# Weaning at 4 months????



## Meangene1975 (May 29, 2013)

Is weaning a colt at 4 months to young? Is there any pros or cons to this? I am looking to buy one that will be weaned at this age


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

I weaned my mini mare's filly at 4 months and she suffered no ill effects. As long as he is eating and drinking on his own and is being giving nutritious feed there should be no problem at all. Make sure he gets to be turned out with other colts or an older 'nanny' horse though so keep him from getting bratty.

Mare milk actually starts losing its nutritional value at 3 months.


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## Kayella (Feb 11, 2012)

My colt was weaned at 4 months and is doing fine almost a year later.


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## MyLittlePonies (Mar 15, 2011)

Normal weaning time is 4-6 months. Nothing wrong with 4 months as long as he isn't tiny size.
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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

4 Months is pretty normal depending on the health of the foal and dam.

All my babies are usually weaned by 4 months with no issues


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## CLaPorte432 (Jan 3, 2012)

Milk nutrition drastically decreases around 3 months of age. Therefore the foal isn't getting the majority of its nutrition from the mom anyways. I weaning a foal at 3-1/2 months with no problems.

my filly will be weaning at 4-1/2 months (or whenever the 5th stall is completed.) And i have already started the process by seperating them a few times a week.
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## ButtInTheDirt (Jan 16, 2011)

I weaned my filly at four months without consequence. Prior to being weaned she already knew how to tie and lead, which made things much easier in the long run. She was put in with a buddy gelding during the day and in a stall alone at night for the first month. Now she is back at my place, and all of our horses run together, including her dam, so she stays separate. I hope to get her out with the others when she is a bit more substantial. Her dam isn't really attached to her and treats her like just another foal. Takala is submissive to her mother, so I don't think she'd try nursing. That wouldn't be an issue, but many of my other horses are quite a bit overbearing.


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## Merlot (Sep 12, 2012)

I keep saying this and I'll say it again -it is not so much about the milk but about the mental affect of weaning a foal too young. IN my opinion a foal should never be weaned before 8 months. I know I'll get flack for saying this and I don't care. The foal at 4 months is still JUST A BABY. Would you take an 8 year old child off his mother even though he's no longer drinking milk??? They don't wean in the wild toil the next foal comes along around 12 months later. 
Now you can all shoot me ;-)


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## smaile (Sep 21, 2010)

Around here nobody weans their foals before age of 6 months. Really never - this is the first time in my life to hear that someone is weaning their foal at this young age on purpose. 
Anyway, I can see no reason why people should take their 4 months old foals away from their mothers only to replace the milk in their menu for chemical supplements - also that must be more costly. And after weaning at 4 months, you still have to wait 3 more years for riding your little one, so there is just no reason to try to hurry things up.


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## Meangene1975 (May 29, 2013)

I haven't had anything under 2 since I was a kid. My dad was old school an pulled them off at 9 months. I am trying to purchase this horse and they want me to come get him at 4 months.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

I always wean between 4 and 6 months. The boys get gelded just after weaning, unless they have stallion potential. 

Nancy


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

It depends entirely on the mare and foal. For example:

My BO had a mare that had an "accidental" foal, the previous owner said she was breifly pastured with a stallion, but nothing happened. Well, come august there was a little filly on the ground. she was the mares first, and though healthy was small. her growth was slower than it should have been, but the mare kept her weight fine, so she was weaned at 7-8 months, and could have stayed longer.

Two years ago my BO's best brood mare had a colt. he was big, strong and independent from day 1. by three months he rarely was seen with his dam, and he was so rough with nursing that she started pushing him away. her weight was also going down, being drained by the little monster. he is now a healthy, well socialized, 16hh 2 year old. he was weaned at 4 months.

some foals need to stay on longer, some are ready to go at 4-6 months. some mares really suffer with nursing older foals, especially if bred back, while others have no problems. it all depends on the situation. It would be foolish to pull an immature foal off a healthy mare, just like it would be ridiculous to keep a large healthy foal on a weak mare longer than nessesary.

and for those that talk of mares in the wild, if you have a mare with a foal at her side, who is bred back and is having a hard time, dropping weight, either her milk will dry up, forcing the foal to fend for itself and/or she will abort the fetus and/or she will be too weak to survive the winter, taking her unborn fetus with her and potentially jepordizing the chances of the current foals survival through winter. An owners forcing an early weaning, while not the most natural thing, is sometimes nessesary for mare and foal health.

to the OP, I have bought foals that were weaned at 4 months, and known many others. my current 3 year old was one of them. some have harder times than others, but out here it is very rare to find breeders who wait longer than that. The foal will be fine.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

We wean between 6-8 months depending on if the mare is bred. It makes a difference I find in their state of mental health or can IMO. The one I have that was weaned early (between 3 and 4 months) has issues shall we say. He's a great horse but somewhat insecure.It takes twice as long to convince him he won't be eaten. I've handled several close kin and while certain traits are more pronounced the insecurity isn't. I always assumed it was weaning early that did that. Make sure he has an old aunty to keep him mannered and socialized as well as mothered.


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

QtrBel, I've owned 2(that I know of) weaned between 3-4 months, they were both super quiet, trusting, well socialized horses. The only one I know of that was wonky from early weaning was a filly who's dam was put down when she was a month old, she was bottle fed with a goat for a companion and was always a little weird.

I think early socialization has more effect than weaning time.
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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

I would never wean a foal before 6 months and I prefer later. The last 2 foals were weaned at a year old. 
Domestic horses usually have access to better quality feed than a mare in the wild.
I can not understand the rush to wean at so young an age.
I agree with merlot weaning at such an early age is unnatural and cannot be without some developmental disadvantages. Both physically and mentally. Shalom


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## Merlot (Sep 12, 2012)

Tell them to sodd off Meangene, no foal should be weaned at that age - terrible emotionally for both the foal AND the dam.


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## Merlot (Sep 12, 2012)

Just another thing while I am on this and my blood is up - I note that foals weaned early ALL go through that potty stage - much like bottle fed lambs. Don't tell me they're not getting nutrients they need from the mares milk - foals that stay on the mare longer all look great - no pot bellied stage at all.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Merlot I agree about later weaning. The babies learn so much more from their mommas. I've seen too many brats that were weaned at the 3-4 mo. age.


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## SnowCowgirl (Jun 3, 2010)

We always let ours wean naturally or else the following spring. So babies were between 9 and 12 months. We generally only did earlier if the mare was having trouble keeping weight on
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## kassierae (Jan 1, 2010)

I have said it before and will say it again, there is NO ISSUE with weaning young. I have never, ever in my life seen a foal have emotional or physical issues when weaned at 3 1/2 months or so. We have had some weaned earlier, some later. There is no real difference in the horse. Sometimes it just is not ideal to keep the foal on the dam.
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## Merlot (Sep 12, 2012)

Oh dear Kassierae, weaning at 3 1/2 months is appalling. What is the point of that?Poor poor foal and his poor dam.


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## goneriding (Jun 6, 2011)

I guess every situation can be different. I am not a breeder but I have bred, my choice was to wean at 5 months. Mama was showing signs of being somewhat tired of having baby on her. I wished I had another weanling at the time but it was what is was and she(baby)was fine after a week or two.


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## kassierae (Jan 1, 2010)

Merlot said:


> Oh dear Kassierae, weaning at 3 1/2 months is appalling. What is the point of that?Poor poor foal and his poor dam.


Poor foal? How about poor mare was getting dragged down so bad she was nearly emaciated and she was getting all the hay she could eat, supplements for weight gain and a high quality grain, she'd been vetted, the only issue was the foal literally sucking the life out of her. And guess what? That baby became one of the best horses I've ever known. People also do show their weanlings in hand, and frankly it doesn't really work if you've got a baby screaming his head off for his dam. I've never, ever known of weaning early causing any lasting issues. And I've been around a lot of mares and foals.

Eta: My Shetland mare also self weaned both her foals by 4 months. She wanted nothing to do with them after that. So yes, it does happen naturally.
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## Kayella (Feb 11, 2012)

Like everyone has said, it depends on the mare and foal. I see no problem weaning at 4 months. The weanlings you've come across that are badly behaved is because that's how they were raised. My baby went straight into a field with two other geldings who were the best babysitters. He's still with my pony, who is still a great babysitter. My yearling is better behaved than 95% of the horses I've come across because I expect it from him. I'd say his level of respect is pretty dang good for going through the "horror" of being weaned so early. It's not about when they're weaned, it's about HOW they're managed after they're weaned that makes the horse.


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

There are plenty of studies that prove when animals and humans are separated from their mothers at a very early age they do not develop socially or emotionally as well as those at a later age.
I have raised calves on bottles and orphaned calves at a couple of months of age. They do not fit into the herd enviroment as well as those allowed more time with their mothers. They are lacking the herd mentality if you will. They mature much slower emotionally and mentally . I have seen this many many times.
I see no reason why a horse should be any different.
He may bond closer with a human but that is unnatural in itself.
There will never be a foal weaned here any earlier than 6 months and it will see and smell its dam during the process and reenter the herd in 6-8 weeks.
They readily join up with their dams and continue the bond until sold. Shalom


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## Merlot (Sep 12, 2012)

Good for you DHBarabians - I salute you 
Shalom


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## CessBee (Dec 6, 2008)

I weaned Piper at 8 months, I probably would have even waited longer, but Cess was having real trouble keeping weight while still producing milk, so we made the decision to wean.

The weaning method can also have a very big impact on stress levels, we had little choice but to abrupt wean, due to not having the right facilities to do the whole over the fence weaning, we got in a companion about a month before for Piper to get to know and then (coming up two weeks ago now) we loaded Cess into the float and brought her over to the grazing, not a problem at all was had. Cess had had enough of Piper being there all the time and Piper was pretty much independent, now she just gets bossed around by the big standardbred gelding we brought in haha and Cess is nicely settled in close by and liking the quiet life and has already started picking up condition, even though we are coming into winter.


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## Meangene1975 (May 29, 2013)

The owner agreed to keep till he is 6 months on the mare,but when I pick him up he will be put in field with 3 mares and gelding. Is that tough for him mentally to not have other babies around.


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## CessBee (Dec 6, 2008)

I wouldn't say it'd be too stressful for him to not have other babies around, he has company at least, which is the main part. The older horses may even provide more of a calming effect.


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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

As long as he has companions arou d him he should be fine. Just make sure where youre going to put him that theres nothing too dangerous or broken down that he could hurt himself on if he does get stressed.

I weaned my colt at 4 months and stuck him with a 3 yr old tb and a 24 yr old arab gelding with no problems.


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## Meangene1975 (May 29, 2013)

I really don't even want to buy him. I just would have to mortgage the house to buy him as a 2 year old. I hate feeding 2 years before doing much. Then at Least 3 more years before I would stand him to breed


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

Meangene1975 said:


> Is weaning a colt at 4 months to young? Is there any pros or cons to this? I am looking to buy one that will be weaned at this age


There is nothing wrong with weaning at that age. I know a great local breeder who will usually wean at that age. What you have to keep in mind, is the size of the foal and how well they are growing and looking. If you have a fine boned, weak looking foal than it might not be a great idea to wean at that age. 

If you are unsure on how your foal is doing, then have a vet come out to do a quick health check and they will let you know how the foal is doing.


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## rbarlo32 (Aug 9, 2010)

Most foals up here are weaned at about 4 months and so have all the ponies I have bought in so far, they are all happy healthy perfectly normal ponies. Also most ponies get weaned up here at 4 months because the weather is brutal and it is hard enough on the pony with out lactating for a foal. Prince was weaned at 4/5 months old spent the winter and spring in with the boys and then when gelded went back in with his mum, he was fine. Vicky will be weened some where between 4-6 months depending on how things are going closer to the time then will go back in with Mara when she has dried up, I have never heard or seen a pony with problems socializing due to being weaned at 4-6 months and two of the ponies that I bought from an auction were taken off of their mum the day before the sales.


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