FOALS: TIPS FOR THE BREEDERS
If you love horses, breed them and/or train them for racing, you should know some details about the foal’s growth. It’s not easy to take care of them, there are plenty of things to know and pieces of advice to follow. Let’s dive in.
Factors to keep in mind during the foal’s growth
The most important factor that should be considered when raising a foal is its nutrition. You should also monitor the foal’s growth every day till the first ride and the first race, almost a mandatory milestone in the equestrian world. It’s not a child’s play, but, if you follow our advice and seek the help of a qualified vet, you shouldn’t run into problems.
Nutrition and health
The foal’s growth is, clearly, influenced by many factors. As mentioned earlier, a positive impact is made by a correct nutrition, which will promote the foal’s good health, especially physical. For this reason, you should always keep in mind that feeding a foal is linked to the task they will have once they reach adulthood.
With this in mind, it’s clear that a good nutrition consists in a diet rich in vitamins and proteins, which will help prevent bone and muscle dysfunctions.
Some more advice to follow in order to help foals grow properly
It’s also useful to know that a foal needs a high intake of calcium, iron, zinc, manganese and phosphorous. Nevertheless, you should be careful with the amounts: both excesses and deficits should be avoided. It is advisable, therefore, to rely on a professional, who will follow you through the whole process and monitor the foal’s growth and nutrition by assessing its health and its specific needs.
Its nutrition can always vary also based on its lifestyle, which may or may not comprise training sessions, for example for racing.
Proper care since birth
As mentioned before, it’s crucial to monitor the foal’s growth step by step: a healthy and strong foal is more likely to become a healthy and strong adult horse. This means that it’s fundamental to monitor the foaling closely. In this way, you can prevent related complications. Clearly, during the foaling, it’s also recommended to get the help of a vet.
Advice on how to be present during foaling
It often happens that breeders don’t manage to be present during this happy event. This is because mares often foal during the night. Therefore, it’s not easy for breeders to wait for that moment, because it would mean staying awake for several nights.
Thanks to our Foaling Alarm, the breeder can sleep peacefully as usual and be informed by the foaling alarm system when the time comes. In this way, s/he will be able to be present during the happy event and to help prevent potential complications that can endanger the foal’s health and growth.