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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 923
 
Location: Flo-rida | What is the best age to wean a foal? I personally like to wait until they are 6 months. But I am buying a filly (born June 6th) from a lady (contract with deposit, balance at weaning) and she is pushing to wean her early. I just received an email stating that she wanted to wean Oct 1st and asked my opinion. IMO- I think that is too soon considering that she will also have to endure a 3 hour trailer ride back to Fl when I pick her up. As a buyer, I want the filly to get the best care/start possible- but I can kind of see her point of view as well in wanting to move the filly and get the remainder of the money ASAP... what do you think? |
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 The One
Posts: 7998
  
Location: South Georgia | In the halter and pleasure industry, 3 months is most common. |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | i do mine at 6 months...i wait as long as i can......mine are usually born may-ish and i wean in november-ish .........
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | I like 6 months myself, but there is others that do it at 3 months.
I'm guessing this will be her first trailer ride by herself, 3 hours is a long time for a just weaned baby, hope that you get to have a older horse to ride along with her. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1355
| I like 6 months also |
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 Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | I wean early. My colts are ready and so is their mama. I weaned last year at 4 months, and this year's colt at a little over 3 months. Both babies and mama are totally fine.
This year's colt was away from his mama for a week before the new owner came and got him. He was on a trailer for about 13 hours. He did great. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 923
Location: Flo-rida | I would like to pick her up on my way back from a trail riding vacation at the end of October. she will be one week shy of 4 months then, and there will be 2-3 other horses in the trailer. If I drive up first of October like she wants, it would just be the baby in the trailer. |
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 Expert
Posts: 4625
Location: Desert Land | I wean between 4 - 6 months depending on the situation. My may colt from this year was ready to wean at 4 months, but he had to have emergency surgery 2 weeks ago and developed ulcers from being at the hospitals and all the meds. So instead of stressing him out more, I am treating his ulcers and will probably wean next month. |
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  That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| http://www.equinews.com/article/effect-weaning-age-foal-growth-and-bone-density
This article talks about the difference of 4 months vs 6 months. Very interesting.
The conclusion: In conclusion, weaning at six months of age may provide little growth advantage over weaning at 4.5 months of age.
Edited by Whiteboy 2014-09-10 11:20 AM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399
| I take it as the situation changes. I mostly liked to leave on as long as possible up to 6 months. But if they are eating grain and hay just fine and are dragging the mama down then I wean earlier. Also if they are going to be a halter baby then it mostly 3-4 months. I think it all depends on the individual colt and if I can plan it for there to be another one to wean with so they can be together I try to plan for that as well. |
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Regular
Posts: 55
| If your mare is bred back, I think earlier like 4 months so she can start putting more into her developing foal. If not I would get as much help from her as possible on this years foal. But not longer than 6 months. It costs to keep a broodie so make sure she is getting you the maximum foal growth weather it be on her side or in her belly. |
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 Guys Just Wanna Have Fun
Posts: 5530
Location: OH | We wean at right around four months except with our matriarch mare---we keep an eye on here and if she strats to drop weight I'll pull the baby between 3-4 months. This year she has done well though cuz we have had so much moisture, grass is plentiful.
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| Typically we wouldn't wean until 6 months. This year I went back to riding the mare and was starting to haul her to local jackpots. I wanted to haul her to bigger runs, so we weaned the foal at 4.5 months and he is doing fine. |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | I've weaned from 3.5-4.5 months and next time we have babies I am going to try 5 months and see if that makes any difference. |
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 Shipwrecked and Flat Out Zapped
Posts: 16390
Location: DUMPING CATS AND PIGS IN TEXAS :) | Murphy - 2014-09-10 10:26 AM I wean early. My colts are ready and so is their mama. I weaned last year at 4 months, and this year's colt at a little over 3 months. Both babies and mama are totally fine. This year's colt was away from his mama for a week before the new owner came and got him. He was on a trailer for about 13 hours. He did great.
Same here. |
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 Coyote Country Queen
Posts: 5666
| I wean in the 4-5 month range. Had to wean one early this year because he was growing way too fast. He had a buddy and he handled it fine. My other baby will go a little longer this year because she was born early, lost her momma, and got really sick. She is on a nurse mare, and honestly could have been weaned at 4 months no problem, but I just feel like giving her that extra time is the right thing for her. |
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 The Color Specialist
Posts: 7530
Location: Washington. (The DRY side.) | All of my babies over the past 20+ years have been weaned between 4 and 5 months. If the filly in question was foaled June 6, she will be close enough to "4 months" on Oct 1st (just a couple of days short. She will be 16 1/2 weeks old.)). You would be better off hauling her ALONE rather than with several other horses in the trailer. If she is alone, you can just turn her loose in the trailer. She has more chances to get hurt with adult horses that she doesn't know in the trailer with her. 3 hours isn't a "long haul". She will be fine.
Edited by RacingQH 2014-09-10 3:44 PM
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 Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338
Location: Georgia |
We just weaned our filly at almost 5 1/2 months. Our vet recommended 6 months but I was ready for them to be seperated. Filly is eating grain like a pro so she is set to go. I would make sure the filly you are buying has been on grain so the transition away from mom wont be too stressful.
Edited by Runninbay 2014-09-10 4:16 PM
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 Keep those crap slapping tails away!
Posts: 8871
Location: Around here somewhere... | I wean on an individual basis, typically 5-6 months. This year I'll wean around 4-5 months unless something happens. I once waited until 9 months to wean before, not ideal but there were no ill effects on dam or foal, and I have purchased several horses weaned at 4 months- I have no problem with it as long as the foal is ready. |
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Keep those crap slapping tails away!
Posts: 8871
Location: Around here somewhere... | 3 hours is not a long haul. The first baby I bought, we hauled her for 12 hours and she traveled like a champ. We did not unload her, but did offer water at every stop and stopped for a few extra minutes every time we got gas. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2258
| Mine are usually 4-5 months it is rare to have one weaned at 6 months. I like to have them off the mare and settled before our winter weather hits. I just think it is easier on them to not be stressed and trying to stay warm. I think they do just fine at that age. I had to wean a couple at 3 months and they did great maybe better than the ones still on the mare. |
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 Living on the edge of common sense
Posts: 24138
Location: Carpenter, WY | All the mares were over this spring so it will be about 4 - 4 1/2 months for us. Like to get them weaned and mares settled before the cold weather happens. Supposed to get snow tonight already.
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What is the preferred age to wean a foal??