Moving Mares and Weaning Colts

Sunday was a big day and we did accomplish alot! After the cows were finished, we moved the Mares and weaned the colts. Again, it may not sound like much, but it is usually a very difficult task.

We stopped at the house and the guys tightened their cinches and I haltered the stud and hopped on the 4-wheeler. We then went looking for the mares. Our mares are kept behind the house in a 160 acre pasture. As expected they were at the far corner of the pasture. Koda (our stud horse) followed the 4 wheeler great and we went back about 100 acres and finally saw the mares. Koda was very excited! He was still respectfull and we circled and started heading back to the house. The mares spotted him and came at a run.

I wish someone else had been helping and could have taken pictures because it was quite a sight. Imagine 30 Mares and Colts at a run following you. Manes flowing behind them, some playing and bucking, and horses playing tag. It was beautiful!!

We crossed the creek, 5 horses wide and made it up to the tricky part, the gate.... You see, after we go out this gate, there are no fences. We have to go thru a small paddock and cross the road to try to lead them into the corrals. Beau and Branden were on their horses bunching the Mares together and trying to keep up.

A short tenative pause at the gate on my part, and out we went. 30 horses went out in the open. They followed me well across the road and right into the pen!!! YEAH!!! WE DID IT!!!
You see, usually this takes at least 8 people to block the road and help funnel the unbroke mares and colts into the right pen. Not anymore!!

Then we slowly started sorting mares from their colts. This is a very trying and traumatic thing for some of the mares. The don't want to leave their colt, or any other colt alone. Even though they are only separated by a fence, they still don't like it. All of the sorting went well, with only one small cut on a colt.

Today (Tuesday) the colts are still upset and not eating. This is not good... I put a couple of old geldings (they got out of their pasture, another long story) in with the colts to teach them to eat from the Hay bale. This should help them to get more comfortable with eating hay.
We will sell half of our colts, so if you are interested in foundation bred Quarter Horses keep stopping by my blog and you will see pictures as I can get them.

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy my stories from the Ranch!

Remember, we still have a couple of Beef Shares available and we will customize them to fit your family. http://www.localharvest.org/blog/24259/
Shanen : )