Foal Facts

Horses are pregnant for 11 months.

Baby horses are called foals. 

Foals can stand up a few minutes to an hour after birth.

Foals can see shortly after being born.

Horses start cutting teeth a week after being born.

Foals take 3 to 4 years to fully grow up.

Foal's legs are 80% or more of the total length they will be when grown.

Foals ween off their mother's milk between 6 months and a year old.

A father horse is a sire.

A mother horse is a dam.

Mares tend to give birth at night and don't like to be watched while giving birth.

They are super adorable!

*Please note these are not my pictures.

Gender Vocabulary

MARE – A female horse.

BROODMARE – A female horse used for breeding purposes.

STALLION – A male horse that can still reproduce.

GELDING – A male horse that can no longer reproduce.

FOAL – A baby horse.

COLT ­­­– A male foal.

FILLY – A female foal.

Horse Vs. Pony

What is the difference between a horse and a pony?

Quite simple, it comes down to size!

The largest is a horse, then a pony, then a miniature horse - while they technically have the height of a pony they have the characteristics of horses even though they are often smaller than typical ponies!

Horse - Larger than 14.2 hands

Pony - Less than 14.2 hands

Miniature Horse - Less than 8.5 hands

Ponies are not baby horses, a baby horse is a foal. Foals are also baby ponies or baby miniature horses. A colt is a male foal and a filly is a female foal.

(*Please note, these are not my pictures)