Demi now running with the pack

Our last photos of Demi were the day before she was weaned from mum, Aldebaran Maori, along with her little paddock mate (also by Aldebaran Eagle, from Sundonna). Weaning refers to the stage of development where the foal has adapted to a diet of pasture and hard feed and can stop drinking the mare's milk. Some mares will 'dry up' naturally but others will continue to produce milk long after the foal requires it for full and proper nutrition.

Once weaning occurs, the mare and weanling no longer need to be kept together - this is particularly important with colts as they begin to mature. Foals under the age of one but able to be independent are then referred to as 'weanlings'; after their first birthday (all Standardbreds in Australasia have their birthday on September 1st) they are referred to as 'yearlings'.

Often a herd of yearlings will also include a 'nanny' - an older horse, either a gelding or an older mare - who can act as an alpha in the herd, and help hone behavioural norms. This clip on Twitter shows retired (and gelded) sire, Safely Kept, nannying a paddock of weanlings at Alabar (where Angel is based):

On our latest visit to Aldebaran Park though, Demi is now with a dozen other fillies in a large pastured paddock; she has her own 'squad' within the herd, other younger fillies who were introduced to the paddock around the same time, and including the filly she was in the foal paddock with. Her dam, Aldebaran Maori, was not in foal this year, but was due to be served the day we visited, aiming for another lovely foal in 2020.

The full Demi album is on our Facebook Page, these are a few of the updates: