Foals get all they need to grow and thrive from the mother’s milk. Therefore, it is essential to learn how to feed the mare because what you feed her determines what the foal gets. Often, owners believe that they need to feed “two” when the mare is pregnant or nursing; however, this is wrong as the result is an overfed foal.

Problems of an overfed foal include diarrhea and developmental orthopedic disease which can cause permanent lameness, loss of use, dehydration, and death. Remember to feed using your eyes to look for problems in the foal, preferably never seeing them or catching it while it’s correctable. Do not make the mistake of feeding more to a mare losing body condition. The only solution to this is weaning the foal off of the mare.

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