Two Days After Weaning, Woody and Benedict Take Their First Big Step Together — And Katie Van Slyke Couldn’t Be Happier With Her “Little Weaner Boys”
It’s been just two days since Katie Van Slyke weaned Woody and Benedict from their mothers, and the young half-brothers have already reached another important milestone.
For their first outing after weaning, Katie brought the two boys into the arena together.
There was running, rolling, plenty of excitement and a few moments that had Katie watching very closely.
But once the initial energy wore off, Woody and Benedict showed exactly what Katie had hoped to see.
The two youngsters settled down together like the best friends they already were.
Woody and Benedict Head Into the Arena
Katie explained that the boys’ mothers had already gone outside earlier that morning.
Now it was Woody and Benedict’s turn.
For this first outing, Katie left halters on both youngsters.
That’s not something she normally does with babies, but because Woody and Benedict would be supervised the entire time, keeping their halters on would make them easier to catch if they became overly excited.
And excitement wasn’t exactly in short supply.
Once released into the arena, the boys began exploring their surroundings.
Woody quickly provided some entertainment.
Despite having an entire arena available to him, he repeatedly managed to position himself near corners, gates and even a concrete area while rolling around.
Katie couldn’t help wondering why he had so much space yet kept choosing some of the least convenient places to lie down.
Woody and Benedict Let Out Their Energy
It wasn’t long before both youngsters started feeling frisky.
Soon, Woody and Benedict were running and playing together around the arena.
Katie affectionately described them as both brothers and best friends.
They share the same sire but have different mothers, something Katie pointed out while comparing just how different the two young horses look.
Woody is clearly the larger of the pair.
But Katie explained that Woody’s enormous size can make Benedict look smaller than he actually is.
In reality, Benedict is also a big baby — and he’s approximately two or three weeks younger than Woody.
Woody, meanwhile, is approaching six months old.
Katie jokingly compared his unusual proportions to what might happen if a giraffe and a German Shepherd somehow had a baby.
Why Katie Likes Weaning Foals in Pairs
Their close friendship isn’t just adorable. It’s also part of Katie’s approach to weaning.
Katie explained that she likes weaning youngsters with companions.
Sometimes she’ll wean three or four together, but she particularly likes working with pairs.
Having a familiar companion gives the young horses company while they adjust to being separated from their mothers.
Woody and Benedict already had a close relationship before being weaned, making them natural partners for the transition.
However, Katie also pointed out that their bond needs to be managed as they mature.
After they’ve had time to adjust, the youngsters will need opportunities to be separated and worked individually.
That’s important so they don’t become overly dependent on one another.
Katie explained that this could mean working them separately or not always stalling them together if they’re spending their turnout time together.
Their First Outing Couldn’t Have Gone Much Better
After getting their initial burst of energy out, Woody and Benedict began to calm down.
That was exactly what Katie wanted to see.
The boys went over to greet Miss Stephanie and Miss Rachel and appeared increasingly comfortable with their new routine.
Katie admitted she wasn’t particularly surprised by their good behavior because she already expected them to be good boys.
Still, she was extremely pleased with how smoothly their first outing went.
Woody had shown a little impatience earlier while being measured and had been eager to get outside, but once both boys had a chance to run and play, they settled beautifully.
Pasture Time Could Be Their Next Big Step
For now, Woody and Benedict will continue spending time in the arena each day.
Katie explained that the arena provides a more enclosed environment where it’s easier to supervise the youngsters while they’re adjusting.
But this arrangement may only be temporary.
If the boys continue behaving well, Katie sees no reason they couldn’t potentially begin going into a pasture together as early as next week.
There will be one important consideration.
Katie wants to be strategic about where they’re turned out so they aren’t placed close to their mothers initially.
Giving them some distance should help the weaning process continue smoothly.
A Very Successful First Day
For two youngsters only a couple of days into a major transition, Woody and Benedict handled their first outing remarkably well.
They explored.
They rolled.
They ran.
They played.
And, most importantly, they eventually relaxed together.
Their next milestone could be pasture turnout, while Katie also teased another update fans can look forward to: Woody and Benedict have officially been measured, with those results coming in a separate video.
For now, however, Katie is simply enjoying how well her two “little weaner boys” are handling this new stage of growing up.
Woody and Benedict may no longer have their mothers beside them, but they certainly aren’t going through the transition alone.
They have each other — and judging by their first adventure together, these brothers and best friends seem ready for whatever comes next.
