How to Take Care of a Foal

Taking care of a foal can be one of the most exciting aspects of working with horses. From the minute a foal is born, there are things you can do to protect and care for it.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Horse Enema
• Iodine Solution
• Veterinarian

1. Make sure the foal is breathing once it is born. Remove any mucus or fetal membranes that may be obstructing its nostrils. If the foal is not breathing, gently twist its ear, slap its face or insert a straw into its nostrils until it sneezes. Give a few breaths into the nostril while holding the other nostril closed. A brisk toweling not only dries the foal but also stimulates it.

2. Prevent septicemia - an infection caused by micro-organisms entering through the umbilical stump - by dipping the umbilical stump with iodine.

3. The mare can be milked and the foal bottle fed 4 ounces of colostrum every 15 minutes before he rises for the first time. Be sure the foal is nursing successfully. You will hear him slurping the milk if he is latched on properly. He should attempt to nurse within the first hour of life and be successful within the first two hours. If not, intervention is necessary.

4. Make sure the foal has a bowel movement within the first two hours. Give an enema after the foal nurses the first time and be prepared to repeat if it is unproductive. Watch for symptoms of colic from retained meconium anytime in the first 24 hours.

5. Leave mare and foal alone. This is a special time for the mother and foal, and they need time to get acquainted. Watch quietly without disturbing them. Be prepared to remove the foal from the stall if the mare acts aggressively towards it.

6. Begin the imprinting process. Each day, spend 10 to 15 minutes with the foal touching its hooves, tapping on its feet (to simulate being shod), touching its ears and nose, and rubbing its entire body. This will make the foal much easier to handle as an adult horse.

7. Know that foals are born without any natural immunity to diseases, but they can quickly acquire immunity from their mothers through the colostrum or first milk, which contains antibodies against diseases. This is why it is critical for the foal to nurse shortly after birth.

8. Vaccinate a foal as recommended by your veterinarian.

Tips & Warnings

• Many mares are very protective of their foals. Never get in between a mare and her foal.
• You may need someone to hold the mare while you work with the foal.
• Any birthing problems will require the immediate help of a veterinarian. Have one on call and have the number handy. A vet must examine the mare and foal within 24 hours of a routine foaling, sooner if problems are suspected.

[judy257]

on 5/19/2008 I'm a first timer and my colt is 2.5 weeks old. he lets us handle him but he bites. I've bee popping him across his nose with 2 fingers but am afraid i'm gonna make him scared of me. He tries to jump up on my husband like a dog would also. We're reading everything we can find but still really don't know how to disapline him.

on 8/13/2006 You should always be careful but firm with your foals, you don't want to be too firm and make the foal think you are abusing him. But you should never let him get away with anything either, it will make it harder to handle them when they are older. Instead you should get to know him and let the foal know you, this will make it easier to halter train and socialize.

on 8/8/2006 My mare gave me a surprise, I did not know she was with colt. I got the call and was out there 1 hour after Thunder was born. I immediately set about imprinting him, with my hands all over him. My mare allowed me to bond with her baby, as she and I also share a special bond. He is now 5 days old, I can walk up to him, pick up his feet, touch him anywhere I want, even put my fingers in his ears. I slept in the barn with both of then that first night. I put a halter on him when he was 2 hours old. We are working on the halter issue and will have him completely halter broke by the time his 30 day checkup rolls around. He is not scared of humans, and I encourage anyone to stand at the fence and talk to him. I spend hours just sitting in the barn with both of them, and when they are exercising. I am a firm believer of imprinting and making friends from birth.

on 8/8/2006 When your mare has her foal, try not to lead her or take her out of the foal's sight. If you do, the mare will get mad. Try to keep them together as long as you can, they love their foal so much. She will get very scared and worried if she can't see her foal.

on 7/12/2006 Imprinting is good for foals, but take care not to overdo it. The first time I raised a foal, I did everything the book I read about imprinting said to do. But the foal turned out to see me as a herd member and not as a human, and thus he felt the need to assert his dominance with me as a competitor. It's cute when they are little, but they get big!