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A foal will begin to eat hay, grass and grain alongside the mare at about 4 weeks old; by 10–12 weeks the foal requires more nutrition than the mare's milk can supply. Foals are typically weaned at 4–8 months of age, although in the wild a foal may nurse for a year.
Mares carry their young (called foals) for approximately 11 months from conception to birth. (Average range 320–370 days.) [2] Usually just one young is born; twins are rare. When a domesticated mare foals, she nurses the foal for at least four to six months before it is weaned, though mares in the wild may allow a foal to nurse for up to a year.
A foal at about weaning age. A foal is an equine up to one year old; this term is used mainly for horses, but can be used for donkeys. More specific terms are colt for a male foal and filly for a female foal, and are used until the horse is three or four. When the foal is nursing from its dam (mother), it may also be called a "suckling".
Free-roaming mustangs (Utah, 2005). Horse behavior is best understood from the view that horses are prey animals with a well-developed fight-or-flight response.Their first reaction to a threat is often to flee, although sometimes they stand their ground and defend themselves or their offspring in cases where flight is untenable, such as when a foal would be threatened.
Neonatal isoerythrolysis occurs if a foal is born with a blood group that is different from its dam, and then receives antibodies against those red blood cells (alloantibodies) through the mare's colostrum, leading to the lysis of the foal's red blood cells. There are thus three requirements for this disease to occur:
Usually, only a single foal is born, which is capable of running within an hour. Within a few weeks, foals attempt to graze, but may continue to nurse for 8–13 months. [9] Species in arid habitats, like Grévy's zebra, have longer nursing intervals and do not drink water until they are three months old. [47]
The easiest way to identify a Holsteiner is by the hot brand on the left hip, which is given to foals when they are inspected for their papers and passport. [8] Foals outside of the main registry can receive an alternate brand. [2] In most cases, the last two digits of the life number are part of the brand.
If the foal's sire and dam are in the studbook, and he generally fits into the breeding goal, he receives his papers and a brand on the left thigh. The brand identifies his registry. Although foals are not usually scored, some registries award "Premium" status to high-quality foals, and colts may be deemed stallion prospects by the judge(s).