Absolutely awesome approach to horse psychology Warwick. I’ve watched many of your videos and I believe you’ve taken Monty Roberts philosophy of horsemanship to another level. Excellent work mate! Australia 🇦🇺
Looks like a great plan, and makes perfect sense. Definitely less traumatic for everyone involved than way most folks do folks approach it. He sure is a handsome boy! Thank you! ❤️🌵☀️⛈️🌈☮️🐎
Almost identical to process I used for years except I didn't have as much room. Set up 5 pens, put 2 good buddy foals in center, dams in individual pens, one on each side of foals. Started by feeding mares/foals at adjoining spots along fence between them. In a day or two, made separate hay pilesin middle of pens and a day or two later moved mares to pens on end of row so there was an empty pen between foals and their dams. Another couple days and mares went back to fields and foals into large corral and next pair started weaning. Foals already halter trained as well as tied, feet handled, trailer loading and some had even gone to local shows ( without mom) so some separation was already accepted.
We're doin it pretty similar to your way. May I just suggest in the future that you start with leaving the foal in it's pasture / with it's friends and take the mare out into the neighbouring pasture? Even less stress that way..
Thank you for yet again, a great and informational video about weaning. I am a novice to caring for the little horses and was questionning how I would go about weaning my first filly. It seems like near where I live most like to wean the foals arround 3-4 months of age. The general argument being that it is hard on the mother to wean later? The setup I currently have allows my foal to get in and out of the dry lot her mother is kept in for medical reasons and it appears my filly is happy with the current arrangement as she is able to socialize with horses in the pasture. Her mother does not seem to mind seeing her exit the enclosure. 😂
This is an ideal setup for weaning. I have never owned property so had to board or lease out my mare for foaling, which meant limited options. Her first foal with me had a quite untraumatic weaning, even though the setup wasn't ideal, because (a) the mare was ready to wean the foal; (b) the foal already had an extremely independent personality and would often leave the mare (quite a long distance) to explore or socialize with other horses; and (c) we had a compatible buddy for the foal. The mare is an "out of sight out of mind" horse...it's actually more traumatic for her if she can see the foal but can't get to it--even though when she was with the foal she was fine with it going off to explore. But she's completely calm if separated and can't see the foal. (I expect this is rather unusual.) So in this case we took the mare to a paddock out of sight of the foal and her buddy. They called to each other three times...and that was that. They both settled down to eating within minutes, with no sign of agitation. But I realized that this was changing more than one thing at a time, and it worked only because of the particular personalities of the mare and foal. If we'd tried to wean earlier or the filly had been less independent, it would have been traumatic for sure. What's funny is that as a yearling and two year old this same filly would jump fences (cleanly!) to get in with her friends, but was quite unattached to her mother.
Many don’t seem to realize that a slow weaning is also easier on the mare. When milk production gradually lessens, there is little physical discomfort for her. With a foal suddenly weaned, the pressure of a full bag of milk has got to be painful.
I don't know if you will read this, but if you do. Would you consider donating a training session with Kory at Horse Plus Horse Rescue? He has spoken out about following you, and I know he tried to follow your methods, but lately he's reverted back to the old school training, and it would be so nice if he could get some help and guidance. Especially since they have a foal, and I expect that it will be suffering with trauma from training, if something isn't done.
Can folks who help support the rescue chip in with a 1 year online course for him? I think asking Warrick might be a bit unfair to put him on the spot online.
I have zero experience in breeding…Wouldn’t there be a natural foal/mother weening at a certain age anyway? Surely the mother would start to kick off her foal when the time is right teaching the now colt or filly that “it’s time to grow up”. Is there any truth to this?
Yes. A ranch whose videos I like breeds quarter horses with the band of mares and a stallion in a BIG pasture method. The mares are ready to kick their kids out by late summer (they are soooo ready!) when the foals are well able to feed on their own. The mare needs to fatten up for the coming foals. Because their handling happens with their herd (8-12 mares + foals + stallion) or in groups of foals they are amazingly calm about haltering, being tied and weaning because they have their buddies near them. Being separated by humans ensures that the now pregnant mare isn't stressed by a demanding offspring, and that the weaning isn't accompanied by kicks to the ribs from the mom.
@@audreye7078 I understand the need to teach the young horse how to separate from herd without causing undue stress but weaning seems like something we could well leave alone.
@@pixiesplantation if the horse will stay with that herd its entire life, I agree.. But humans want to do activities and that means the young horse has to learn how to exist with humans, most of whom really don't understand how horses operate and we need to teach them how to be safe for humans.
I didnt wean my fosl ad i didnt breed mom until the june after foals were a year old last if april first if may they stayed home a d .oma went to the stud until she preg checked pos was realky stess free he awas already weaned and staing with his older brothervthat was 3 and ready to geld and start riding about a hour a day
Big fan of hearing about the principles being applied to various scenarios. Thanks!
Splendid pasture meadows and approach to the weaning process.
Love this! Everyone wins in this scenario and no one is traumatized.
Absolutely awesome approach to horse psychology Warwick. I’ve watched many of your videos and I believe you’ve taken Monty Roberts philosophy of horsemanship to another level. Excellent work mate! Australia 🇦🇺
Looks like a great plan, and makes perfect sense.
Definitely less traumatic for everyone involved than way most folks do folks approach it.
He sure is a handsome boy!
Thank you!
❤️🌵☀️⛈️🌈☮️🐎
Almost identical to process I used for years except I didn't have as much room. Set up 5 pens, put 2 good buddy foals in center, dams in individual pens, one on each side of foals. Started by feeding mares/foals at adjoining spots along fence between them. In a day or two, made separate hay pilesin middle of pens and a day or two later moved mares to pens on end of row so there was an empty pen between foals and their dams. Another couple days and mares went back to fields and foals into large corral and next pair started weaning. Foals already halter trained as well as tied, feet handled, trailer loading and some had even gone to local shows ( without mom) so some separation was already accepted.
Thank you really helpful. I’m going to wean a foal in a couple months. I like this easy process of yours
Great method!!!!❤
We're doin it pretty similar to your way. May I just suggest in the future that you start with leaving the foal in it's pasture / with it's friends and take the mare out into the neighbouring pasture? Even less stress that way..
Thanks for that WS
Thank you for yet again, a great and informational video about weaning. I am a novice to caring for the little horses and was questionning how I would go about weaning my first filly. It seems like near where I live most like to wean the foals arround 3-4 months of age. The general argument being that it is hard on the mother to wean later? The setup I currently have allows my foal to get in and out of the dry lot her mother is kept in for medical reasons and it appears my filly is happy with the current arrangement as she is able to socialize with horses in the pasture. Her mother does not seem to mind seeing her exit the enclosure. 😂
This is an ideal setup for weaning. I have never owned property so had to board or lease out my mare for foaling, which meant limited options. Her first foal with me had a quite untraumatic weaning, even though the setup wasn't ideal, because (a) the mare was ready to wean the foal; (b) the foal already had an extremely independent personality and would often leave the mare (quite a long distance) to explore or socialize with other horses; and (c) we had a compatible buddy for the foal. The mare is an "out of sight out of mind" horse...it's actually more traumatic for her if she can see the foal but can't get to it--even though when she was with the foal she was fine with it going off to explore. But she's completely calm if separated and can't see the foal. (I expect this is rather unusual.) So in this case we took the mare to a paddock out of sight of the foal and her buddy. They called to each other three times...and that was that. They both settled down to eating within minutes, with no sign of agitation. But I realized that this was changing more than one thing at a time, and it worked only because of the particular personalities of the mare and foal. If we'd tried to wean earlier or the filly had been less independent, it would have been traumatic for sure.
What's funny is that as a yearling and two year old this same filly would jump fences (cleanly!) to get in with her friends, but was quite unattached to her mother.
I currently have a very independent filly as well. Wondering how and when I should ween her. Thanks for your comment.
How old is the colt that is being weaned?
He's 13 months
I had the same question. Thank you for asking it for me.
Many don’t seem to realize that a slow weaning is also easier on the mare. When milk production gradually lessens, there is little physical discomfort for her. With a foal suddenly weaned, the pressure of a full bag of milk has got to be painful.
I don't know if you will read this, but if you do. Would you consider donating a training session with Kory at Horse Plus Horse Rescue?
He has spoken out about following you, and I know he tried to follow your methods, but lately he's reverted back to the old school training, and it would be so nice if he could get some help and guidance.
Especially since they have a foal, and I expect that it will be suffering with trauma from training, if something isn't done.
Can folks who help support the rescue chip in with a 1 year online course for him? I think asking Warrick might be a bit unfair to put him on the spot online.
Get Kory to send us an email warwick@warwickschiller.com we do special deals for people working at Rescues and Non-Profits!
@@WarwickSchiller I’ve never made any money on my horses, does that count as a non-profit?!
I have zero experience in breeding…Wouldn’t there be a natural foal/mother weening at a certain age anyway? Surely the mother would start to kick off her foal when the time is right teaching the now colt or filly that “it’s time to grow up”. Is there any truth to this?
Yes. Typically in a natural herd setting this is generally before the next foal is born.
Yes. A ranch whose videos I like breeds quarter horses with the band of mares and a stallion in a BIG pasture method. The mares are ready to kick their kids out by late summer (they are soooo ready!) when the foals are well able to feed on their own. The mare needs to fatten up for the coming foals.
Because their handling happens with their herd (8-12 mares + foals + stallion) or in groups of foals they are amazingly calm about haltering, being tied and weaning because they have their buddies near them.
Being separated by humans ensures that the now pregnant mare isn't stressed by a demanding offspring, and that the weaning isn't accompanied by kicks to the ribs from the mom.
@@audreye7078 I understand the need to teach the young horse how to separate from herd without causing undue stress but weaning seems like something we could well leave alone.
@@pixiesplantation if the horse will stay with that herd its entire life, I agree.. But humans want to do activities and that means the young horse has to learn how to exist with humans, most of whom really don't understand how horses operate and we need to teach them how to be safe for humans.
I didnt wean my fosl ad i didnt breed mom until the june after foals were a year old last if april first if may they stayed home a d .oma went to the stud until she preg checked pos was realky stess free he awas already weaned and staing with his older brothervthat was 3 and ready to geld and start riding about a hour a day
Capital "P", lower case "o", capital "T" ... (÷