Caring for Mares & Foals

Lesson 8: The Older Foal

Feeding

Most foals will begin nibbling hay and sneaking into Mom's grain bucket as early as their first week. The mare’s milk is lacking in copper and iron, necessary for red blood cell development. As soon as your foal shows interest in Mom's feed you should provide a source of grain for it ALWAYS. The safest and most satisfactory method is creep feeding which is hanging a bucket for the foal that Mom cannot reach. On big breeding farms that is actually a pen in the pasture that the foals can enter to eat at will. For the small breeder you can put a round fence rail across the corner of the stall or paddock so Mom cannot reach the foal’s bucket. There are also commercial foal feeders with bars across that a mare’s nose will not fit through. I’m a little concerned with these however, because the bars look like a foot could get stuck. I don’t know if that’s ever been a problem, but it seems like foals are always looking for a way to get hurt without any help from me.) Feed only enough that the foal cleans it up and you add fresh daily.

As in the section on feeding the broodmare, what to feed the foal is also a controversial topic. I believe in feeding a high protein and keeping the foal in good flesh. My friend’s veterinarian told her to feed less because her colt was growing too fast. One publication recommended feeding Foal Lac pellets with the grain. Basically, feed mostly hay, supplement with grain according to the quality of grass or hay and provide vitamins and minerals. There are foal supplements on the market or the old stand by, calf manna, to add the needed vitamins and minerals. Don’t forget to provide a salt block. Also add selenium if needed for your area, the same as your broodmare.

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