A pony, also known as a foal, is one of the cutest sights. They are amazing creatures and there are many interesting facts about them. Did you know that foals are born almost as tall as they are adults?
Let’s check out five awesome facts about ponies, and check out some adorable foal photos along the way!
#1: Ponies Called Foals
A small horse is called a foal. Now, it should be noted that ponies go by many names. Some of the most popular are foals, foals (males), females (females), and yearlings. What’s more, ponies aren’t the only animals with these names. For example, a donkey is also known as a foal. Baby zebras can also be called foals. However, filly and yearling are usually only used to describe baby horses.
When a mare or other horse known as a mare has her foals, they are no longer called foals. Once ponies turn a year old, they are called yearlings. The gestation period for a mare is 11 months, and the weight of the foal at birth can sometimes vary depending on the size and weight of the mare.
#2: Mothers play an important role in a foal’s life
It’s probably no surprise that mares are extremely important to the lives of their babies. After all, there are very few animals that are not somewhat dependent on their mothers as babies. Foals, however, are especially dependent on their mothers to survive and beyond.
Of course, foals are mammals. This means that as newborns, they must rely on their mother’s milk for nourishment and sustenance in order to grow tall and strong. Breast milk is especially important for newborn horses as it gives them the energy they need to take their first steps.
Papa horse plays no role in the baby’s life after conception. Mother horses raise, protect, and ultimately teach their babies alone, without the help of another parent. Mother horses teach their babies to eat grass, run, and even how to defend themselves from threats.
#3: Foals Have Really Long Legs
Chances are that “tall” and “baby” aren’t words that you often use in the same sentence. After all, it’s no secret that most babies are smaller and shorter than the adults they’re born into. But when it comes to ponies, you can’t use the word “dwarf” to describe them.
When a horse is born, they are almost as tall as an adult. Yes, that’s right – 80 to 90 percent of a pony’s birth leg height is its adult height. As a result, ponies have difficulty controlling their legs.
During the first thirty minutes to an hour after birth, the foal struggles to stand. Some foals may take longer. However, if a horse takes two hours or more to stand, they are at risk because they need to eat as soon as possible after birth to survive. For this reason, owners give colostrum to their horses if they have not started to stand after two hours.
The foal may take several attempts before it successfully stands. Usually, they will have their first attempt around 15 minutes after birth. They’re no strangers to persistence, though, and will try to persevere over and over again until they finally get it right. That’s some pretty hard work!
#4: The foal sleeps standing up!
When you think of sleep, you probably picture lying in a comfortable, warm bed. However, this is not the case for the pony. Did you know that ponies sleep standing up? They can also sleep lying down – which one they choose seems to depend on their mood!
The way they sleep isn’t the only thing that sets them apart. Unlike humans, foals do not sleep for long periods of time. Instead of sleeping for eight to nine hours straight, they slept for shorter periods of time multiple times throughout the day. Until about three months old, foals are expected to sleep for about half the day, at intervals of about every 30 minutes.
As the pony gets older, it sleeps less and less. Three-month-old foals are more likely to sleep standing up than younger foals. When babies grow into adults, they only get about three hours of total sleep a day, broken up into multiple naps.
#5: Pony produces lots of saliva
Saliva plays an extremely important role in the survival of ponies. The salivary glands behind the horse’s jaw produce this substance, which helps the foal digest its food. Saliva also helps buffer the acid in the foal’s stomach, which can cause painful ulcers and require surgery.
Saliva is essential to the foal. Due to its integral role in their health, foals consume it in large quantities. Generally, they produce about 3 gallons of saliva a day. One final fun fact is that a horse’s first set of teeth are called “baby teeth” and they remain until about two years of age.
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
