Pregnant Broodmares:
If you want a sound, healthy foal, it starts before they’re born with how you feed and manage your mare. A newborn foal needs certain minerals (like copper) right out of the gate, but mare’s milk won’t cut it. For those first few weeks, foals rely on nutrient stores they built up in the womb. How do they get those stores? From a well-fed mama.
So, if your mare isn’t getting enough of those critical nutrients (copper, zinc, vitamins, amino acids) your foal can be behind before it ever hits the ground.
On top of that, the mare’s immune system plays a huge role in colostrum quality. That first drink is where foals get immune protection for the beginning of life, so if the colostrum is weak, the foal’s defenses are too. Make sure you’re working with your nutritionist and veterinarian on timing vaccinations and deworming to support the mare’s immune function. Want bonus support? Certain prebiotics such as those found in yeast cell wall isolates can help boost immunoglobulin levels in colostrum and give foals a stronger start.
Immunity:
Like we mentioned earlier, your best shot at giving a foal strong immunity starts with the mare's nutrition. That colostrum is everything in the early weeks, especially since your foal’s own immune system isn’t fully up and running yet.
Over 70% of the immune system lives in the gut, so gut health in those early days is a big deal. Supporting it takes a multi-layered approach:
→ Keeping the foal’s environment clean
→ Staying on top of herd health
→ Supporting the gut with the right nutrition
That last one includes things like probiotics, prebiotics, and gut-friendly nutrients like butyric acid — all of which help set the stage for stronger immunity and overall health.
Conformational faults:
Even when we do everything right, foals can still be born with conformational quirks — things like angular limb deformities, contracted tendons, club feet, lax tendons, and more. A lot of these are pretty minor and will sort themselves out with time and proper management. But, this is where your team really matters. Nutritionists, veterinarians, farriers, and experienced horse folks should all have a seat at the table when you're deciding whether a foal needs help correcting something — and how to go about it.
Heads up: sometimes it takes a bit of trial and error. If the first method doesn’t make a difference, don’t be afraid to pivot and try another approach.
The biggest takeaway? Learn the difference between what’s likely to self-correct and what needs intervention. If something does need correcting, don’t wait. The window of opportunity closes fast, and once it does, there’s no getting it back.
Nutrient Intake:
Ensuring your foal and weanling get the right nutrition is key for long-term soundness and health. As mentioned earlier, proper feeding and management of the broodmare is essential so that the foal is born with adequate nutrient stores to support early growth.
Foals’ Interest in Feed:
The age at which foals start eating feed and forage varies widely. Some foals will begin nibbling on solid food in their first week of life, while others might wait until they’re several weeks old.
- On average, foals show more interest in feed around 3 weeks old — which interestingly, aligns with when their body’s stored nutrients start running low.
- Foals from mares with lower milk production may start eating dry feed earlier, while those from high-producing mares might take longer to try solids.
Why It Matters:
Foals that grow quickly, especially those with lots of milk, are at risk of developmental issues if they don’t start eating feed in time. Milk supports fast growth but lacks critical minerals, vitamins, and amino acids necessary for sound development.
Encouraging Feed Intake:
- If the foal will eat alongside the mare, this is a great way to encourage feed intake.
- If the mare prevents the foal from eating with her, or if the foal won’t use a separate creep feeder, you’ll need to find ways to help them start eating dry feed.
Feeding Guidelines
- A good rule of thumb is to feed 1 pound of dry feed per month of age. So, a 2-month-old foal should be eating about 2 pounds of feed per day.
- Monitor growth and condition to avoid overfeeding. A foal should have visible ribs, but they should still be easily felt — this indicates they’re growing at a healthy rate, not packing on too much weight too fast.
If Issues Arise:
If the foal becomes too heavy or isn’t eating enough feed, a concentrated diet balancer can help make up the difference. This will provide the minerals, vitamins, and amino acids they need for healthy bone and muscle development.
Exercise and social skills:
Foals need plenty of time outside, running and playing with other horses to help develop strong bones, muscles, and overall structure. Just like any successful athlete, a foal’s development depends on movement and interaction. They not only have the talent to compete, but a coachable personality and the ability to work well with teammates. Horses that haven’t had much socialization can get stressed when they’re finally turned out with others, and that stress can affect their performance or put them at risk for injury. Plus, if they’re used to being around other horses, they’re more likely to stay calm and focused on you during rides and shows.
Herd Health:
Protecting young horses starts with a solid herd health strategy. That means working with your team to develop a vaccination and deworming plan that fits your herd's specific needs. It’s also important to limit contact between your foals or weanlings and outside horses, as unfamiliar animals can introduce diseases that young immune systems aren't prepared to handle.
If diarrhea shows up, don’t delay treatment. While it's often blamed on “foal heat,” most cases are actually bacterial and should be taken seriously. If antibiotics are prescribed, pair them with a high-quality prebiotic and probiotic to support gut health during recovery.
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Collaborate with your nutritionist and veterinarian on a tailored vaccine and deworming plan.
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Minimize exposure to outside horses to prevent disease transmission.
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Treat diarrhea promptly - in foals, it’s usually bacterial, not harmless.
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Support gut health with prebiotics and probiotics during and after antibiotic treatment.
