When to wean

^^ Not necessarily, Normally the mare is ready to get rid of the foal and will start kicking it away when it starts to nurse. Sometimes you don't have a choice when to wean if the mare is done, she's done. Especially if she has been bred back.

I just weaned my two a couple of weeks ago. Maggie my black filly was 6 months old and Caddo my spotted colt was 41/2 months old. He did just fine. But I agree if you can hold out till Griffin is at least 4 months then that would be your best bet. This is just a suggestion I would mark your calendar for the first weekend in April. That will put Griffin at 41/2 months. He should do fine. Caddo did. The horses are from left to right. Dee Maggie and Cutters dam, next Maggie 7 months now, third is Caddo 6 months now, finally is Cutter Maggie's full sister. She is a 3 year old.

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Oooo Caddo is very pretty. I may steal him, good thing he's weaned

As you can see from the variety of advice, there are many opinions on the best time to wean. You CAN successfully wean as early as 2.5 months, as far as the foals' nutritional plane and physical development, if you know what you are doing, but for social development I agree with the post-ers that advise to leave the foal with mom for 5-6 months or even a bit longer, if the mare's condition is OK.

That said, your younger foal will probably be fine at 4 months weaning with his 6 month old buddy, as long as the younger foal is not significantly smaller and/or getting bullied away from the feed by the bigger, older foal. Your idea about taking away the older foal's dam and leaving him with the other mare and foal for awhile is not a bad idea actually, as long as the other mare is not agressive toward him, and he has the opportunity to get plenty of feed-- a sturdy "creep feeder", designed so that the foals can get to it but not the mare, might be helpful.

I also wanted to clear up the statement,

>>> horses loose the ability to digest milk around 3-4 months.

That is not exactly true. Horses can digest milk even as adults. In some countries, they even feed milk to mares who are raising foals. Mare's milk DOES start to gradually decline in quality after around 2.5-3 months, but it s a GRADUAL decline, and is still beneficial to her foal for months after it has passed its nutritional peak. For the older foal, the benefit in staying with mom is mostly social-- the foal learns horse behaviors and gains security and confidence from his dam.

Ok, thanks for all the information :)