IF there is one thing that blows my mind among the many miracles of foaling, it’s the foal slippers. Instead of the hard, glossy hooves we associate with horses, a foal is born with soft, finger-like structures covering its hoof soles. These are known as eponychium, more commonly called foal slippers or fairy fingers. Though they may look peculiar, foal slippers serve an essential purpose in a horse’s early life.