Help, my 8 day old foal keeps falling to the floor to evade being lead! He will get part way to the field, then take an unliking to the pressure of the butt rope and just throw himself on the ground. I am aware that this isnt unusual, however, when it actually happens it is very difficult to know how to punish him and then when to reward him. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how i can stop him from doing this? Also, how is everyone going about teaching their babies to lead? Thanks Hannah
You need to teach him to give to pressure slowly, spend about 10 min at a time working with him around his mother while she grazes, dont pull him straight, but start with pulling him lightly to the left or right , if he moves one foot reward him with release of pressure, start with small tug and just hold till he moves one then relax, do it over and over till you get a few steps, I have never had an issue leading foals, its easy of you take "baby steps" and patients and consistancy! do it couple times a day 10 min lessons. Start will circles then move to straight lines, you will be suprised at how fast he will be walking forward, sometimes within 2 lessons they act like pros. Also in lesson teach them to move away with pressure, light and reward small moves, moving away and respecting your space is just as important as moving with you. The butt rope is a quick fix for alot of foals, but they often have tantrums here and there as they are not taught , just bullied. Their brains are little sponges, they pick thigs up quick at this stage.
Hi,thank you for your advise, i tried this method this afternoon and all he does is run backwards, where should i be standing when i am gently pulling him to the side, in front of him, or to the side i want him to turn to? How quickly should i be expecting results, this is my first foal and im finding things a lot harder than i ever imagined, certainly a challenge?!?
I have found that sometimes to start with just let the foal lead you around. Put the halter on and follow them so that they can get used to you being right there beside them with minimal presure on the halter. Then start to slowly change to you leading them.
Hannah, You've probably already done this, but worth saying anyway. Try working with him in his stall for a few minutes at a time. This way, you have an enclosed environment. Use the butt rope, and reward him with praise when he even moves a foot forward. Patience is going to be the key for now. When taking him outside, you may have to have someone help "cradle" him with you to get him out. I've seen foals do what you are explaining numerous times...fairly typical because they don't understand what pressure is yet. Start slow and work to get him moving forward in the stall first....then work towards longer distances. I hesitate to "punish" foals this young, as they are more likely to be startled and frightened....then react in a negative manner (such as trying to RUN or BOLT from you). They tend to do better if rewarded (even for the smallest things), because they will find a certain activity pleasurable....and do it more often as such. patience, patience, and goodness patience
I have tried everything everybody has suggested, but nothing seems to work. I have been told by many experienced stud workers that i know that he is a very naughty, but incredibly clever little boy! They too have made some good suggestions, but without them there guiding me, it seems impossible. Im just very worried that i am sending mixed signals to him by trying all of these differnet techniques, shud i just persevere with one, or try something new every time i fail? As i have said, im new to this, and i think it is probably my naivity that is acusing me to wish for too much too soon. Thanks
Sorry, typing error, meant to say "causing", not "acusing" in the last sentence!!!!!!!!!
Elena Vieira Breeding Stock Username: Opheliaimmorttal
Post Number: 127 Registered: 11-2005
Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 05:50 pm:
Have you tried watching any training foal videos? Clinton Anderson has a great one and it starts with the butt rope but there is also one where you yeild their Hindquarters then they twirl out in a way and take a step then you stop. You might want to check out his website, the foal video is great and it's helped me tremendously. Is there a certain amount of time before he falls down? Have you noticed a pattern? I would probably have him take a few steps then just stop, pett scratch watever, take a few steps, repeat petting, then take a few steps etc etc. This way he doesn't lay down. I would just try to make it so he can't lay down and you should be very patience do a lot of scratching. Does he follow you around? Riley follows me around and it makes it a lot easier for me to lead him because he just walks behind me until I pull harder then he'll come a little closer. I'd try to stop before he lays down though. Make the right thing easy and the wrong thing not easy and if he doesn't have a chance to do the wrong thing the right thing would be perfect! Good Luck!
If he is running backward with you then I would keep him in a smaller more controled area as one person has suggested the stall. Go with him when he starts to go backward and TALK to him the whole time using your voice to soothe him. I believe that your boice is one of your greatest tools when working with horses. Always end on a good note not a bad one if you can help it. I dont care if he only takes ONE step in the direction you ask either. I too use the mare when I can. How old is this colt? And have you done anything with him other than trying to get him halter broke? I ask as I dont worry much about halter breaking real early in their life. I tend to use my hands on approach. At feeding times, they get groomed even if its just my hands brushing them ALL OVER them. Our newest colt is now 2 1/2 months old. He has had a halter on him three times and will follow you well. But we started with using our hands/body placement and voice first. The halter is just an extension of US to him. He may just not be mentaly ready for the halter yet if you have not shown him how to deal with you as a whole.. Good luck with him and dont give up. Just like children, they all learn at different levels in different ways. I dont think there is one sure fire way to train every single horse out there.LOL if so it would put alot of trainers out of buisness! hehee Forgot to add..YES, try and stay consitant with him so as not to confuse him more. You need to find what you're comfortable with so that it will put him more at ease with you..
(Message edited by Jw_kings_excalibur on June 15, 2006)
(Message edited by Jw_kings_excalibur on June 15, 2006)
The clinton anderson video is useful and will give you a visual and a very good one on how much pressure and steps to work on, sometimes its hard to put in written words to a novice that a video will work beter!!! www.clintonanderson.net or ebay to find the weanlings/foals/yearlings video.
I start leading my foals in the first week they are born.
I have looked at the clinton anderson video, but i am from the uk, therefore making it more difficult to get hold of. Luckily somebody with foal experience is now lending a daily hand, just to guide me! I have been around and owned horses all my life etc, but having a foal is completely new territory. Thanks
Oh, in answer to your question, he is 10 days old.
Elena Vieira Breeding Stock Username: Opheliaimmorttal
Post Number: 128 Registered: 11-2005
Posted on Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 03:10 pm:
I started haltering Riley the day he was born and imprinted him.(did you imprint) I think I began leading him before he was a week old. He doesn't mind it at all and the Clinton Anderson Videos helped a ton. I sprayed fly spray on him yesterday for the first time and he just stood there perfectly. I would really suggest getting it. Cant you just ship it to UK? Good Luck!
You may have it solved by now, but I have another trick. When he throws himself down, grab a front leg and pull it in to his chest to keep him down. I think your smart boy has figured out that throwing himself on the ground is a way that he can control what is going on. If you can keep him down until he relaxes, he'll learn that falling to the ground isn't a reliable way to escape from pressure. It also is just one more way of cementing the fact that you are the one in charge. This trick only works if you can keep a good hold of a struggling colt, but if you can keep the front foot bent and but some weight on their solders, you can usually keep them from getting up. This isn't really punishment, it is just a different kind of pressure that he can't avoid. In my experience colts will give up on falling down after one or two of such treatments.
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