How long does it take for a weanling to get over separation from mum?

Dark Storm

Well I'll be a Krampus's Auntie! :D!
Jan 4, 2009
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Hadfield
I just want to know from other people's experiences how their youngsters have coped with weaning. The foal my youngster shares field with was weaned a month ago, and is still very unsure of himself. One of the liveries, is perhaps showing too much concern over his well being, as worries his owner isn't giving him enough attention.
I always though there is such a thing as over handling, he is only 6 months, and time learning to be a horse should be spent with horses shouldn't it? He is well handled, perhaps a bit boisterous, and very playful with his owner.
At that age, my youngster had only just learnt to wear a head collar, and accept human contact, having been wild for the first 5 months of his life. This foal has been handled from birth, and his owner loves him.
At that age, is there only so much she can do, apart from what she's already doing? He's used to the farrier, which is more than I can say about mine, as he can be funny with his back legs.
He lets her touch him all over, yes he does kick out from time to time, but he gets a fair reprisal for it. He backs up when she asks him, although she nearly got crushed recently when he was still with his mum.. hence weaning now.
I think he couldn't have had a better weaning, no stress, his mother's happy to do this, she hasn't fretted at all, just carried on as normal, he hasn't outwardly fretted, although it must have been hard.
 
If the baby is still on the yard as mum it takes a little longer. We've just weaned one on our yard where his mum was still at the same yard. It took about 2 months, now she is part of her own herd and isn't bothered about her mum. It helped that baby was living with some friends too so that she had other horses she knew (like nanny mares).

By the time foal is weaned I would want to be able to catch her, put a halter on and lead. The kicking seems a bit worrying but it sounds to me like he's scared and doing it as a last resort. He needs confidence work if anything, just doing nice things such as grooming and spending lots of inactive time with him and building up from there.

Some horses outwardly fret but others will worry on the inside (hence why I think he kicks). Just give him some time and patience and he should be fine.
 
The foal does seem very quiet, perhaps a bit subdued at times, When the concerned livery says he looks sad, this is all just separation from mum, this is still adjustment to it?
He seems to perk up when in play, he's not getting overly involved, and yesterday I put my older horse in for the first time, as he's only ever had his mum to play with. my big 'un is good with youngster, young enough himself to still join in, but old enough to say enough's enough.
I get a lot of comments that my youngsters very bold and brave, he has no fear when it comes to play, I think some people find his play a bit rough and tumble, but boys can be boys? He is still a colt, but hasn't fully dropped yet.
His manners are in place, He just needs an older horse there to remind him:rolleyes:
I've brought him up in a way that suited his needs, he never plays up when being led, or groomed. I did this all in his own time, and found that sometimes a slow pace is better than being rushed, as days after having his head collar on, he was walking out on the lead rope, eating hay out side his stable for the first time, and starting to relax in my company:)
I want the foals' owner to have the same happy experience, every achievement without the help of other people, is priceless, however small. I was once told myself, I don't do enough with my youngster.. so how come he's made better progress than those who have had their education rushed?
 
Exactly, people have to remember that they are only foals and need to be treated a little differently to older horses. Foals need to learn how to be a domestic horse from scratch and all though they are good learners they still have to learn it all.

I would get the owner just to keep an eye out on the foal over the next few weeks. If his depression continues then I would speak to a good vet to make sure he has no medical problems that could cause it.

It all takes time. A mummy and foal's bond is one of the strongest a horse can make next to pair bonding. So hopefully he should pair bond with your boy or even better his owner. Could you encourage his owner by taking them both out for walks or to groom and make pretty?

When we had a few youngsters at our farm at one time. I had a 3 year old just backed and a 2 year old and there were several foals and a few more youngsters. We used to lead them all out to the pub and long rein the older ones side by side along the lane. It was great fun and got them all out and about together. There's plenty of fun you can have with a young horse whilst incorporating a little training.
 
My youngsters half brother has been pushed through his education. He was gelded last April, and rears up on the lead rope, and is very highly strung, jumpy and nervy. He was very different when he first arrived, and I thought he'd become very good to handle. Yes, his owner had him in a head collar within two days, but had more time on their hands, and would spend hours, interacting with him.
My sessions, were 20 mins - 40 mins, short but sweet, and it took 3 weeks to get his head collar on. But he was such a nervous foal, terrified only begins to descibe how he was. Never in 5 months had he been touched by a human hand, and this being in a stable was all new to him, as he'd lived out with his mum and other mares & foals.
I'd muck out around him, talking to him, and slowly getting close enough to scratch his bum (he loved this:D).. I managed to gradually get closer to his head, until one day, when the little monkey got into the back place and started to help himself to his hay, I had no choice but to get help to get his head collar on.
It took 45 mins:( my friend did the getting head collar bit, I was worried it would set us right back if I did it. He was real panicky, had a really worried tense look on his face (tight lipped, whites of his eye's showing). Once done, he was left to calm down.
Things improved 10 fold after this, as mentioned above, he was leading within two days and standing out side stable, I just wish I could have had a few more days, and all of this business with the head collar could have been avoided:(
 
Our lot never notice mum has gone, but a foal, no matter how weaned, will not be the same as an older horse.

I find they go through stages. The might be a bit shy up to 18 months old, they then come out of their shell. Sometimes they don't become really sure of themselves 'till 2 and beyond. It's not leaving mum, it's just being a baby.

Some are bold as brass the second their feet touch the floor. I prefer the ones who are horses first, the overly bold ones can be a bit.......how you say?.......precocious :D
 
When we weaned Inca she called for a few hours and then stopped (we then had to re-join them after 2 days as it transpired she was quite ill but had showed no signs and we figured she could do with some of mum's milk) so when we did it again Puzzle called for her quite a bit more, but only for a few days and Inca really wasn't that bothered at all - she was always a very independent foal though, never hung around mum much!
 
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