Foaling 101:
Tips for Those New To Breeding
I should begin with stating that there is more than one way to do things when raising foals, and that there are several different opinions on how things should be done. This is what works for me after years of breeding, researching, and asking questions of vets, repro specialists and fellow breeders.
same for the mare until the last trimester. However, if you want your foal (and your mare) to be at their best, then making sure that the mare is receiving balanced vitamins, minerals and nutrients throughout her pregnancy is the best way to ensure this. That does not mean feeding a lot of expensive grain. However, providing them Feeding the Broodmare/Lactating with a ration balancer will enable Mare them to maintain a nutritional balSome say nutrition remains the ance, while also providing what the 34 Summer 2017 • Haflinger Horse
foal needs early on in its embryonic development. As the foal does most of its growing in the last trimester, the mare will be in need of a good quality grain supplement/ ration balancer to meet the extra needs of the foal’s development at that time. Once the foal is born, the mare’s nutritional needs will increase further, as will the amount of feed she needs. Not all grains are created equal. Feeding a grain specifically formulated for pregnant