The impact of common weaning practices and some of their alternatives

February 06, 2022

The impact of common weaning practices and some of their alternatives

Artificial weaning has been shown to be one of the most stressful events in a foals life, often with the abrupt separation taking place when the foal is between the age of 4 - 7 months. While this is common practice, it is also a serious welfare concern which more and more equine behaviourists and behavioural scientists are discussing. Comparatively, natural weaning has shown to induce minimal to no stress to the dam or foal, and BEGINS to take place at around 9 - 11 months of age, if the mare and foal are set up with the appropriate environment and depending on if the mare is pregnant again or not (Weaning happens earlier in mare/foal pairs where the mare is pregnant, and often later when the mare has only the one foal.). A foal up to the age of 7 months suckles once per hour, and at 8 months old is still suckling approximately every 2 hours and continues with this routine until weaning, which begs the question, 'Why do we separate young foals from their mothers when they are still so dependent on not only their milk for nourishment, but also the comfort that suckling brings.'

Most often artificial weaning is abrupt, taking the mare and foal (who is still highly dependent on mum) out of sight and hearing range of one another - this ruptures their bond and their individual sense of security, while also creating nutritional, environmental and social changes, and challenges for the foal.

Most modern day reasons for this process is to benefit humans, more than it is to improve equine welfare and wellbeing (illness of mare or foal aside). Early weaning is used (and abused) to shift the foals focus from other horses to humans, or to make more profit quick. Of course, there is also the lack of understanding on the topic, and it's all to easy to follow the 'this is what we've always done' club, especially when it is the majority of people who are doing it this way, rather than stand alone in our knowledge and ethics. I have been responsible for being involved in abrupt early weaning before I knew any different - But now I do, I hope to help other people learn about the impacts it has, and the more ethical, and sensible alternatives.

Common observable behavioural responses in foals during artificial weaning include:

- Increased vocalization of long-distance whinny calls

- Pacing / fence or box walking

- Increased defecation

- Increased risk of injury (most common during the first 48 hours of separation)

- Increases in aggression

- Reduced play

- Redirection of suckling behaviours towards other animals / humans (due to frustration)

- Altered sleep patterns

- Altered eating patterns.

These are most visible over the first two to three weeks after separation. Hormonal changes also take place, along with increased heart rates, reduced immune response and declined growth rates. Early weaning has also shown to be a significant factor in the early onset of stereotypical behaviours (crib-biting, woodchewing, lignophagia and locomotive stereotypies such as weaving or box-walking for example.).

On the opposite end of the scale we have horse-led weaning. When left to their own devices the weaning process is gradual and often spread over a few months, and actions that lead to the weaning are spread between the mare and the foal and doesn't happen until the foal is older than 9 - 11 months of age (or older if the mare doesn't have another foal). However, here weaning refers to the nutritional aspect of the process, so how long baby will consume mum's milk - rather than the social aspect.

The social aspect of weaning is again, a more gradual process, but when provided with an adequate social group the foal will develop bonds with other horses, and widen their circle - depending less on mum, and more on their 'group'. Even in cases where foals are being abruptly weaned, they would benefit more from being with mum in a group where they can build confidence in socializing, than they would simply living with and relying solely on mum alone.

The rate at which foals will wean varies and is impacted by varying factors such as genetics, experiences, but all will benefit from a more gradual weaning process.

When we abruptly take a mare and foal away from each other nobody is set up to thrive expect the humans - Mares exhibit similar behavioural responses to the foals in that they display:

- Increased vocalization of long-distance whinny calls

- Pacing / fence or box walking

- Increased defecation

- Increased risk of injury (most common during the first 48 hours of separation)

- Increases in aggression

- Altered sleep patterns

- Altered eating patterns.

We not only deprive the foal of maternal and social models, but also take away the mares ability to practice CARE.

Gradual horse-led weaning prevents distress and frustration. Even when done artificially, by gradually moving mum and baby away from each other - for example over a fence so they can see, smell, hear and touch one another but so foal can't suckle - benefits are seen compared to abrupt options, in fact unlike the endless list of negative consequences above, when weaning gradually in this way there were significantly fewer signs of physiological or behavioural changes . HOWEVER, once finally separated, the same pattern as with abrupt weaning occurred, bringing the conclusion that the benefits weren't consistent or long lasting enough to improve the artificially designed situation.

So, what are the alternatives?

- Breeding facilities to allow for natural weaning through reducing numbers of mares put in foal.

- To ensure that mares and foals have access to broader social groups so they don't become solely dependent on one another.

- To begin handling / positively training the mare and foal so each are relaxed being handled and seeing the other being handled.

- To gradually begin activities with the mare and foal independently when the foal reaches around 8 months of age.

-To begin social 'weaning' later - when the mare and foal are both EMOTIONALLY prepared (no earlier than 9-11 months of age)

-Consider genetic and environmental differences affecting the foals dependence on their mother.

- If your horses have all of their needs met, then trust the process.

- Utilise habituation and help prepare your foal for the world early on.

- Only separate your mare and foal gradually - as you would when working with a separation distress case, when the foal is truly old enough (and independent / confident enough) to begin spending time away from mum and other horses in their group - This stage will be reached by each foal at different times depending on their individual traits.

- Act with empathy. Just as you wouldn't want your own child taking away without reason, your mare finds it distressing also. Just because our horses can't speak the same language as us, doesn't mean they can't experience similar distress, panic, insecurity or fear. If you wouldn't want to go through the experience, please don't put your horse through it. <3