Foal Care Basics
Careful consideration must be given to determine whether getting that cute foal is the right decision for your personal circumstances. Horses are not cheap to maintain if they are to be happy and healthy. Their adoption fee may be very reasonable, but that’s just the first step. There is the cost of feed to consider; also routine vet calls, emergencies; hoof care; grooming supplies; the cost of boarding, if applicable; and fly control. You can expect to spend about $1200 a year on basic necessities (not including board). You will also need time to spend with and train the horse properly. Horses can live well into their 30s. The cost of eventual euthanasia should also be factored in.
Horses, being herd animals, need companionship – ideally it is a compatible horse, but a goat or other farm animal may suffice.
Preparations – Your foal must have shelter from wind and rain and snow—at a minimum a three-sided shelter with a roof. He should have a fenced paddock to exercise in. Many types of fencing will do—woven, chain link, post and rail, chicken wire as long as the spaces are small enough that he can’t get his feet caught, and at least four feet high. Barbed wire has absolutely no place anywhere near horses under any circumstance!
First Days at Home - Foals that come from auctions or feedlots present special concerns. They are likely removed from their dams abruptly—some too soon—and transported long distances. They will not know what’s happening to them, their world has been turned upside down, and they will be scared. They may be untouchable for several days after they arrive at their new home. However, most will settle pretty quickly in the constancy of a familiar day to day routine.
Quarantine - When your new foal arrives home, he will need to be quarantined away from healthy animals for a minimum of 30 days. He will have come in contact with other horses that may be sick, or may be carriers of any number of diseases. It’s common for horses shipped over distance to develop an upper respiratory ailment, with runny and/or snotty nostrils. This will usually clear up without treatment but he will need to be watched carefully for worsening symptoms. Also during the quarantine period your foal will need his own buckets and feeders, brushes and other supplies, and anything that comes into contact with him needs to be kept away from other animals, including your hands and clothes.
When the quarantine period has passed, introduce your foal very slowly to any other horses on the property, over a strong fence initially so they can get their herd hierarchy worked out.
Food and Water - Foals should be fed good quality grass hay or grass/alfalfa mix. In general, your foal should have 1-1/2 to 2 lbs. of hay per day for every 100 pounds of the foal’s weight. Feeding three meals a day is best, two acceptable. A small amount of grain may be added to his diet (except for draft and draft crosses), increasing the amount given him very slowly over a period of two to three weeks. Keep grain locked up away from the foal. He needs clean water available to him at all times. Free access to a salt block is essential. Consult with your veterinarian to develop a balanced nutrition program for your foal.
Training and Exercise – Foals need to be able to run and play in order to develop strong bones and muscles and a healthy attitude.
You will need to make yourself the leader in your foal’s world. Foals grow and develop quickly, and if you don’t take that leadership responsibility seriously, your foal will take over that role and problems are guaranteed. The foal knows absolutely nothing about our world, except whatever experience he has had prior to his arrival at his new home. Horses are happiest when they feel safe and secure. We need to teach them new things patiently and with lots of repetition. Remember, you are teaching your foal something, positive or negative, every time you are around him.
Health Care – Your foal should be examined by your veterinarian as soon as he is fairly manageable—generally three to five weeks after his arrival.
Vaccinations – When a foal is born, he inherits immediate disease protection through his dam's colostrum for whatever diseases she has been vaccinated against. After weaning, those antibodies decline, and a foal needs the added protection that only comes through proper immunization. Work with your veterinarian to develop a customized vaccination schedule that takes into account your region of the country, endemic diseases on your farm and your foal's risk of disease exposure.
De-worming – Your veterinarian can take the first steps in ensuring that worms do not build up in the foal’s system and can advise you as to a de-worming program to follow.
Your veterinarian will become your best friend!
Hoof Care – It is advisable to begin conditioning your foal for farrier work as soon as he will accept a halter and lead rope. Start by getting him accustomed to having every part of his body touched, working down to his hooves. Make sure he’s desensitized and calm before picking up a hoof. Remember, he will need time to find his balance on three legs.
Horse ownership requires a high level of commitment to responsible ownership, lest the horse end up in the very situation he was rescued from—tragically!
For more information there are a number of very good books and websites dealing with foal and horse care and training.
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