As you can imagine the weaning process can be very stressful for both mare and foal but this stress can be minimised when a little bit of extra care and time are taken.
The ideal scenario is when the foal has had sufficient handling while it is still running with it's mother to learn to wear a headcollar, eat grain, be in a confined space and confident of being touched all over. If you've already done this, that's great.
On the day of weaning, we walk mare and foal into our covered lunging ring and then walk mare out, leaving the foal by itself in the 2m high walled, 25m diameter ring with a plenty of hay, feed and water. Obviously there there are a few tears shed by mare and foal but both mum and babe generally settle very quickly once out of earshot of each other particulalry if the weanling has had some Pre-Weanling Handling (see below).
Once the physical separation has taken place, the mare is either transported back to your property immediately, or is taken to a paddock well away from the lunging ring area.
Once the foal has accepted the separation process we begin the handling education. At the end of the Flat Fee process your foal will have learnt to lead, tie up, be washed all over, wear a cover, have it's feet handled and trimmed by the farrier, be paste drenched. We also prepare them for branding and microchipping as required. We enjoy taking photographs so you'll be given some complimentary candid snaps of your youngster at the end of it's education.
We charge a Flat Fee for this Service which takes approximately two weeks or "as long as it takes" for the youngster to settle and learn the above lessons and that humans can be trusted.
The weanlings are fed on a special weanling diet and will spend time by themselves as well as with other youngsters so that they learn to socialise. We aim to turn out happy and relaxed babies who can be safely sent home because they are happy to be handled but stil able to relax and have fun.
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The ideal scenario is when the foal has had sufficient handling while it is still running with it's mother to learn to wear a headcollar, eat grain, be in a confined space and confident of being touched all over. If you've already done this, that's great.
On the day of weaning, we walk mare and foal into our covered lunging ring and then walk mare out, leaving the foal by itself in the 2m high walled, 25m diameter ring with a plenty of hay, feed and water. Obviously there there are a few tears shed by mare and foal but both mum and babe generally settle very quickly once out of earshot of each other particulalry if the weanling has had some Pre-Weanling Handling (see below). Once the physical separation has taken place, the mare is either transported back to your property immediately, or is taken to a paddock well away from the lunging ring area.
Once the foal has accepted the separation process we begin the handling education. At the end of the Flat Fee process your foal will have learnt to lead, tie up, be washed all over, wear a cover, have it's feet handled and trimmed by the farrier, be paste drenched. We also prepare them for branding and microchipping as required. We enjoy taking photographs so you'll be given some complimentary candid snaps of your youngster at the end of it's education.We charge a Flat Fee for this Service which takes approximately two weeks or "as long as it takes" for the youngster to settle and learn the above lessons and that humans can be trusted.
The weanlings are fed on a special weanling diet and will spend time by themselves as well as with other youngsters so that they learn to socialise. We aim to turn out happy and relaxed babies who can be safely sent home because they are happy to be handled but stil able to relax and have fun.
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