How can i make this situation better for him?

[SpottyTB]

seabsicuit2 - please don't, i wouldn't have it this way but i cannot avoid it now. They are bringing him to me as my lorry is off the road and even if i did hire a box.. he would still be leaving his mum and going straight into a box/trailer.. so its the same difference.

[crabbymare]

Seabiscuit, i have had a lot of foals delivered this way as far as I know its very normal in Europe to deliver and wean this way and its very rare that there is a problem. foals either travel loose with a breast bar and no partition or if they have travelled before they are in a partition and are tied as long as possible but just short enough that they cannot turn round. its suprising how well they take it and they rarely arrive sweaty which is more than can be said for some of the older horses!

[itsmylife]

Originally Posted by seabsicuit2

Am I the only one who thinks that this method of weaning is complete utter madness- it's just asking for trouble and severe accidents and its a very unkind way of doing it.

I agree, not only will he have the huge stress of leaving his mum, but also a journey in which he will be terrified.
There must be a better way.

Can he not be weaned first at the stud, stay there for a few weeks then come to you.
Im sorry I know its not your choice but surely there is some other way

[SpottyTB]

No he can't be weaned at stud, it's a private breeder.. They have 4 fields (all next to each other) and that is it. No where or way to wean him I'm affraid..

I can't win obviously and I'm worrying but have now had several pm's from people telling me to not worry - so will just have to hope he arrives in one piece.

Thanks for posting!

[AdorableAlice]

He will be fine, just make the transport safe and remember foals will go for light, so if you have windows on the box black them out.

I bought an RID colt and picked him up in a trailer from the stud, simply lead the mare on and then off the front, keeping baby on, all 15h of him.

Hour and a half down motorway, not a peep, he travelled loose in a good deep straw bed, he turned and faced the rear. Backed box to stable and waited for him to unload himself, (he had not been halter broken or touched).

Obviously he was nervous but ate up over night and I spend 2 days in the box with him getting him settled and haltered. He was no trouble at all.

Stop worrying about it, look forward to having him and enjoy bringing him up, youngsters are great fun.

[seabsicuit2]

Well it's your foal and therefore you should have control over how it's weaned, not anyone else.

Please please don't make the mistake that I did when I was in a similiar situation,which was to trust the stud and the mare owners. I should never have listened to them but they , and several other people assured me that all would be ok. I bought this young mare that had a foal at foot& did not want to buy the foal,&the owners persuaded me that the best way to wean would be to walk the mare onto my lorry and leave the foal at the stud shut in a stable.
The mare panickedin the box frantically trying to get back to her foal& and very nearly killed herself. Spent two weeks in hospital attached to a drip recovering from severe shock and several huge gaping wounds all over her legs, rump, and hindquarters.
8 months later and a huge amount of physio and vets fees later I eventually had her sound and happy enough to break in and ride. She was going very well and was very sound for about a year then gradually over time her old injuries seem to have caught up with her& she has been very lame and broken out in the field for the past 3 months. I don't know what to do with her now. Of course the insurance has excluded everything so I can't claim on insurance to investigate anything.

I would do anything to turn back the clock and not make that same stupid , stupid mistake again. I put my trust in people that i thought knew best. Yes it's the mare that got damaged not the foal, but it could so easily have been the other way round. I have lost a very special and talented young horse.

[HBM1]

Originally Posted by seabsicuit2

Am I the only one who thinks that this method of weaning is complete utter madness- it's just asking for trouble and severe accidents and its a very unkind way of doing it.

I know of one case where this happened, foal was unloaded and they tried to put her in a dark stable, she created and it didn't end well. This may be "protocol" for some breeders, but I would never wean my babies like this. I really hope all goes well for you Spotty. Please do remember though that YOU are the owner of this foal and YOU should have a say in what time he or she arrives and how it is done. You have paid your money and deserve to have the foal delivered in a way you feel comfortable with. Do ensure it all happens in daylight if they really cannot do a better way.

[Clodagh]

spottytb - just don't turn him out too soon, better a day too late than too early in this occasion. I thought Piper would be fine, same field (I took the mare away and they were apart overnight anyway) and put him out after one night with his companion, who he had lived with for months. I think partly companions fault as he missed the mare as well and they galloped themselves to a standstill, no harm done but I was lucky. They are safer in a safe stable! Make sure the bars aren't too far apart that he can get his feet through.
I'm sure Maesfen will answer again but I'm sure she said foals can't eat beet, I never fed it to Piper.

[Maesfen]

You do have to wonder how they planned to wean the foal if they hadn't sold it.

FWIW, I'm only a very small breeder with very few fields but I would never let my foals go before they had been weaned at least a fortnight if not longer and I can't understand anyone willing to risk accidents by doing it this way; you expect it of dealers and the like but not experienced breeders of decent sporthorses.

[SpottyTB]

It is happening in daylight and actually we've agreed that i don't pay until he's with me safe and sound (deposit fully refundable if he is not as i have seen him on prev occasions).. the stable he'll go into will have lights and he will have company on both sides..

I cannot change this, they can't wean him any other way as they haven't got enough land to do so. All i can do is make when he GETS TO ME as good as possible - which is why i posted this post . I haven't got a lorry on the rode at the moment and even if i did.. it would be the same difference (just my lorry and not there's...)

I should add that when we saw Hugo about 3/4 weeks ago, he tried one and off for about an hour to feed and each time she lifted her leg to him and wouldn't allow it. In the end he got the hump and walked off with his mates and the other mares up the field and left the mare down the bottem.. Breeders did say that she has a habbit of weaning foals of herself when she's in foal again.. so i assume thats what she is doing.

Please, i can't change this, i'd just like advice on making things nicer for him when he's actually WITH ME and all paid for...

thank you