Top Tips to Set Your New Foal Up for Success

By Jacquelin Boggs, DVM, MS, DACVIM, Senior Equine Technical Services Veterinarian, Zoetis

So, your mare just had a foal—first and foremost, congratulations! We know that many months of solid teamwork and—let’s be honest—a good dose of worry have gone into realizing this miracle. From choosing the sire to preparing your mare for breeding to confirming and monitoring her pregnancy, you and your veterinary team planned it all so carefully and now you have a gorgeous new four-legged family member to brag about. Of course, the responsibility of rearing this precious newborn is just beginning. But don’t worry, you’ve got this. Even so, never forget that your veterinary team is always your first line of help to ensure your foal’s health and well-being, and it takes a village to raise a happy, healthy equine family member. The tips and insights in this blog can be referenced as a care guide for your foal in his first 6 months of life, specifically in months 2 to 6. For foal care tips at birth and for the first few days, check out the blog, “Caring for Your Newborn Foal.”

Start Off with Newborn Diagnostic Tests

In prep for newborn foal exams, I typically measure both serum amyloid A (SAA) and Immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels.

SAA testing is a valuable diagnostic measure that can help detect infection before other clinical signs appear. I personally use a handheld SAA reader that can accurately quantify SAA in 10 minutes.¹ If SAA is elevated, it is an early indicator of infection, which is helpful to know so that you and your veterinarian can promptly diagnose and treat your newborn foal. In fact, SAA has been found to be 30 times more sensitive than a thermometer and better than traditional lab tests at detecting subclinical infections.^2,3

IgG testing indicates whether your foal has acquired adequate transfer of maternal antibodies from the mare’s first milk, which is called colostrum.

IgG stands for Immunoglobulin G, which are important antibodies to help provide protection to the newborn foal, as foals are born with a naïve immune system

• Maximal IgG absorption occurs up to 6 to 12 hours of age, but some absorption can still occur up to 24 hours. Most veterinarians will hold newborn foal exams at 12 to 24 hours of age.
• If it is determined that the foal has a low transfer of antibodies (low IgG), treatment will include an alternative source of antibodies, either an oral colostrum substitute or intravenous plasma, depending on how many hours it has been since the foal’s birth

While the IgG test can determine whether your foal has enough antibodies to support their immune system health, to protect against future infection, the SAA test can identify a potential infection that may require additional diagnostic tests or treatment.

For additional newborn foal exam tips, emergency preparedness and guidance for the first few hours of life, visit the following blog: “Caring for Your Newborn Foal.”

Optimizing Growth and Development in the First Six Months

Healthy feeding of your foal is important. The following are some important guidelines:

• Less Than 3 Months Old: By eight to 10 weeks of age, the mare’s milk alone may not provide adequate nutrition, and the foal will typically start to consume more feed and hay.⁴
• At 4 to 6 Months Old: By 4 to 6 months of age, most foals will still nurse about one to two times per hour, but most of their nutrition will come from consuming hay, grass, and supplemental feeds.⁴
• Up to 6 Months Old: Providing good, balanced nutrition during the first 6 months of life can have a positive effect on health and soundness for the rest of your foal’s life.⁴

Exercise and Play in the First 6 Months

Young foals often sleep during the day but should get up to nurse about three to four times an hour. I like to remind clients that it’s important for your mare and foal to enjoy abundant turnout and exercise. One caveat, I’m referring to foals that have no complications—please consult your foal’s veterinarian for physical activity recommendations (especially if there were any issues seen at newborn foal exams).

Basically, the less time foals are confined to stalls, the better. Whenever possible, avoid confining them for more than 10 hours per day. Avoid forced exercise or fatigue. Remember that your foal’s immature bones and joints are still growing and developing. Foals with limb deformities or other musculoskeletal problems may need to have their exercise restricted.

Estimating body weight can be challenging, but it’s important for tracking growth and ensuring you’re using the correct doses of dewormers and other medications.

• Ask your veterinarian to estimate your foal’s weight on day one and to show you how you can estimate your growing foal’s weight using a single measurement taken around the girth.⁵
• Be aware that weight tapes designed for mature horses are often not accurate when used on young foals.

Planning a Vaccination Schedule

The chart linked below can be a helpful tool to refer to when determining which vaccines your foal will need in the first six months. As always, please consult your veterinarian for vaccine and timing recommendations to help prevent your foal from contracting both core and risk-based diseases.

View and download this recommended vaccine schedule for foals and check out a snapshot of it below. The recommendations in this chart are based on the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Vaccination Guidelines.⁶ Your foal initially gets maternal antibodies from the mare, but as they begin to wane, it’s important to help protect your foal from common diseases with the appropriate vaccines. In their first year, foals require several doses of both core and risk-based vaccinations to develop protection.

Target the Right Parasites at the Right Time

For the first 6 months of a foal’s life, the lifecycle of the ascarid (roundworm) is oral ingestion from pasture, through the lungs into the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Therefore, clinical signs associated with ascarid infection can include coughing and other respiratory issues, as well as GI signals, such as colic. Ascarids are the most significant parasite threat to this age group and can restrict your foal’s growth if left uncontrolled.⁷ The parasite larvae that foals swallow in pasture can also migrate, causing coughing and nasal discharge.

The adult worms live in the small intestine and can cause colic, intestinal blockage, and even rupture. Below are key takeaways in alignment with the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP):⁷

• Deworm foals at 2 months of age using a product with the active ingredient, oxibendazole.
• Deworm at 4 to 6 months of age (typically this is just prior to weaning) using a product with the active ingredient, pyrantel pamoate.
• An extra deworming treatment should be included before weaning if the time between the first two treatments is greater than three months.
• At 6 to 9 months of age, your veterinarian should collect feces for a fecal egg count (FEC) test to determine subsequent dewormers. Your veterinarian can utilize AI-powered FEC testing to gather results in ~10 minutes.⁸

Weaning: The Next Adventure

Weaning typically happens between 4 and 7 months of age. After four months, a mare’s milk alone does not provide enough nutrition for growth, and most foals are happy eating hay and grain on their own. The first step in the weaning process is to ensure that your foal is eating good-quality hay and is comfortable eating a well-balanced ration that supports rapid growth.⁹

There are a variety of effective weaning methods, but most typically fall into three camps (gradual, abrupt, and intermittent).¹⁰ It’s a great idea to bring this up as a topic of discussion with your veterinarian to gather their recommendation based on your foal’s health history.

Putting a Best Hoof Forward

Unless your veterinarian recommends earlier treatment, most foals should have their first careful hoof rasping scheduled at 1 month of age and monthly thereafter.¹¹ The goal of regular hoof care is to promote the growth of a strong hoof wall, a thick protective sole and a solid heel. These three structures are vital for future athletic soundness.

Managing Those Pearly Whites

Sometime between birth and approximately 2 weeks of age, your foal should have erupted his first baby teeth. If you gently lift the top lip, you’ll see the four front teeth (including top and bottom, left and right, and the first incisors). The next four incisors will appear at about 4 to 6 weeks of age, and then the final four at 6 to 9 months of age.^12,13

Your veterinarian will examine the head, mouth, and teeth shortly after birth and again at about 3 months of age. This will allow you to identify any oral problems early enough that they can be managed properly to ensure your developing foal can nurse and eat properly. If you notice your foal having any problems eating or swallowing, be sure to let your veterinarian know.

Concluding Thoughts

As your foal heads into the stretch leading up to his first birthday (and yearling-hood), you’ve already set a solid foundation for his care. Here’s to the many nose nudges and moments to simply be present as you witness him growing up and showing more of his little (or rather big!) personality each day.

References

1. Validation Data On File TI-04856.
2. Oertly M, Gerber V, Anhold H, et al. The accuracy of serum amyloid A in determining early inflammation in horses following long-distance transportation by air. Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine. 2019. Accessed May 13, 2024.
3. Belgrave, R. et al. Assessment of Serum Amyloid A testing of horses and its clinical application in a specialized equine practice. JAVMA, Vol 243 no 1, July 1, 2013. Pages 113-119.
4. American Association of Equine Practitioners. Foal growth: Special care and nutrition. https://aaep.org/horsehealth/foal-growth-special-care-and-nutrition.  Accessed March 19, 2024.
5. Rodríguez C, Muñoz L, Rojas H, Briones M. New formula for bodyweight estimation of Thoroughbred foals. Vet Rec. 2007; 161(5): 165-166.
6. The American Association of Equine Practitioners. Vaccination Guidelines. Available at https://aaep.org/guidelines/vaccination-guidelines. Accessed March 19, 2024
7. American Association of Equine Practitioners. Developed by the AAEP Parasite Control Subcommittee. Parasite control guidelines. https://aaep.org/sites/default/files/Guidelines/AAEPParasiteControlGuidelines_0.pdf. Accessed March 23, 2024.
8. Data on file, Study No. DHX6Z-US-22-131, 2022, Zoetis Inc.
9. Oklahoma State University Extension: Weaning and management of weanling horses. https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/weaning-and-management-of-weanling-horses.html. September 1, 2020. Accessed May 13, 2024.
10. Lansade L, Foury A, Reigner F, et al. Progressive habituation to separation alleviates the negative effects of weaning in the mother and foal. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2018;97:59-68. DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.07.005.
11. Utah State University Extension. Foal hoof care, when and how often to trim? https://extension.usu.edu/equine/research/foal-hoof-care#:~:text=The%20foal%20should%20have%20its,modify%20a%20deviated%20boney%20column. Accessed May 13, 2024.
12. Utah State University Equine Extension. Aging horses by their teeth. https://extension.usu.edu/equine/research/aging-horses-by-their-teeth#:~:text=Foals%20are%20born%20either%20without,incisors%20by%20about%208%20months. May 1, 2020. Accessed May 13, 2024.
13. EquiMed Horse Health Matters. Aging a horse by its teeth. https://equimed.com/health-centers/dental-care/articles/aging-a-horse-by-its-teeth. April, 26, 2017. Accessed May 13, 2024.

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About Zoetis— Official USPC Equine Health and Wellness Partner
To learn more about how Zoetis is making lives better for horses and those who care for them, visit zoetisequine.com and Zoetis Equine on Facebook and Instagram.

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