Foals eating moms food?

[Luce85]

I have always with mine, tried to prevent baby eating moms food, but on our yard we have someone with their own foal and has turned round and said I should be encouraging it? Which I think is wrong, but what is your opinion on this, or your own proceedure?

 

[Spring Feather]

It depends on the age of the foal. When they are little, providing you are feeding the mare a mare & youngstock balancer/feed then the foals don't really eat it, they tend to just fumble around in the bucket. At about 3 months old foals can digest feed and all of my foals share with their mothers at that stage and thereafter, however as said I do feed a balancer which is suitable for 3 month old foals and the mares. I would never not feed my foals with their mothers at some point prior to weaning; it's how they learn and if the breeder hasn't allowed this or offered feed to the little one, it can result in being a real pain for the buyer of the weanling.