New Foal Questions

[Lexi]

I just had our first miniature foal, ever!! She is absoutly gorgeous! She was born at 7am on the 17th.

Since this is my first foal... I have a lot of questions.

When will she get teeth?

When will she need to be fed?

What will she need to eat?

Should I get her a foal feeder?

When will she need a halter?

When will she be able to be led?

Also.

What kind of training and when does it start?

Thanks! Any new advice will help!

 

[sedeh]

First of all......congratulations on your new foal! And a filly no less!

You have lots of questions.....that's good! I probably would have been asking these before I even bred my mare!

I don't do much on the "feed" issue while they're with mom. Some people like to have a creep feeder.....I just let the foals start sharing with mom as they want to. Most are eating well by weaning time.

I handle my foals a lot but I don't worry about "training" them until after weaning. The smallest halter I have fits the best when they're a couple of weeks old.....so that's when I start putting it on! I start having my farrier trim their feet around 4 weeks(I have had him do it as early as 2 weeks) but I just put my arms around them and hold them at first.....then we graduate to the halter and butt rope and eventually just the halter. Getting them to lead is always a tricky thing for me.....I don't want them to pull back and flip over and I don't want to "drag them" as their necks are not very strong when they're young. I use a butt rope to get them to move forward at first. When I'm to the point where I just lead them they'll sometimes balk....I still don't just "pull" I'll pull to the side and make them turn(that way they can't set their back legs and pull back). I'm sure others will give you their ideas too. For now I'd just be playing with her....petting her all over and making friends. Good luck with her.

 

[kaykay]

Most foals will pretend eat for the first week and then start to nibble on hay. We give all foals here equine jr starting about a month old. This continues on until they are at least a year and sometimes 2 years old. We found by doing this they dont get big bloated bellies come weaning time. I am just not set up for a creep feeder but I am hoping to get that done this year as I do feel thats best for foals.

We are very hands on with all foals and do just a bit of training before they are weaned. I have found that they are much easier (most foals not all) to halter break before they are weaned. Especially if you tie the foal to its dam and teach it to lead that way. Last year we showed a foal for the first time and she was very easy to train and I have found it really sticks with them. If we dont show the foal then I just do basic and then a refresher coarse that fall. Then I leave them alone all winter and let them grow up. (leave them alone as no more training but lots of brushing and petting)

I found out the hard way if you dont at least get a foal used to a halter you can run into trouble should it need vet care, farrier care etc.

 

[ANDROMEDA FARM]

Congratulations on the birth of your filly. Pics please.

 

[lilnickers]

First teeth:around 2 weeks

Foal will start picking at Mom's hay after about a week

The foal won't be interested in grain for a while, but when he does, I would give him a separate bin for his own to nibble on.

I like to put a halter on at about 3-5 days old,as he knows/trusts you by now.You will get some objection to this, but just speak softly to him and he will settle down. Do this daily.

Leading can wait till about 2-3 weeks old. I use pressure and release/reward ,they soon understand what you are asking.

Foals love attention and are so willing to learn! ENJOY your new baby