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WHEN TO PHONE
THE VET...
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Mare straining to foal with
no progress
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Retained placenta – not passed
within 3 hours
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No milk from teats
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Foal not sucking and/or not
standing within 3 hours
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Foal not passed faeces within
12 hours or has diarrhoea
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Foal showing colic signs
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Mare showing colic signs before
or after foaling
REMEMBER
- IF IN DOUBT
CALL THE VET OUT!
SPRING 2012 ISSUE
EQUINE MATTERS
10
GUIDE TO FOAL HEALTH
MANAGEMENT OF YOUR FOAL
Exercise in the form of turn-out is important for
the development of the musculoskeletal system
and the interaction with other mares and foals
helps their social development. The paddock
should be fenced with post and rail as this is
the safest for the foal, just make sure your
lowest rails are low enough to keep the foal in.
A foal slip (‘head collar’ ideally leather)
should be placed on the foal in the first week
of life; this should be checked daily as foals
grow quickly. Ideally foals should be handled
daily and taught how to be led.
WHEN SHOULD I WORM MY
FOAL?
Foals can be wormed from one month of
age - ask your XLVets Equine practice for
guidance. Good pasture management is a
must; picking up droppings daily, and worm
egg counts from the mare and foal are
advisable every three months.
WHEN SHOULD I VACCINATE
MY FOAL?
Your mare should have all of her vaccinations
up to date and a vaccination a month before
parturition will ensure good levels of antibodies
in the colostrum. If the mare has not been
vaccinated for tetanus then the foal should
receive an immediate acting tetanus antitoxin
soon after birth and begin vaccinations at three
months of age. Influenza vaccines should not
be started until 6-9 months of age. Creating a
plan with your vet for correctly vaccinating your
pregnant mare and then the foal once it arrives
is the best way to ensure cover and put your
mind at rest!
WHEN DO I NEED THE FARRIER?
Foals should have their feet trimmed by a
farrier every 6-8 weeks; this gets the foal
used to the farrier, which will result in a more
co-operative youngster. The farrier in some
cases can also correct minor limb deviations
(after being checked by a vet).
WHEN DO I NEED THE DENTIST?
Your foal will be born with no visible teeth;
these will begin to erupt from the gums at
around two weeks of age. You need to check
to see if the incisors on the upper jaw and the
lower jaw meet correctly. Some foals are born
with a lower jaw that is too big or too small
causing the incisors not to meet. This may
cause problems when the foal is eating
hay (a vet check is needed if you see this
problem). Your foal should not need his/her
teeth rasping until around a year old, unless
you see a problem.
WHEN CAN I WEAN MY FOAL?
This can be done between 4-7 months of
age, but around six months old is average
depending on the mare and situation. The foal
must be able to support itself without the need
for the mare’s milk. Introduce concentrate feed
at least two months prior to weaning. Levels of
concentrate may need to be increased after
weaning but this depends on how much the
foal is suckling at the time of weaning. If your
foal is growing too quickly concentrate feed
needs to be reduced, or stopped altogether.
Several orthopaedic conditions are thought
to be related to rapid growth rate and
inadequate minerals in the diet.