Parting is such sweet sorrow. Breaking the mom-baby bond can be painful or painless, depending on how you do it. There are many ways to wean foals, but a method in which the foal can make a gradual adjustment to being apart from his dam or herdmates is often the least stressful. There's no best way to wean, however, because many factors enter the equation, including health, age, and temperament of the individuals, as well as facilities and management time.

Abrupt Separation

Foals in the pen The traditional way to wean on many farms has been to put foals together in a pen and remove the mares. This works best if mares are taken far away, to another farm if possible, so the foals can't hear them. Foals should remain in a familiar place, as they will be less likely to injure themselves and won't come into contact with new pathogens while their immune systems are compromised by stress