Gunner is weaned!

[maggie]

and it was the easiest weaning I've ever known.

I brought Mum out and left Gunner with his Aunty Kia and (doesn't want to be) Aunty Matilda. This is how much he cared



couldn't even be bothered to say goodbye! No wonder we call him Horrible Henry

So, got Mum tucked up inside with a feed and plenty of hay, then went back to see how he was doing



At least he had the good manners to turn towards me when I called.

Got on with some jobs on the yard, in earshot of everyone. Mum called a couple of times, but he never responded to her. Went back in half an hour and was he fretting?



er......no.

I've been out several times this afternoon, he's too far away from the gate across the field to let me get any photos, grazing happily.

I don't usually wean until after Christmas and not so young either, I had Plan B, C, D AND E sorted out to try to cover all weaning eventualities, so today's been a bit of an anti-climax - not that I'm complaining.

[carolinec]

Well I suppose it's better than him calling for his mum all day. It seems he's going to be a very independent, confident chap

[DalesLady]

What a good lad....he has always seemed very independent of his mum when I have seen him. In fact I don't think I have seenhim with her yet

[Fi]

brilliant story, what a confident boy.

[harveydales]

Glad it was such an untraumatic experience for all concerned!

[cassey1988]

How great! Nice to have such an easy going foal.

Aren't they usually weaned later?

[DalesLady]

Lots of people wean at this time of year Cassey, but sometimes foals are weaned for the benefit of the mother. If the foal is dragging them down its done to give mum the best chance in the winter to recover.
I have personally always read the mare to see whats best and have weaned foals from 6 months up to 14 months in one case where the mother was doing rather too well

[cadeby]

We'll be weaning this week-end. Hope mine all take it in their stride like Gunner has. Clever lad

[DalesLady]

They will Helen, you have the advantage of a few together. All the best for it though, I always hate weaning time

We bred two at the same time one year and it kind of worked to plan; just got delayed by a certain monster called Apollo who split his eyelid open just before we were to geld him, before we weaned so it would be less stressful. We ended up letting him get over that and delayed his gelding until Spring because it got too cold to do it, so poor Aster had him all Winter and consequently Rhythm kept Misty much longer than anticipated too. When we came to wean them next Spring, they walked away without any problems. Rhythm was distraught (for an hour or two) and Aster, as predicted, breathed a huge sigh of relief!

[DalesLady]

BTW, Apollo's eyelid healed perfectly, can't tell.

[tinkerdorisalison]

What a good boy - Aunties are good for something!

All ours have seemed to breath a sigh of relief at weaning time....

[cassey1988]

Ah I see, thanks for the info. I'm am SO not used to keeping foals, just grandma lawnmowers