Facts on Baby Horses

Horses are mammals that belong to the equus family, which includes zebras, donkeys and mules. The word equus comes from the Greek language and is translated as quickness.

  1. Names

    • A foal is the term for a baby horse of any gender while a colt is a male foal. The male parent is referred to as a sire and the female parent is called a dam. A yearling is a foal that has reached its first birthday.

    Pregnancy

    • Horses can become pregnant when they are still a filly or under 4 years old, although most breeders wait until they are at least 5. Baby horses stay in the womb for 11 months and are usually born in the spring.

    Birth

    • Horses usually only have one baby at a time, with twins a possibility. Baby horses are able to focus their eyes almost as soon as they are born and usually cut their first teeth within a week.

    Legs

    • When baby horses are born they have legs that are almost as long as when they are fully grown, which can make it difficult to reach down to feed on grass.

    Wild Horses

    • Baby horses are able to stand and walk within two hours of birth. The ability to stand and walk is important as horses in the wild are herd animals and must learn to survive alone almost immediately.

    Growth

    • Baby horses are fully grown anytime between 3 and 6 years of age. Contrary to popular belief, a pony is not a baby horse but a horse that grows to less than 14.2 hands in height. A hand is 4 inches in length.