Horse weaning = quite an experience

[Ginevive]

Well, yesterday we put the wheels in motion to wean our horses' foals. Emma and Cuesta are our mares, and it is time to wean this year's babies from them, and we did it the "cold turkey" method. Our friend came down, we trailered up the babies, and took them off to my friend's farm.
Back here, Emma and Cuesta did not take it well at first, of course. They were totally upset in their stalls, yelling and calling out; but eventually last night they cooled down, and are pretty comfortable this morning. This needed to happen; Emma is covered with cuts from her colt, Domingo, who was getting to be pretty rambunctious and always jumping on her, etc. And we wanted to do them both at the same time, so they'd have a familiar buddy to go over there with; Jenny put up a nice fuss too but now they are both at my friends' place, safe and sound. If we had tried weaning at home, it'd have been a disaster; our horse stalls only go about halfway to the abrn ceiling, and a determined horse could probably jump right over them. But the moms are now seemingly enjoying their newfound freedom, eating as much hay as they can consume.. but it was quite an experience for mark and I who have never really dealt with foals before.

[lillyorchid]

OH YEAH!

I saw a mare run straight though some hot wire fence (6 rows~about 6 feet high). Messed her up BAD! Cuts to the bone, etc. I could have really hurt her owners on now knowing a thing about weaning off a baby. The mare did make it, but she was stalled for some while and I know those two people were kicking themselves after doing that because of the vet bills.

[shhhli]

ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS:

http://cuppycake.ytmnd.com/

because i couldnt find the clean and funny I Love Horses, They're My Favorite Animal one...

;_;
but we all love gumdrop cuppy cakes yes?

I didn't know foals got so rowdy- I would think they'd play together more than tackle ma'

[Ginevive]

Ouch..
We opted to keep the mares inside their stalls for today; turned them out briefly to clean their stalls, and they were really getting stressed out for a little while; then they came back to the gate, and I figured I'd let them in. I am really sick and home alone till 9pm or so, and I cannot be out there trying to round them up if they jump the fence; not that they ever have offered to go through it or over. It is just safer this way, and it is unusually HOT out to boot, which means flies Everywhere out there, but oddly not many in the stalls. For some reason the blackfly population has gotten HUGE these past few days; there are even some of the little buggers in the house, antagonizing my feverish body! (100 degree temperature.. blech.)
They are both munching hay right now; I have a window open but haven't heard any neighing since I let them in.

[Laooda]

Congrats! Thats the best way IMO... Get them out of ear-shot... The mom's have eachother, and so do the babes... Most inportant! As for the fly prob. The BEST thing I've EVER used.. comes in a foil? wrapper, red/yellow w/ a fly on it. Can't remember the brand. It's red w/ yellow holes... Malerin type? Anywooo.. It's long 18 x 6? It's desighned to hang, but we found out by accident that if they are on the ground you can't keep the flys OFF! The first day we set one out... there must have been 9-10 cups of dead flys.. ***GROSS*** But it WORKS! Sorry your not feelin' well.. And congrats on the weaning!

[Ginevive]

Thanks! I love anything that kills flies.
I am a little worried about the mares now, being the concerned mama that I am They are both dripping milk and seem to be a bit discomforted about it. I wanted to let them out, but in the far corner of the field, they can hear/see our one neighbor's gelding and they kept thinking it was one of their foals I think; had them out a few mins this morning and they were going nuts. So I put them into their stalls for now; feel safer that way.

[Laooda]

They'll be REALLY soar for a while.... (Dripping) It's best if they can move around, but that doesn't over-ride safety! If you think they might try to get to the Gelding... I'd defientlly keep them up. Are you feeding Milk Plus of Calf Manna? Supliments like that promote milk (I'm sure you know that) But we'd always take the mares off their sup. while they "dry up".... I miss my horses... ***sigh*** They're at my mom's farm... I REALLY miss the way they smell.

[Ginevive]

We gradually started decreasing their grain ration, and now they are getting scantly a handful in the AM and PM; but we're winding down to no grain by tomorrow. They are just basically shifting around in their stalls now; not eating as much has as usual but nibbling here and there, and drinking normal amounts of water.
I hear ya about hrosey smells; and I also noticed that individual horses have different smells. Cuesta is a little more "spicy" while Emma is a bit "corny." Weird, but true!

[Freakie_frog]

It is true about how they smell different. Oh and Gin tell the people here which hurts worse a BP bite or a horse bite on the back of the thigh?? LOL

[Ginevive]

Ohh.. I never envied anyone who has gotten bitten by a horse! I can only shudder imagining that.. Cuesta cracked the top of a plastic pop bottle in her teeth once, instantly; that could be flesh.. bone.. argh.