Carlos D.
Well-known member
was wondering when a mare will wean her foal --if its just left on her
carl
carl
weaning
- Thread starter Carlos D.
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Gale Seddon
Well-known member
Carlos, I imagine a mare would eventually wean her foal on her own, I've just never tried it. We usually wean our donkey foals at about 6 months cause by then they are familiar with a little grain, love their hay, and don't really need milk. Actually, what I like to do is take the mother out of the group and leave the foal with the rest of the jennets as I think this is less stressful on the foal and the foal stays with a group of familiar pasture mates (unless it's a jack foal, which complicates things). Sometimes the foal will pull down the mare (in terms of her condition) and might need to be weaned earlier.
So, long story, but I think some mares will nurse as long as the baby wants to and others may get sick and tired of it...guess it depends on the particular animal and the conditions under which you're raising it.
So, long story, but I think some mares will nurse as long as the baby wants to and others may get sick and tired of it...guess it depends on the particular animal and the conditions under which you're raising it.
citygirl85
Member
I usually wean my fillies/colts when they aren't too interested in sucking on their mom's all the time. I just weaned two 5 month olds at the end of September because they were not sucking too much. It's personally preference. A lot of people wean at 5 or 6 months some people wean at 6 to 8 weeks. I've heard a lot of different times and it's up to you if you how long you want your baby on the mom or the mom letting the baby suck. That's a personal discussion.
Gale Seddon
Well-known member
citygirl85":3jnhk15r said:
I cannot imagine weaning at 8 weeks, let alone 6. Why? Unless there's some very good reason for doing so, the earliest I would wean would be 5 months. And I would only wean once the foals are secure with a little bit of grain.
If my mare is bred back I wean at 3 months, but the foal and mare has been on top quality feed and hay and grain with vits and minerals.... no alfalfa. If the mare is not bred back, still top quality feed, but weaned and 4 to 5 months.
Alan
Alan
Bons":255he9fw said:
I have 6 Quarter horses and Paints, and 1 TB, the TB is the only one that can handle alfalfa. It's like jet fuel to them, make them hyper and harder to handle. The TB is fine with it and helps him keep his weight up. I assume it's a metabolism thing, TB's being a hotter horse. I had my 4 yr old QH gelding on an alfala hay mix, he was blowing fire every time I handled him, he's on straight grass now and back to his laid back self.
JMO,
Alan
Bons":1srf36r0 said:
Sorry I gave you the answer to why I don't like alfalfa for horses. To answer your question, alfalfa can make the foal grow to quick and have leg deformities or joint problems. This is both pre birth and post birth, until they are developed and mature.
http://www.eques.com.au/breeding/foalfeeding.htm
Alan
Thanks for the info Alan. I'll watch my girls behavior and note any changes. Any man who has the good common sense to raise Herefords must know what he is talking about. My quarter horses are all Mares, King Ranch bred.
Carlos D.
Well-known member
Well Ive noticed that the foal is not nurseing anymore ,its about 6 months old so everything will be ok. Ill start halter breaking him this winter he sure is a beauty and very quiet.helps when kids play with them
carl
carl
citygirl85
Member
I have 2 QH, and 2 Paints, they are on alfalfa for the winter months. They are FINE. Sure they show extra fire but it's because I haven't rode any of them in over a year. It's just how much you ride them and how much you feed them. You don't feed them a bale or two a feeding you feed them either a flake or two a feeding depending on their weight management. I feed my four "bigger" horses two full bales once a day or every other day (depending on how the pasture looks), but all four of them fight over them so I'm not worried about them.
About foals, when I weaned my now 3 year old from her mom we gave her straight alfalfa, and she's FINE. She's tall, but those are her bloodlines. My two 5 month olds are on alfalfa and a grain mix and they are just fine. Usually grain will make them hyper and have piss and vinegar, never heard of alfalfa doing it unless it is really, really, really green.
I think it's just a personal preference, again. But I give them alfalfa to help get weight on for winter and to help them grow.
About foals, when I weaned my now 3 year old from her mom we gave her straight alfalfa, and she's FINE. She's tall, but those are her bloodlines. My two 5 month olds are on alfalfa and a grain mix and they are just fine. Usually grain will make them hyper and have piss and vinegar, never heard of alfalfa doing it unless it is really, really, really green.
I think it's just a personal preference, again. But I give them alfalfa to help get weight on for winter and to help them grow.
citygirl85
Member
I looked at the website that alan had posted on nutrition of horses. If you read the article, facts, whatever is under the headline, it talks about MALNUTRITION (over or underfeeding the horse). Read it! And another question, what do herefords and horses have to do with each other? Totally different animals.
citygirl85":1mwz4bv3 said:
Do you handle your horses everyday? or do they spit fire in the pasture, without you dealing with them? If you're throwing them a bale every day or every other day it doesn't sound like you handle them everyday.
Herefords and horses go together like peanut butter and jelly!
Alan
citygirl85
Member
No I do not handle my horses everyday. And no my horses and no "firing" in the pasture. They are normal typical pasture horses. They have a pecking order and if one tries to move up, the higher up horses show him/her whose boss. I can get on one of my QH and he will do whatever I want him to do. I can get on my barrel mare and she'll act a little wild but that's her attitude; she's been that way since the day I bought her. Herefords and horses are two WAY different aniamals. I do not understand how they "go together like peanut better and jelly."
Citygirl,
Maybe if you were a countrygirl you would understand peanut butter.... I'm just messing with you.
I raise Herefords and it was said to me as a freindly comment, don't read to much in it.
As far as alfalfa goes, horses can eat it just fine, but it is a lot hotter feed. I call it high octane, it does make a lot of horses hot. I just as soon not feed it, I handle my horses everyday and some of them get stupid on alfalfa. I have a 4 yr old 15.3, 1300lb QH gelding, on alfalfa he starts blowning fire and spooking at his shadow, on orchard grass is is laid back and mellow, great trail horse. They just don't pay attention to me as well. I'm getting too old to wrestle horses everyday. Now on the other hand if I was working a horse real hard, endurance riding, etc. I wouldn't think twice about feeding alfalfa, they burn off the energy fast enough.
I would never feed alfalfa to growing foals, way too big of a risk of growth develpoment problem, epiphysitis for one.
Just having some fun with you no offense meant.
PB&J
Alan
Maybe if you were a countrygirl you would understand peanut butter.... I'm just messing with you.
I raise Herefords and it was said to me as a freindly comment, don't read to much in it.
As far as alfalfa goes, horses can eat it just fine, but it is a lot hotter feed. I call it high octane, it does make a lot of horses hot. I just as soon not feed it, I handle my horses everyday and some of them get stupid on alfalfa. I have a 4 yr old 15.3, 1300lb QH gelding, on alfalfa he starts blowning fire and spooking at his shadow, on orchard grass is is laid back and mellow, great trail horse. They just don't pay attention to me as well. I'm getting too old to wrestle horses everyday. Now on the other hand if I was working a horse real hard, endurance riding, etc. I wouldn't think twice about feeding alfalfa, they burn off the energy fast enough.
I would never feed alfalfa to growing foals, way too big of a risk of growth develpoment problem, epiphysitis for one.
Just having some fun with you no offense meant.
PB&J
Alan
citygirl85
Member
Actually, alan, I live on a 160 acre farm in Colorado. I just used citygirl85 to ask a personal question about something and i know the person I was talking about is on here all the time so that's why my name is what it is. Anyways, I've always just feed my horses alfaha no doubt thought about it
citygirl85":17u3tnhm said:
No, it's not 'personal preferance'. It's knowing about horses, their dietary needs, and what is required to keep them healthy under any particular set of circumstances that the horse is dealing with.
Kind/how much feed depends on kind of horse, what you're doing with it,age,lots of different factors...If you have a pony for the kids,and they ride it weekends,it should not be fed jet fuiel.. Grass hay,minerals and good fresh water is all a weekend pony needs..A working pony,ridden after cows every day needs grain..
Carlos D.
Well-known member
Well winter has come and looks like it will stay -My horses will stay in the bush all winter we will have some days that get to
-40 degrees and they will get nice and furry,I will drop off a bale of alfalfa or brome or just ordinary wild hay they eat it all --do just fine on it. The only thing my horses dont like is timothy-(go figure) timothy is suppose to be the ultimate horse hay around here
carl
-40 degrees and they will get nice and furry,I will drop off a bale of alfalfa or brome or just ordinary wild hay they eat it all --do just fine on it. The only thing my horses dont like is timothy-(go figure) timothy is suppose to be the ultimate horse hay around here
carl
