Important milestones and common health issues in equine neonates

As prey animals that depend on flight for survival, horses enter the world genetically programmed to hit the ground running. Motility, alertness, and a good suckle reflex at birth make all the difference between a strong, healthy newborn foal and an at-risk neonate.

The first 24 hours of a foal’s life bring crucial events and milestones that dictate his health and viability. We’ve gathered the latest research and expertise from practitioners focused on equine neonatology to help you know what to expect, when to intervene, and how to involve your veterinarian throughout the first day of your new foal’s life.

Parturition—The Birthing Process

The milestone: A foal’s first day marks the shift from in utero to extrauterine life.

Potential problems: Parturition-related issues can include dystocia (difficult birth), due to malpositioning or unusually large fetuses, or uterine inertia (lack of contractions). “If blood flow is compromised—whether from prolonged labor, premature placental separation (red bag delivery), umbilical cord compression, or placental insufficiency—the foal may experience hypoxia (lack of oxygen to the brain), which can cause permanent damage to the intestinal tract and other organs,” says Karen Wolfsdorf, DVM, Dipl. ACT, a theriogenologist at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, in Lexington, Kentucky.

“The veterinarian is not usually in attendance for a normal birth,” says Miranda Gosselin, DVM, of Millbrook Equine Veterinary Clinic, in New York. “Unless your mare is foaling in a hospital, your veterinarian will only come out if there is a problem, and that would constitute an emergency. If your foal is born at home overnight, do call your vet in the morning to schedule the neonatal exam and post-foaling mare exam.”

Standing and Nursing

The milestone: Standing within one hour and nursing within two hours after birth.

Potential problems: “If the foal is unwilling or unable to get up, this may be due to fractured ribs from trauma during foaling,” Wolfsdorf explains. Serious systemic health issues can also impact a foal’s viability and mobility—notably neonatal sepsis. This life-threatening infection most commonly originates in utero, rather than after birth. Clinical signs include fever, lethargy, swollen joints, and decreased nursing.

Another condition in this population, neonatal maladjustment syndrome (often called dummy foal syndrome), can impair a neonate’s ability to stand and nurse. Oxygen deprivation during birth triggers the condition and affected foals appear uncoordinated or unresponsive. “A healthy foal will find the mammary gland and not wander around aimlessly sucking the wall,” Wolfsdorf says