Bone Development In Foals

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157 – January/February, 2025

By William Given

We may find a foal able to stand within twenty minutes of birth, and within two hours he might be ready to run. However, at this point in his young life, he will possess only 15 to 20 percent of his mature bone mineral content and he will only have reached approximately ten percent of his ultimate body weight.

A foal’s bone development begins well before birth and continues beyond 18 months of age. The period between three and nine months of age appears to be the most critical for foals with respect to growth and bone development. During this time, serious conditions can develop that might limit the conformation and performance potential of a horse. It is important to monitor growth rates and evaluate the foal’s skeletal development. Steady, moderate growth along a typical growth curve appears to provide the best method of minimizing developmental concerns.

A person does not have to be around horses very long to learn the extent and potential seriousness of bone problems. Although this is especially true for two-year-old Thoroughbreds that are just beginning their racing career, it can also be seen in young horses involved in conformation competition and performance events.

Over the past fifty years, a significant amount of equine research has proven that optimum nutrition influences the speed at which young bones grow and knit. Equine nutrition researchers are now asking, “Can the entire bone maturing process be accomplished at an earlier age?” If this is true, a young horse’s bones will be calcified (hardened) well before his bones are subjected to any type of performance stress.

Nutrition Research Results 

Click here to read the complete article
157 – January/February, 2025