Your Foal's First Week of Life

Eleven months in the making - endless hours of planning, waiting, managing, and watching all lead up to one moment.

When the foal finally hits the ground, it can feel like the hard part is over. In reality, the most important window is just beginning.

“This is the most important week of that foal’s life,” says Dr. Rob Franklin, equine veterinarian and co-founder of FullBucket. “A great first week sets that foal up for everything that comes after.”

The first week of life is when foals transition from a protected environment inside the mare to the real world. Their immune system is immature. Their digestive tract has never encountered bacteria before. Their ability to adapt depends heavily on what happens in the first hours and days.

This is not about panic or perfection. It is about knowing what to watch, what is normal, and when to involve your veterinarian.

Why the first week carries so much weight

Foals are not born with the same protections humans are.

“Horses are different from most mammals,” Dr. Franklin explains. “Newborn foals are entirely dependent on colostrum to get their first antibodies.”

Before birth, the foal receives nutrients through the placenta, but immune protection must come after birth. That means the foal starts life with an immature immune system and a digestive tract that has never been exposed to the outside world.

“The foal’s immune system and the microbiome are not developed yet,” Dr. Franklin says. “That’s why this first week is such a critical window.”

This combination of immune immaturity and environmental exposure is what makes the first week both vulnerable and important.

What normal looks like in the first hours

Knowing what normal looks like helps you recognize problems early.

Veterinarians often reference the rule of one, two, three:

“If the foal is not standing by about an hour, that’s not normal,” Dr. Franklin says. “If the foal hasn’t nursed by two hours, that’s abnormal and you need to call your veterinarian.”

Once a foal is standing and nursing, a predictable rhythm usually follows.

“You’re going to see a foal that nurses, plays a little bit, urinates large amounts of clear urine, lays down, and repeats that cycle,” Dr. Franklin explains.

This pattern is one of the clearest indicators that early life is progressing as expected.

Colostrum is the first building block

Colostrum is not just milk. It is the foal’s first source of immune protection.

“They can only absorb those antibodies for a short window,” Dr. Franklin explains. “Roughly twelve hours.”

During this window, large immune molecules pass through the foal’s gut lining and enter the bloodstream. Once that window closes, those antibodies can no longer be absorbed effectively.

This is why early nursing matters and why veterinarians routinely recommend an IgG test between twelve and twenty-four hours of life to confirm successful antibody transfer.

Milk leakage before foaling is also important to note. Mares produce one batch of colostrum. If colostrum is lost before birth, it can impact what is available to the foal, and your veterinarian should be involved early.

The foal’s gut starts as a blank slate

One of the most misunderstood aspects of early foal care is digestive development.

“The foal’s intestinal tract is literally a blank petri dish,” Dr. Franklin says. “It’s ready to grow things. It’s looking for friendly bacteria to inhabit it, but it’s also open to bad guys.”

From the moment a foal stands, it begins interacting with its environment. Stall walls, bedding, legs, manure, hands, and equipment all become sources of exposure.

This is normal behavior. It is also why early management matters.

Clean stalls, calm handling, and minimizing unnecessary stress help support the foal as its digestive system begins establishing a normal microbial population.

Manure changes during the first week

Not all manure changes mean the same thing, and timing matters.

Foal heat diarrhea typically occurs later, often around seven to twelve days of age, and is associated with normal developmental changes.

Early diarrhea, especially in the first days of life, is different.

“Neonatal diarrhea early on can become systemic very quickly,” Dr. Franklin explains. “That’s something that needs veterinary evaluation.”

The key is observation without assumption. Loose manure early in life should never be automatically dismissed as normal.

Signs that should never be ignored

Some signs warrant immediate veterinary attention, regardless of time of day.

Contact your veterinarian if you see:

• A foal that will not nurse

• Lethargy or weakness

• Persistent diarrhea in the first days

• Swollen joints or lameness

• Minimal or dark urine

• A foal that seems dull or disengaged

“A foal under thirty days of age with a swollen joint or lameness is very serious,” Dr. Franklin cautions. “That tells us a systemic issue has occurred.”

Early evaluation matters.

The importance of the neonatal exam

A veterinary exam within the first twelve to twenty-four hours is considered best practice.

During this visit, your veterinarian will:

• Check IgG levels

• Examine the umbilicus

• Evaluate heart rate, respiration, and temperature

• Assess the mare post-foaling

“Do not skip that exam,” Dr. Franklin emphasizes. “It’s one of the most important things you can do.”

This exam provides reassurance when everything is normal and allows early intervention when it is not.

Supporting the foal through the first week

Early care is not about replacing colostrum or veterinary care. It is about supporting the foal as it adapts to normal environmental stress.

“The idea is to get good microbes in there from the word go,” Dr. Franklin explains, “so the good can expand and keep things in balance.”

Support during the first week focuses on:

• Calm, consistent handling

• Clean environments

• Monitoring nursing and hydration

• Supporting normal gut and immune function during early life transitions

“If you can get through that first week,” Dr. Franklin says, “you’ve cleared a huge hurdle.”

Tools to get you through foaling season

Foaling season moves fast. Having a plan and the right support in place ahead of time helps you stay focused when it matters most. 

First 24 hours
Administer Foal Kickstart during the first hours of life to support digestive and immune function as the foal transitions to the outside world.

Days 2–7 (and as needed)
During the first week, some  continue with the Foal Probiotic Paste to help maintain gut balance as the foal adapts to normal environmental stress and routine changes.

In our FullBucket Foal Kit, you’ll find both Foal Kickstart and Foal Probiotic Paste, along with foaling indicator strips to help determine when your mare is likely to foal. The kit also includes a foaling information card, designed to record key details. Having that information written down helps owners track what’s normal and gives veterinarians the critical details they often ask for during early evaluations.

Keep on hand
Keep BioClay 5-in-1 Paste available during foaling season to support normal digestive function during episodes of loose manure or gastrointestinal upset, in coordination with veterinary guidance.

Foaling season does not stop with the foal.
Maintaining daily probiotic pellets for the mare through late gestation, foaling, and early lactation helps support gut health during this demanding period and plays a role in overall digestive stability and colostrum quality.

The first week is short.
Its impact lasts much longer.

Ask the vet:
Get the full, in-depth "Foal's First Week of Life" on our Youtube Channel: