4,777 answers about horses & farm animals
Horses and farm animals run on routine — feeding schedules, hoof and health care, safe fencing and calm handling, in all weather. This page gathers the horse and farm animal library of KinsLe Answers in one place, organized by topic from daily care to travel and senior animals. Every answer is original, written by KinsLe, and tied to a real KinsLe feature.
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372 answers in Young Pets — page 5 of 16
A Shetland pony reaches most of its height by about three to four years old and is generally fully mature by four to five, finishing earlier than full-sized horses. Ponies put on their height quickly, then broaden through the chest and barrel as the last stage of growth. Do not let that early height fool you into…
A Quarter Horse gains most of its height by about four years old and generally reaches full adult size by five to six, when the hindquarters, chest, and topline finish adding muscle and depth. This stock breed matures faster than draft types, yet a tall three-year-old is still not a finished horse through its back and…
A Morgan usually reaches most of its adult height by four to five years old and finishes filling out by about five to six, earlier than the heavy draft and baroque breeds. The compact frame deepens through the chest and hindquarters in that final phase, so a Morgan can look mature before its back and muscle are truly…
A Friesian typically reaches most of its height by about five years old, but this late-maturing baroque breed keeps filling out through the neck, chest, and hindquarters until seven or even eight. A four-year-old Friesian may look elegant and tall yet still be noticeably narrower and lighter than the finished adult it…
A Clydesdale usually gains most of its height by about four to five years old, but this heavy draft breed keeps filling out in bone, chest, and muscle until six or seven, and some individuals mature closer to eight. Expect a leggy, unfinished look long after the height seems settled, because the frame widens well…
A healthy newborn Thoroughbred looks leggy, lean, and athletic from the start: long cannon bones, a fine, close coat, a refined head with a bright eye, and a frame that seems built for height it has not grown into yet. The foal should stand within about an hour, nurse eagerly, and show quick, coordinated improvement…
A healthy newborn Tennessee Walking Horse looks long, loose, and graceful: a refined head on an unusually long, sloping neck, a sloped shoulder, and legs that already move with a loose, swinging looseness at the walk. The foal should stand within about an hour, nurse in strong bouts, and settle into the breed's…
A healthy newborn Shetland pony looks like a sturdy miniature: remarkably small, with a thick, fluffy coat, short strong legs, a broad forehead, small ears, and a dished little face, standing within about an hour and nursing with enthusiasm out of proportion to its size. Do not let the toy-like proportions fool you…
A healthy newborn Quarter Horse looks powerful in miniature: a small, refined head with a wide forehead and kind eye, a short back, and hindquarters that are already noticeably rounded and muscular compared with other newborns. The foal should stand within about an hour, nurse strongly, and show the breed's typical…
A healthy newborn Morgan looks compact, sturdy, and expressive: a well-shaped head with a broad forehead and large eyes, a clean throatlatch, and a strongly arched neck on a short, deep body that already feels solid rather than fragile. Most Morgan newborns arrive bay, brown, or black, stand within about an hour, and…
A healthy newborn Friesian looks elegant and substantial at once: a long, slightly convex head with small ears, a thick, arched neck, and a coat that is usually dark brown or greyish at birth before it settles to the breed's true black. Tufts of wavy hair at the fetlocks and a full forelock already hint at the…
A healthy newborn Clydesdale looks like a draft foal from the first hour: noticeably larger and heavier-boned than a light-breed newborn, with a broad forehead, big joints, wide hooves, and the beginnings of soft feathering behind the fetlocks. The foal should stand within about an hour despite its size, nurse…
A healthy newborn Arabian looks refined and remarkably put-together: a small, dished head with wide-set eyes, flared nostrils, a fine muzzle, and ears already tipping inward, carried on a curved neck with natural presence. The foal should stand within about an hour, nurse strongly, and move with an elevated, floating…
A healthy newborn Appaloosa looks bright, strong, and quick to organise itself: standing within about an hour, nursing with a wagging tail, and passing dark first manure in the first hours. Do not expect a finished spotted coat at birth, because many Appaloosa foals arrive in a fairly solid colour, with mottled skin…
A young Thoroughbred that is failing to thrive often loses its bloom fast: the topline thins, ribs and hips sharpen, growth in height stalls, and the usual bright, forward attitude fades into standing quietly at the back of the group. Swellings around the knees or fetlocks, repeated loose manure, a harsh coat, and…
A young Tennessee Walking Horse that is failing to thrive usually falls behind in visible ways: ribs and hip bones show despite regular feed, the coat stays dull and rough, and the foal seems listless instead of curious and playful. Missed nursing, loose manure, a lingering cough, or a pot-bellied look alongside thin…
Signs a young Quarter Horse may be failing to thrive include losing the breed's muscle over the hindquarters and topline, a weight tape that barely moves for weeks, and a youngster that plays briefly then quits while companions keep going. A dull coat, ribs showing despite feed, recurring loose droppings and being…
A young Morgan may be failing to thrive if it loses the breed's sturdy, well-covered look: ribs and hips becoming easy to feel, growth flattening on a weekly weight tape, and less of its cheerful willingness during handling and turnout. Eating without gaining, recurring loose droppings, a rough coat, and standing…
Signs a young Friesian may be failing to thrive include weight gain that stalls beneath a long black coat that has lost its shine, ribs you can feel easily but barely see, and a youngster that stands apart, plays less and tires sooner than companions. Recurring loose droppings, a cough around feeding, or a…
A young Clydesdale may be failing to thrive if its growth lags well behind what that massive frame should be doing: ribs and hips showing under a rough coat, a pot-bellied but thin look, and tiring or lying down more than other youngsters during turnout. Slow gains on a weight tape, feeds finished half-heartedly, and…
Signs a young Arabian may be failing to thrive include slow or stalled weight gain under that refined frame, a dull eye instead of the breed's bright expression, less alert curiosity, and a coat that stays rough while companions shine. Ribs and hips growing more obvious, recurring loose droppings, and tiring quickly…
A young Appaloosa may be failing to thrive if it gains weight slowly or not at all while herd mates grow, nurses or eats without looking rounder afterward, and seems dull, with ribs showing, a rough coat and less interest in following its dam or exploring. Loose droppings that keep returning, a persistent cough, or…
A newborn Thoroughbred usually tries to stand within the first hour, stands within about two hours, walks immediately in long, wobbly strides, and nurses within roughly two to three hours. These foals are tall and lean, and their first stands can look precarious, with legs splaying on bedding until the foal learns to…
A newborn Tennessee Walking Horse usually tries to stand within the first hour, stands within about two hours, walks in unsteady short trips straight away, and nurses within roughly two to three hours. Do not judge its newborn walking by the breed's famous smooth gait; every foal starts with splayed, swaying steps…
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