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For the first month or two your foal will be curious about the hay, grass, and grain his dam is eating. Sometimes he will get some in his mouth, but doesn't really know what to do with it. His teeth are still coming in so he can't really chew it properly and it typically gets spit out. His digestive system is not ready to handle anything but the mare's milk at this stage. There are some foal feeds on the market that also contain milk and are designed for an immature digestive system and can be fed in a creep feeder. Unless a foal is not growing and filling out properly, I usually avoid them as too much can cause growth problems. Most foals do just fine with mom's milk - the way nature intended.

Around 2 - 3 months you will begin to notice your foal's head in his dam's feed tub more and more (if she allows it) and you can see that he is actually eating a little hay and grass. This would be the time to start slowly introducing some grain. As long as he is nursing well it is not really necessary to use the foal starters that contain milk. Growth formula grains that are intended for foals are adequate. It is very important to monitor each foal individually - be careful about feeding too much to a rapidly growing foal or you could cause some serious growth problems. Consult with your vet to insure that your foal is getting good nutrition and is growing correctly.

The farrier should be trimming regularly also. Unless there was an obvious problem that needed to be addressed at birth, your foal needs to start having his feet trimmed between 6 and 8 weeks. Incorrect growth in the feet can be easily corrected at this age and will have a tremendous effect in the growth of your foal's legs. If you have been working with him and picking up his feet often the farrier will be able to do a better job and won't mind coming back. A farrier that is patient and knows about foal feet and growth is priceless.

At six weeks your foal should be given a wormer. I usually start with Panacur as that is safe for foals and mares, be sure to check the package if you are giving something else as some are not recommended for foals.

While he is still with his dam it is a good idea to teach him to load on a trailer if you have one available. At this stage they will usually just follow their dam on and it is not a stressful, scary experience. I also usually bathe the mare and foal together at least once and introduce him to the clippers. The more you can expose him to while he is with his dam the better. As long as she is good for everything she will assure him that all is well and these are just the things we do. So if your mare is not OK with anything it would be a good idea to try to work with her before the foal is born so that she doesn't teach him any bad tricks or evasions.

So now your foal can be haltered, leads well, picks up his feet, is starting to eat some solid food, loads on a trailer, tolerates a bath and some clipping, and is friendly, curious, and very, very cute! He is growing fast and will start wandering farther and farther from his dam and visit with other horses and foals that are in his paddock or over the fence. Soon it will be time for weaning!

Linda Wanstreet owns Lost World Farms, LLC in Holly, Michigan and LWF Sport Horses in Ortonville, Michigan where they board, breed, train, show, and sell Warmblood Sport Horses. It is the home of Patrick, a 1997 Dutch Warmblood stallion.

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