foal imfo

[lucky lodge]

ok iam new to breeding and ive just had my first 2 foals

what i would like to no

is 1.... what age do you worm them

2 what age do you get the feet trim

3 when do you halter train

4 when do you wean them

any other advise on foals would be fantastic

thanks jenny

 

[Mini~Madness]

I personally do all of this about the same time. At about 4 to 5 months of age depending on the foal(is it eating beside mom, looking alert, strong & healthy?). I usually worm 24 hours after taking from mom. Make a hoof trimming appointment within that same month (this also depends on when it's needed. If I felt their hooves needed a trim before then I would make an appointment sooner). I also let my babies be babies. Starting to really halter "train" after the mare and foal have adjusted to being separated. Though any time I put a halter on mom while the foal is at her side I usually slip one on the foal but I don't really start "leading" till later. This is basically a general guideline. I am sure you will get many different replies. You mainly just have to decide what is right for you and your horses and do that. ? Good Luck!

Hope

ok iam new to breeding and ive just had my first 2 foals

what i would like to no

is 1.... what age do you worm them

2 what age do you get the feet trim

3 when do you halter train

4 when do you wean them

any other advise on foals would be fantastic

thanks jenny

 

[Riverrose28]

I worm healthy foals at two weeks with panacur, for round worms. I don't worm them again until three months of age, then agin at weaning.

I wean at six months, but depends on the foal, I have let some go longer and did wean two at four months so they could be shown.

Sometimes the hooves are rasped only between two and three months of age, if the toes get too long. They usually get a full trim around four months of age, depends on growth. Hubby does my farrier work so I have an advantage there.

The first two weeks I usually let the Mom and baby bond, I may just sit with them and let the baby check me out. I'll slip the halter on usually when I do the first worming, then take it off. Then anytime I bring the mare and foal in the barn, I'll slip it on with lots of scratches and then take it off. I don't start leading until aound three of four months old and then lead behind the mare. I try to be patient and gentle, I don't pull. When they get older and don't want to co-operate with leading I may put a long lead around their but to encourage forward movement. Hope this helps. Some do things different so I'm hoping you get lots of replys so you can pick out what is best for you.

 

[lucky lodge]

thanks some great advice keep it coming...............

 

[Becky]

is 1.... what age do you worm them

I deworm foals starting at one month of age and continue monthly until they are 12 months old, then put them on the same schedule as my adult horses. My suggestion is to go with your vet recommendation for your location.

2 what age do you get the feet trim

Generally, my foals have their feet trimmed whenever my farrier is here. The time can vary, but I do think it's really helpful to keep foals legs straight and hoofs level if they are trimmed by the time they are a month of age and every 6 - 8 weeks after that.

3 when do you halter train

When I need to! LOL It varies each year, but I do want my foals to have some halter training by the time they are weaned.

4 when do you wean them

I wean at 4 - 5 months. The foals are eating well on their own by then and are ready.

 

[targetsmom]

If you need to control a foal (i.e. for clipping, worming, foot care) before it is halter trained, you can use a regular size halter (like the mare's) put on upside down as a harness. Buckle it around the belly behind the elbow and the ring to attach the lead should be at/behind the withers. Much safer for the foal as there is no strain on its fragile neck if he/she struggles.

 

[Riverrose28]

After some thought I want to add something about restraining the little ones. I take a sturdy chair in the stall, the one I sit in when getting the foal used to me, I sit in it and hubby puts the little one accross my lap. Then I worm or hold the baby while hubby rasps the little ones hooves. When they are too big to hold in my lap I hug them with one hand on the chest and the other around their middle to hold them steady. I don't use a halter for restraining the babies. It's hard on my back, but better for the foal.

 

[DianeT]

We do exactly what Becky stated. We worm every month, wean at 4-5 months depending on maturity and trim hoofs as needed. FYI....We worm our broodmares 1 month prior to foaling and 10 days after foaling.

Congratulations on your new foals and good luck.

:yeah

 

[JMS Miniatures]

I try to deworm them a month after they foal, I do every other month just the same schedule as the older horses but they are just dewormed with SafeGuard. Once they are weaned they get the exact same deworming schedule as the older horses, same wormer and everything.

When I trim them pretty much whenever the farrier is here. However I want the foal to be halter trained and be able to pick up their feet without a struggle and basiclly used to being handled, that way it won't be such a tramatic experience. But I do believe they need to be trimmed to help keep their legs straight.

I start working them at 2 weeks of age. Before than I just sit with them and get use to me being there but I want to start working with them right away.

Generally you wean them at 4-6 months. I've had no problems weaning them at 4 months but I think I'll wait a lil longer if it allows it in the future.

 

[Versatility Farm & Training]

ok iam new to breeding and ive just had my first 2 foals

what i would like to no

is 1.... what age do you worm them

2 what age do you get the feet trim

3 when do you halter train

4 when do you wean them

any other advise on foals would be fantastic

thanks jenny

1. I worm the mare the day she foals, the foal I do with Pancure at 2 months, and 4

2. This depends on how fast they grow and that they are growing corectly. Could be at 1 month, could be 2 weeks.

3. I put halters/leads on the at about 2-3 weeks and let them follow their moms to go out. Once out I take them back off until its time to go in. This is less stressful as they have their mom next to them, and they mostly follow, so they get used to it. I start without mom about 3-4 months and by then they usually already have the idea.

4. I wean at 3-4 months depending on the foal's health/strength etc. and the mare's weight/condition.

 

[Versatility Farm & Training]

ok iam new to breeding and ive just had my first 2 foals

what i would like to no

is 1.... what age do you worm them

2 what age do you get the feet trim

3 when do you halter train

4 when do you wean them

any other advise on foals would be fantastic

thanks jenny

Oh and vaccinate mare around 30 days before she is due. I vaccinate my foals about 3-4 months, I do the vaccinations and worming BEFORE weaning so there is less stress on the foal at one time. They deal with the physical stress of the shots and wormer with their mom to take care of them. PLus if you wait till after weaning, not only are tehy mentally stressed already, but they are no longer getting passive transfer from the mare.

 

[Matt73]

is 1.... what age do you worm them

I deworm foals starting at one month of age and continue monthly until they are 12 months old, then put them on the same schedule as my adult horses. My suggestion is to go with your vet recommendation for your location.

2 what age do you get the feet trim

Generally, my foals have their feet trimmed whenever my farrier is here. The time can vary, but I do think it's really helpful to keep foals legs straight and hoofs level if they are trimmed by the time they are a month of age and every 6 - 8 weeks after that.

3 when do you halter train

When I need to! LOL It varies each year, but I do want my foals to have some halter training by the time they are weaned.

4 when do you wean them

I wean at 4 - 5 months. The foals are eating well on their own by then and are ready.

I do the same as Becky

Also, I vaccinate the foals when they are weaned (between 4-6 months of age, assuming the dam had her pre-foaling vaccinations).

 

[minifreishorsefarm]

I worm mom the day she foals, then at one month, then every month til 6 mos old. Then go every other month like the adults. I like to start putting halters on from 2 weeks old on up, getting them used to it being on and taken off. Usually for restraining for worming or hoof trim, one person just gives a gentle bear hug, one arm at chest and one behind their rump. Once they get a little older, We like them to stand halter and lead to get hooves trimmed. Usually we just file the hooves the first few times as that all they usually need. We trim as needed when they are babies. Some need a filing right away and some dont need it at all til weaning time. I usually wean around 4-5 months depending on if they are sold or if they are wearing the mama down.

Marsha

 

[Charlotte]

Good for you for asking all the questions!

There is an article here Halter Training The Miniature Foal

Charlotte

 

[lucky lodge]

that was a great read thanks.

 

[lucky lodge]

got a nother one ..

when can thay start to eat solid food

 

[Becky]

when can thay start to eat solid food

My foals start nibbling their dams' feed at just a few days of age. I feed my mares in a pan on the floor of their stall, so the foals can eat with them.

 

[Wings]

1.... what age do you worm them

I worm via the mum until about 3 to 4 months and then start on bubs with a soft wormer

2 what age do you get the feet trim

Whenever the farrier and I agree, he is out here at least once a month so he'll see their feet often. As soon as one of us suggests it we get it done.

3 when do you halter train

I start the very basics while they are still on mum, usually 3 to 4 months but don't do any formal training until they are weaned.

4 when do you wean them

My rule of thumb is 6 months but I'll go by the mare and foals needs. I also gradually wean rather then cold turkey so that may start at 5 months if the foal is ready.

when can thay start to eat solid food

When they can put it in their mouths

My 2 month old filly already eats with the grown ups. My 1 month old colt is nibbling it.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Defintelly allow the foal to eat with the dam. It will go so much smoother by the time when you wean them they will have eaten food they are use to. Thats why my broodmares are given a mare/foal feed and by the time to be weaned the foal will continue on the same jr feed and the mare will go back to her regular feeding program.