Weaning is one of the most stressful experiences in a foal's life. The method and timing of weaning significantly affect both foal and mare welfare, with gradual and social approaches producing the best outcomes.
Weaning stress is welfare-relevant and manageable. The acute distress of abrupt weaning — foals galloping fence lines, calling continuously, unable to settle — is a recognised welfare problem that many producers accept as inevitable when it is not. Group weaning, gradual weaning, and fence-line contact approaches all reduce acute stress while achieving the reproductive goals of weaning. The foal's social environment post-weaning matters significantly — isolation worsens stress responses, while being weaned in the company of familiar foal companions provides buffering. The investment in welfare-positive weaning has production benefits: better immune function, maintained growth rates, and less stereotypic behaviour development.