Foal growth

Question
Hi Shelley, My mare had to be put down due to a broken leg and the foal was taken from her 2 weeks before he was due he was a small foal but survived we fed him Wombaroo horse milk replacement then went to hard feed of oaten hay and a breeder pellet but he swelled in his joints so we had to cut back his feed but now he is smaller than others his age what should we feed him so he reaches his full potential hope you can help me thanks Joanne.

Answer
Dear Joanne,
I am so terribly sorry to hear of your traumatic loss and I can appreciate the effort that goes into rescuing not only an orphaned foal but one who entered the world early. Two weeks may not seem like a great deal of time- but just like early human "preemies" a great deal of fetal development goes into the final weeks of gestation.
While I am not familiar with the brand of mare's milk replacement you name- they are all pretty much the same- both in that they have similar nutritional formulations AND that they really don't truly replace mare's milk and the 24/7 nursing routine that accompanies natural nursing.
Definitely pay VERY close attention to the calcium/phosphorus ratio in his feed and consult with your equine vet (or make an old fashioned phone call to an equine specialist - perhaps at a University facility near you) about the maximum amount of protein he should be intaking- this is probably why you had joint issues- often a sign of impending ephyphicitis.
In any event- it sounds as though your big concern here is his size compared to his peers. Well, remember- that unless you have other orphaned early foals- he actually doesn't have any "peers." He is not, and will never will, be "like" other foals his age. As long as he is fed a well balanced ration with as much good quality (I prefer timothy and don't like to give ANY alfalfa to foals / yearlings) hay as he will eat and, of course free access to clean, fresh water- he will grow to his own potential. This will, like any foal, be influenced by genetics but also will be influenced by the circumstances of his birth.
Every orphaned foal story has great sadness in common- but that is usually where the similarities end. Your foal was early and never nursed from his dam. It is likely that this will impact his development and you can certainly make sure that this isn't further exaggerated by improper diet- but sadly, you will not be able to compensate for his early delivery or for the loss of his dam.
He may ultimately surprise you and "sprout up," but the important thing is to keep him a healthy weight- trying to feed him a high calorie, high protein diet will only create problems such as you have already experienced. While a poor diet could definitely "stunt" a foal's growth, there is no research or actual clinical evidence I have ever heard of to suggest that diet will affect the final outcome of his finished size. Besides- good things often come in small packages and you are to be commended for your efforts with this foal.
Best wishes,
S. Evans