how long to keep them apart, but I would think more along the lines of a solid 3 months. I'd want her to learn as many 'how to behave like a horse and not the alpha either' lessons as possible before going back. Some mares will begin to put the yearlings in their place, but others will not and you've got a brilliant opportunity for her to learn.

I'm so glad its finally worked out with Apache as the babysitter

[heathera]

I know some people who put them back together after four weeks but my personal opinion is that's too soon.

I left Tola for three months and she still tried to suckle when we put them back together, thankfully Rose gave her a, "No WAY" boot and Tola never tired it again.

[tinastephenson]

I think we will leave it 3 months then and hope Charity does the same..