3

Handling and Training the Foal

IT’S EASIER TO TRAIN A HORSE if he has been handled properly as a foal. It’s likely that he trusts and respects people and is accustomed to and accepts being restrained. An older horse who has not been gentled — who has not yet learned to accept people and trust them — can be difficult to work with because he is so much larger and stronger than you are.

When training a foal, the wrong kind of handling will cause him to be afraid of people or aggressively disrespectful and spoiled, both of which will make later work difficult and dangerous. It pays to always handle and train a foal with conscientious care.

Learning Begins with Imprinting

A newborn horse’s brain is more developed than a human baby’s. The foal’s critical period for learning and soaking up new information occurs immediately after birth. He must learn who his mother is, get up and find the udder, nurse, follow her, and be able to run alongside her to flee from danger. The foal does these things instinctively. A foal who isn’t able to do these things at birth won’t survive in the wild.

Because of this urgency, the equine baby learns much faster than a human baby. Human infants are primed for “instant learning” for the first few years of life, a much longer period than for the foal. The foal, in contrast, is a sponge for learning during only the first hours of life and becomes like an adult horse in temperament within a few days, suspicious of changes in his environment, wary of new experiences. The most advantageous time to make a lasting good impression on a foal, therefore, is right after birth. The newborn does not innately fear humans, but if he sees his first human after he is a few days old, he may be afraid of this unfamiliar presence.

Imprinting and the Newborn Foal

To survive, prey animals such as horses, deer, and geese are genetically programmed to absorb a lot of information, to attach and bond with objects seen immediately after birth (usually the mother), and later to flee from anything unfamiliar. This process is called imprinting. Imprinting can only be done in the first hours of life, when the brain is programmed for maximum receptivity to experiences. Conditioning and desensitizing, on the other hand, are training methods that are used later. The only time a horse can be imprinted is immediately after birth.

Just as newly hatched goslings follow the first moving object they see, identifying it as their mother and ensuring a good parent bond (a survival instinct that helps them stay close to the parent bird), a newborn foal reacts to what he sees and experiences immediately after birth. If you can control what the foal sees and experiences, you can have a lasting, positive effect.

Acquaint the foal with humans and the various things that will be done to him by humans so he won’t fear them. If he sees only his dam during the first hours of life, he may later need to be taught that humans are not something to be feared. If his first experience with humans is when he is cornered and caught and given injections — and a worried, protective dam gives him the idea that a person is something to avoid and flee from — it may take much patient handling and training before the foal begins to trust you. If, however, you are there when he is born and his first impressions include you and the things you acquaint him with, his brain soaks up this experience. He will accept it and be more receptive to handling by humans. When he has already experienced having his feet and ears handled, for example, and is comfortable with it, he remembers the experience as nonthreatening.

A young foal is able to run with his mother soon after birth.

History of Imprint Training

The first Europeans to encounter horses of North African tribes in the 1700s were amazed by the horses’ responsiveness to their owners, a result of early handling. These people lived with their horses, carefully tending pregnant mares and paying immediate attention to each newborn foal. Foals grew up in constant contact with humans. They were even allowed in the tents, which contributed to the strong bond between them and their humans.

Horsemen in many other cultures, including Europeans, simply ignored the early training of foals. Training manuals, both ancient and modern, are typically geared to the education of two- and three-year-old horses. Only recently have some people come to recognize the value of educating foals. Imprint training was formalized by Robert M. Miller, a veterinarian and horse breeder who has been using it since the 1960s.

Goals of Imprint Training

There are two basic goals for imprint training.

1. Immediately after birth, the foal should have the smell, touch, and appearance of humans imprinted on his brain. The memory of this experience will assure him that future encounters with humans are to be accepted and not feared.

2. The foal should be exposed on a limited basis to experiences that he will be expected to tolerate later, such as foot handling, grooming, touching under the tail, and mouth handling, and should become submissive to humans.

Imprint training is usually accomplished in several sessions soon after a foal is born: the first while he’s still lying down, before he gets up to nurse, and the others after he has nursed. Whatever you expose the foal to in these brief sessions will be accepted later. It’s important to do the imprinting properly; mishandling at this time can leave a permanent bad memory about humans.

PLAN AHEAD AND BE VIGILANT

If you plan to imprint the foal, have the mare foal in a pen or stall, where you can observe her and attend the birth. If she foals at pasture some night and you miss the event by an hour or more, you will have lost the opportunity for immediate imprinting.

Following is a list of what you’ll need for the first imprinting session:

One or two helpers

Very small foal halter

K-Y Jelly lubricant or petroleum jelly

Hoof-pick handle or something similar for tapping feet

Optional: Plastic grocery bag, electric clippers, spray bottle containing warm water, anything else that he will be exposed to that you want to accustom him to

Imprinting Your Foal

Imprinting works best if the mare is a mellow, trusting individual who is not worried about you handling her baby. It is not recommended if she is a nervous first-time mother and your presence interferes with proper bonding of mother and baby or if she is an aggressive, protective mother who may become dangerous if you work with her foal. Know your mare; use good judgment. If she is upset about you handling the foal, forgo imprinting. Even if she doesn’t attack you, she will transmit her anxiety to the foal.

If the mare trusts you, begin imprinting the foal as soon as he is being born. Kneel behind the mare making sure the amnion sac is off the foal’s head as he emerges. Touch and stroke his head and neck as he lies there with his hind legs still within the mare as she rests before getting up. While she is resting, and as the foal is still gathering strength and organizing himself to try to get to his feet, touch and rub much of his body. If the mare trusts you, this will not disturb her, especially if you are kneeling or squatting low to the ground. If your presence alarms the mare, back off. You don’t want her leaping up and breaking the umbilical cord prematurely. After she gets up, disinfect the foal’s navel stump and proceed with the imprinting session, as detailed in the illustrations on pages 78–79.

Sometimes circumstances change your priorities. For example, imprinting is the last thing you’d do if you were faced with the more critical task of dealing with a potentially life-threatening problem at birth. But in most instances, with a normal birth and good conditions, you’ll have a chance to imprint a foal.

Halter the mare after she gets up and have someone hold her. Allow her to stand by the foal, to lick and nuzzle him, thus creating that important mother-baby bond. She and the foal need to interact as soon as she gets up, to “lock in” each other’s identity, but this can be accomplished as you imprint the foal.

Phase One: While Lying Down

The first lesson in phase one of the imprinting process should begin while the foal is still lying down — right after the umbilical stump has been disinfected. Wait until the mare gets up before you begin the step-by-step process of desensitizing the foal (see below) if you are not sure the mare will allow you to handle the foal. The foal may be trying to get up by that time, but it is important that the first session be done while he’s still down. This works best if he is born during mild weather, with no urgency about getting him dried, up, and nursing (or into the barn) before he becomes chilled.

Restraining the Newborn Foal

Most newborns will be struggling to get up, but you must keep the foal lying on his side for the first session. Kneel behind him, and hold him on his side by putting one arm across his upper body, holding on to his topmost front leg, and keeping it bent against his body. Cradle his head with your other arm, with his neck bent around so that his muzzle is pointed at his withers (see illustration on page 78). Hold him in this position until he stops struggling and relaxes. If at any time during the session he tries to get up, hold him again in this position so he is unable to, and wait until he relaxes again before you continue. The mere fact of not being able to get up creates submissiveness in the foal.

It can be difficult to hold down a strong foal by yourself when you do the imprinting. Be especially careful not to hurt the foal while trying to restrain him. Three people may be needed — one to hold the mare, one to hold the foal, and one to complete the following set of imprinting/desensitizing steps.

Ten-Step Desensitization

While the foal is gently restrained in the down position, perform the following steps until he is at ease and accepts what is happening. Speak softly, comforting and reassuring him so he won’t panic and struggle. Work on one side of the foal at a time.

Stimulate each body part until the foal submits. Thirty to one hundred repetitions may be necessary. If you aren’t sure whether you’ve done enough, continue a bit longer. You can’t overdo it (unless you are having to struggle with the foal and it wears him out), but if you stop too soon, the foal may not be completely desensitized, which will negate the lesson.

1. Face and head. Gently rub your hands over his face, head, and poll until he relaxes completely. Put on and remove the halter repeatedly until he is oblivious to this procedure.

2. Ears. Gently rub the outside of the ear. Insert a finger partway, and rub the inside of the ear.

3. Nostrils. Gently rub each nostril one at a time. Insert a finger up to the first knuckle, and gently wiggle it, until he accepts it.

4. Mouth. Gently lift the foal’s upper lip, then rub and press on his gums. Put a finger into his mouth, and rub the bars on either side.

5. Neck. Rub his neck from top to bottom, on all sides, including the poll, and gently bend his muzzle around toward his withers.

6. Body. Rub and gently pat all exposed parts of shoulder, ribs, chest, and upper legs. Do not rub his flank or the girth area where you would apply leg pressure when he is ridden as an adult. These places must remain sensitive to touch. Also, the foal’s dam will nudge or nip him in those areas when she wants him to move.

7. Legs and feet. Gently flex and extend the joints of the leg. Next, pat and rub the bottom of the hoof, then tap gently with a hoof pick or it’s handle until he ignores it.

8. Belly. Gently but firmly rub the underbelly and groin, sheath, or udder. Lubricate a gloved finger with K-Y Jelly lubricant, and insert it gently into the rectum.

9. Optional. If you wish, rub the foal all over with a plastic grocery bag; touch him on his ears and body with electric clippers that are turned on to accustom him to the sound and vibration (but do not clip him); aiming away from him, spray warm water next to him to get him used to the sound of the spray (but don’t get him wet).

10. Repeat on the other side. Turn over the foal by grasping his forelegs and gently rolling him onto his back and over to the other side. Take care not to be kicked as you turn him. Repeat all steps on the other side.

If you must stop before finishing all the steps (he needs to nurse the mare within an hour or two of birth), be sure to complete the step you are working on and go back later — as soon as possible — to finish up. To pick up where you left off, wait until the foal is lying down for a nap after he nurses, kneel behind him again, and complete the various steps. You can interrupt his nap to finish session one, but then let him nurse and nap before beginning the next, standing sessions.

FIRST MILK IS A MUST

The foal should nurse within an hour or two of birth to get the antibodies he needs for disease protection. These antibodies come from colostrum, or first milk. If you have not completed the first imprint session by the time the foal is an hour old, finish with the body part you are working on, let him get up to nurse — and be sure he does nurse — then continue with the imprinting after he has napped.

Don’t Stop Prematurely

The most common mistake people make when imprinting and desensitizing a foal is stopping too soon and not completing the lesson. Continue each lesson until the foal stops struggling and relaxes completely, seemingly oblivious to any manipulation of feet, ears, mouth, or whatever part of his body you are working on. Any new stimulus must be given repeatedly until it no longer alarms or even interests the foal.

If you stop too soon, while he is still resisting, he won’t be completely desensitized to the action and will remember it as something to be resisted. At this critical stage, the foal learns what to fear just as easily as what to trust, so take care never to hurt or scare him. If he is scared, he will struggle. If he struggles frantically, halt the lesson and hold him until he stops struggling, taking care not to hurt him. In this way, he learns to submit and learns that he is not and won’t be hurt.

Remember, too, that if imprinting is not done correctly, it does more harm than good. If the foal is flighty or independent and you don’t continue the desensitization process long enough, you will reinforce his flighty or strong-willed determination to resist humans. For example, if you are working with an ear or flexing a leg and halt before the foal submits, he will have learned to jerk it away whenever you try to handle it later. Always continue a session until the foal is passive and accepting.

Phase Two: While Standing

In phase two of the imprinting process you’ll undertake the same 10 steps as you did before, but this time with the foal standing up. If you managed to complete phase one before the foal got up to nurse, allow him to get up and nurse (remember, make sure that he nurses within 2 hours of birth so he receives the vital colostrum) and take a nap before you begin. If it took several rounds of work between nursings to complete phase one, let the foal nurse and nap a few more times before beginning phase two.

In this phase, plan to work in intervals of no more than 15 minutes. Let the foal nurse and nap (napping at least 15 minutes) and nurse again between steps. Allow the foal to stand on his own before beginning so you don’t wear him out. Because the foal tires easily, it usually takes several sessions of work to complete the lessons done while he is standing. These desensitizing actions may begin several hours after birth and continue through the first several days. Be patient, and take as much time as is necessary for him to accept each step. You may be able to accomplish two or three objectives per standing period; the actual amount of time you’ll need will depend on how long it takes the foal to accept each step.

Have someone restrain the foal while you work with him, this time by holding an arm in front of his chest and an arm behind him. He should be held loosely, meeting resistance only if he tries to move forward or back. Once again, work on one side of the foal at a time. Continue working until the foal is utterly relaxed and accepts what you are doing.

In these standing sessions, you can teach control of movement as well, encouraging the foal to move forward, back, and sideways on command, to produce a responsive, obedient, respectful horse.

The safest way to restrain a foal is with your arms.

IMPRINT TRAINING

When imprinting the foal, continue each activity until he accepts it and submits to it.

A. Kneel behind the foal and restrain him on his side, holding on to his foreleg. With your other arm, gently bend his head toward his withers, until he relaxes and no longer tries to get up. Rub his face, poll, and head until he relaxes and does not resist. Then put a foal halter on and off his head at least 10 times, until he is utterly passive about it.

B. Rub his ears, then put a finger partway into each ear and wiggle it around until he completely accepts it.

C. Rub each nostril, one at a time, inserting a finger to the first knuckle and wiggling it until he accepts it.

D. Handle his mouth, rub and press on his gums, and insert a finger into the corner of his mouth and wiggle it.

E. Rub all parts of his neck until he no longer resists.

F. Rub his body — shoulder, rib cage, chest, upper legs — everywhere except the flanks and just behind the girth area.

G. Handle and flex all leg joints. Rub and pat the bottom of each hoof, then tap it with a hoof pick until he ignores it.

H. Rub his belly and groin area, including sheath, or, if a filly, udder. Insert a lubricated, gloved finger into the rectum.

If You Miss the Delivery

If the mare and foal are already up before you get a chance to imprint, first make sure the foal nurses so he gets his colostrum. Then halter the mare, and have someone hold her facing the foal. Speak to her reassuringly, and let her know you are not harming the baby. The mare may be worried; her instinct is to protect the baby and to teach him to follow her example only. If the mare is cooperative, go ahead and work with the foal. If she is alarmed, she will transmit her anxiety to the foal, defeating your purpose. (See Gentling a Timid Foal on page 81 for more suggestions if imprinting isn’t possible or if you’ve missed the chance to do it.)

If the foal is on his feet before you discover him, you can do the imprinting while he is standing, but instead of the single, hour-long session you would have given immediately after birth while he was still on the ground, break it into four 15-minute increments, letting the foal nurse or nap in between. After a nap, before he gets up again, enlist the aid of two helpers: one to hold the mare and one to gently restrain the foal in the down position. Then perform the work involved in the ground phase, reassuring the foal as you work with a soothing tone of voice.

PRESERVE THE MARE-FOAL BOND

In all you do with a young foal, consider the mare-foal relationship and how your actions will affect or be affected by that bond. If you work with the foal in such a way that you never alarm the mare, she will not transmit her worry to the foal. Be sure to:

Work with the foal in an area close to the mare.

Use the mare to help catch him, to be an example and

a reassuring presence when you first lead or tie him.

Tie her when you tie the foal.

Have someone lead her as you lead the foal. If he has

Mama to follow, he will lead readily.

Using the mare as a partner in the training process will make your job much easier.

The Next Few Days

If done properly, the lessons a foal learns through imprinting during the first hours of life will remain with him always. He will be more accepting of having all areas of his body handled — for bridling, saddling, trimming, and shoeing; having his temperature taken; receiving injections and medical treatments. The few hours it takes to complete this work immediately after the birth of a foal will definitely pay off down the road.

After completing the early imprinting phases while the foal is lying down and standing, do your best to conduct additional desensitization sessions over the next few days to reinforce the learning. During these sessions, emphasis is on control of movement (gentle restraint with the arms, encouraging the foal to move forward, etc., described in Phase Two).

A common mistake is to omit or inadequately do these subsequent lessons. Horses establish dominance hierarchy by controlling the movement of their peers. Omitting these subsequent lessons on control of movement will produce a foal who is tolerant of body handling but disrespectful. He will have to learn this type of submission later — but the sooner he learns it the better, or he will grow up to be pushy and spoiled.

Handling a Foal during the First Weeks

If you had a chance to imprint the foal at birth, he should be easy to handle later, even if you work with him only occasionally. When he and his dam are at pasture, you may not have a daily routine for handling them, but if the mare is well mannered, it will be easy to catch and work with the foal whenever you have an opportunity. If the mare and foal are in a confined situation or you are feeding them, you’ll be able to develop a daily routine for handling the foal.

Gentling a Timid Foal

It’s best to handle a foal every day, particularly if you didn’t imprint him. If you handle him frequently as he grows up, you can gentle him and do fundamental training, thus making him easier to work with when he is older. The young foal learns quickly, and you want to keep his experiences positive and build good habits and responses. As long as you keep lessons short, a young foal is often easier to train than an older first-time pupil. And it is usually easier to gain his confidence when he is young.

The first time you catch and handle a foal, especially if you didn’t have a chance to handle and imprint him at birth, it’s best to use a small pen or a box stall in which you can quietly corner him next to his dam. You’ll be able to catch him without alarming him if you can move up to him without the mare moving away. Then he can’t get away from you or get up enough speed to hurt himself crashing into a fence or wall. If the mare is elusive, catch her first, and have someone hold her while you gently corner the foal.

Get Acquainted

The first step in gentling a foal is to let him get acquainted with you so you can gain his trust. Many foals are curious and will come right up to you. Others are timid; it will take more time to win them over. Tie the mare, brush her, clean her feet while you talk to the foal. Let him get used to you and realize you’re part of his daily routine. As he grows to accept your presence and is no longer afraid, you can handle him and get him accustomed to the feel of your hands all over his body.

Handle the Foal

Before you try to catch a youngster in a pasture, he should be handled in a small pen or stall, enough that he accepts you without resistance. If he willingly accepts you in the small area, it’s usually easy to catch him at pasture, as long as Mama is cooperative. If he is still a bit skittish, however, and discovers he can elude you and keep his freedom, he will try to get away from you in the pasture, so perfect your technique for catching him in a small pen first.

If the mare and foal are at pasture and the foal is hard to catch, create a small pen in the pasture, using portable panels. When you let the mare into the small pen for grain once or twice a day, the foal will follow her. Then you can gently corner and catch him.

EACH FOAL IS UNIQUE

Foals are all different. Some require more handling to gentle. Some are curious, friendly, and never hard to catch. One may be your buddy, always coming up to you and following you around. Another may want nothing to do with humans and must be gently cornered for several weeks before he realizes that being caught and handled is nothing to worry about. A few foals require months of handling to get them over their fears or to bend their independent nature to include you in their lives (you’ll wish you had imprinted them). But patient and diligent daily handling pays off; the independent foal will eventually resign himself to your dominance.

SEEK MAMA’S HELP

Halter the mare, and have a helper lead her into the corner of the pen or stall and stand at her head. Follow the foal as he moves up next to the mare. If he tries to get away from you by ducking under the mare’s neck to go in front of her, your helper gently blocks his way, and you can block him from behind. The mare’s body and the fence or stall wall form a place to corner him gently.

Handle him from both sides and get him used to being touched and rubbed on the neck, back, abdomen, and legs. Gently handle him all over, including head, ears, and tail. Talk to him softly: constant soft talk has a soothing effect and will help him relax.

Catching a Timid or Elusive Foal

Spend time with a timid foal, touching him, talking to him, getting him accustomed to your presence and actions so he is no longer suspicious. This may take days or weeks, especially if Mama is overprotective and tries to take him to the far corner of the pen or pasture every time you approach. Foals learn attitude and behavior from their dams. If Mama conveys the idea that you are scary and not to be trusted, your job will be difficult, unless you convince the foal of your harmlessness.

If the mare herself is elusive, catch her first and tie her in a corner or have someone hold her so you can quietly corner Baby next to her — between you and the mare and the stall wall or fence. She won’t be able to move off at just the wrong time or station herself between you and the foal. Give her some grain while she’s tied so you can work with Baby. If he learns to eat grain, you can use this to your advantage, to help him associate you with good things.

Restraining a Foal

If a foal needs an injection or an enema, one person should hold and restrain the foal while another administers the treatment. He can be held more securely by your arms than with a halter and rope. Not only is this safer, but it also makes an impression on his young mind; he realizes he can’t get away from you and must submit to and respect restraint. When holding him with your arms, place an arm around his chest and the other around the hindquarters. Block his movement but don’t use pressure as long as he is standing still — just keep him from going forward or back. If he relaxes and stands, release all pressure so your arms are just gently encircling him.

A large foal may be too strong and lively to be restrained with just your arms. Use one arm around the neck and grasp the base of the tail with your other hand, lifting it firmly but gently upward. With their tails held straight up, most foals won’t try to back up. Raising the tail upward and forward — but not too forcefully — will generally quiet a foal and immobilize him. This hold triggers the reflexes that straighten his hind legs and should keep him from kicking and struggling.

Be careful how you hold a foal when restraining him for medical care or in any other situation in which he may struggle. Don’t hold him around the rib cage or pick him up by the rib cage if he falls down; a foal’s ribs break easily. If you wrestle with him in a stressful situation, don’t put pressure on or lift him with your arms around his abdomen, as this could injure him internally. On a small foal, you should be able to immobilize him adequately with an arm around his front and the other above his hocks. If you give him lessons in control of movement soon after birth, he will respect the gentle pressure of your arms.

Use the tail hold to help restrain a larger foal.

First Leading Lessons

Before you try a halter, the foal should be accustomed to restraint by your arms. You can also teach him to move with you. With one arm around his chest and the other around his hindquarters, push him along from behind and guide his direction. This is the easiest way to control him when you take him and Mama somewhere before he is halter trained; someone can lead the mare while you keep the foal contained and under control, behind or alongside her. In this same manner he can have his first “leading” lessons: someone leads the mare as you and the foal follow her. In this way he’ll become accustomed to being restrained by you as he follows Mama in a controlled fashion, and it’s an easy step from this to being led at halter.

Haltering the Foal

After the foal is gentled and accepts handling, put a halter on him, small enough to fit properly. A halter that’s too loose may come off his head or snag on something. He could get a foot caught in it if he paws with a front foot or scratches an ear with a hind foot. Never turn a foal loose with a halter on. If he is hard to catch, work on that aspect of training. It’s better to put mare and foal into a stall or pen for catching than to leave a halter on a foal.

First haltering: Slip the noseband up over his muzzle, then fasten it behind his ears.

USE A PROPERLY SIZED HALTER

Because a foal grows quickly, his halter size is ever-changing. Use one that is adjustable for the smallest foal and that can be let out and made larger until he is a few months old. Then you can use a regular foal halter, adjusted to its smallest size, enlarging it until he outgrows it. A yearling halter can then be made small enough to fit him.

The first few times you halter the foal, gently corner him between you and the mare or have a helper hold him so he can’t back away or resist. Put it on carefully and gently, so as not to startle him. Plan every movement you make to be sure it provides a good experience rather than a frightening one. Remember: It takes a lot of work to undo a bad experience!

Putting a halter on is a simple matter if the foal was imprinted and had this done at birth. If not, take care not to alarm him. Don’t bump his muzzle or ears. Hold him securely so he can’t avoid the halter. Try to put it on in such a way that he won’t struggle. Slip the noseband up over his muzzle, then fasten it behind his ears in a fluid, gentle movement that does not threaten his eyes or ears. After he has worn it a few minutes, take it off and put it on again, getting him used to the procedure so he’ll realize it’s nothing to fear.

When you work with a foal, move slowly and deliberately; sudden movements may startle him. If he is touchy or jumpy about certain things, slow down and work gradually on that area again — whether it’s a touchy leg or his ears when you halter him.

In a Stall or Pen

When you start lessons with a halter, don’t try to hold the foal just by the halter and rope; he may throw himself down. Use a rump rope behind him — an extra length of lead rope works for this, or use a separate rope. If he tries to rush backward, you can stop him with that instead of having all the pressure on his head and neck, which he will resist more.

Foalhood is the best time to teach a horse to lead, before he is in the habit of hanging back on the halter rope, for instance, or refusing to lead at a trot. Most foals learn to lead easily.

The youngster should learn to walk quietly beside you, pacing himself to your speed. At this stage you’re as strong as he is; he can’t get away from you if he tries to take off. Walk beside his left shoulder, lead rope in your right hand, fairly close to the halter for good control. This way, he cannot charge over the top of you, and you also have control of his head if he decides to go too fast. Many foals lead naturally, walking beside you — until you try to lead them away from Mama or out of her sight.

Until he is further along in his lessons (and older, so he and Mama won’t be so worried if they get a short distance apart), stay close to the dam or limit the lessons to walking along with her — one person leads her while you lead the foal alongside or behind her. The foal will go willingly wherever she goes. A daily routine, such as leading mare and foal in from pasture to a small pen for lessons or back and forth from pasture for part-day grazing, is ideal training for the foal. It gives him regular handling along with good leading lessons, and when he is a little older — more independent and not so insecure — you can start leading him farther away from Mama.

Some bold, curious foals won’t protest when you lead them away from Mama, enjoying the adventure, but many refuse to stray from her and will balk. The best way to avoid a fight is to use a loop around the foal’s hindquarters; this encourages him to move. Place it loosely over the rump so you can pull on it if necessary. It always works better to have the encouragement come from behind when a foal balks, rather than trying to pull on his head.

USING A RUMP ROPE

Create a “come-along” loop with a soft cotton rope that is long enough to go around the foal’s hindquarters. Hold the ends of the rope in your hand, so you can pull on it to encourage him to move forward, or make a loop that goes around his rump, with the free end long enough for you to hold in your hand or to pass through the halter.

When leading the foal, allow him some freedom of head and neck. If he goes too fast, he runs into pressure of the halter; if he goes too slowly, he feels the pressure of the rump rope. If he responds properly, reward him instantly by releasing pressure, thus setting the stage for good response in the future.

When he feels pressure on his hindquarters, he’ll want to move forward to get away from it. He soon learns that when the loop begins to tighten the easiest thing to do is move forward. Keep it slack when he moves out freely and willingly; use pressure only when he hangs back. Be sure the loop is not so slack that it hangs down and bumps him on the hocks as he walks. After he leads well, you will no longer need the rump rope.

Leading the mare and foal

DON’T PULL THE FOAL’S HEAD

Never try to pull a foal by the halter. He’s bound to fight it, thus creating a tug-of-war. A hard pull on his head may injure his neck or spine. Restraint on his head may also alarm him, and he may rear up to avoid it, with the risk of falling over backward and injuring himself. Instead, use a rope around his hindquarters to hold him in place if he balks or pulls back. With a rump rope, you control his movements better, and the pressure is not all on his head if he fights restraint. If he tries to rear or throw himself down, you can keep him in place. If he falls, control his head with the lead rope by pulling on it so he won’t hit his head on the ground. A foal can easily be killed by striking his head if he goes over backward. Always work with him in a safe place where the ground is soft.

Once he gets the idea of walking beside you, take longer walks. Some foals never need the rump rope; others need it for quite a while if they are stubborn or insecure without Mama. You may need a refresher lesson with the loop if a foal decides to challenge your control. Your well-mannered youngster may suddenly think he wants to have his own way and resist during a leading lesson. Go back briefly to using a rump rope until he gets through the rebellious stage and realizes he still must obey you.

Beginning Lessons in Foot Handling

While working with the foal, teach him to pick up his feet. He must learn how to balance himself and not resist. Handle his feet often so he accepts this as part of his daily routine and won’t try to fight when you need to clean his feet or trim them. He will be well mannered later for the farrier, too.

Picking Up a Foot

Until the foal is halter trained enough to tie, always have someone hold the foal for you while you handle his feet, so he gets into the habit of standing still. A calm and steady influence at his head or restraint with arms when he is young and not yet haltered can make matters much simpler.

Before picking up a foot, run your hand down his leg a few times and make sure he is not afraid of having it touched. If he picks up the foot, go ahead and hold it briefly. If he fights, keep holding it, then put it down as soon as he relaxes. If he does jerk it away, pick it right back up again so he won’t think he can take it away whenever he wants to. At this age, never punish him for taking a foot away; just keep working at it and be patient. You want to instill trust and relaxation, not fear or resistance.

FIRST DESENSITIZE THE LEGS

If a foal was not imprinted and is ticklish about having his feet handled, touch his legs a lot before you try to pick up a foot. While someone else holds the foal, run your hands down his legs. If he resists or kicks at a hand, just keep patting the leg until he realizes you are not hurting him. Don’t stop patting the leg if he kicks or it will teach him he can avoid having his legs handled. Touch the leg until he is relaxed and will stand quietly for you as you run your hands up and down each leg.

BE PERSISTENT

When a youngster throws himself down in a tantrum, let him. But as soon as he’s back on his feet, pick up the foot again. Soon he’ll realize it is a lot better to let you hold the leg for a moment. As soon as he stops fighting, put it back down. He’ll learn to relax when he discovers you’re not hurting him and that when he doesn’t fight you, the foot is released. If he stands quietly, the foot is picked up and put down. He will then learn to tolerate having each of his feet picked up briefly and repeatedly.

When you first pick up a foal’s foot, he won’t know how to balance on three legs. Lean into him a little to help him to shift his weight. A foal who gets off balance may panic and try to take his foot away to put it back on the ground. You can prevent most struggles by helping him shift his weight so he can balance more easily on the other three legs. Help him along by picking up a foot he isn’t already standing on with most of his weight.

If at first he is reluctant to give you his foot, tickle the back of his heel a little or press on the back tendon, between cannon bone and tendon just above the fetlock joint, to encourage him to pick up the foot. He’ll soon learn to shift his weight to the other three legs and pick up the foot when you give it a little tickle or a soft pinch. If he has trouble keeping his balance, lean in to him to steady him and keep hold of the foot until he relaxes. On a large or stubborn foal, lean in to him only enough to help him with his balance, and then let him figure it out. You don’t want him to get into the habit of leaning on you. Keep the foot up until he is relaxed and not fighting, then put it down. He must learn that you are the one who decides when to put the foot down. Do not reward him by letting him put down the foot when he struggles or resists.

It’s easier for the foal to balance with a hind foot up than with a front foot up, as he carries more weight on his front legs. But don’t hold a hind foot too high or too far out from his body or he may become unsteady and try to take it away. Hold it quite low at first, and only for a short time, and the foal will be less apt to resist.

Handling the foot while a helper restrains the foal

Start the foal on lessons in foot handling early, so he’ll be at ease with this aspect of care. All training sessions and grooming should include routine handling of the feet. Most foals need to have their feet trimmed at least once before weaning (and many need two or three trimmings, depending on how their feet grow and wear), so get him used to having his feet picked up.

Some horses develop bad habits about feet. Perhaps the feet weren’t handled early enough, and the horse’s first experience with foot trimming was traumatic. Perhaps a timid owner tried to handle feet too late, when the horse was a big weanling or yearling, and the horse learned he could rear up and take away a front foot or jerk away a hind foot. Maybe the horse had an injured leg and now associates foot handling with painful wound treatment. The best way to avoid these scenes is to handle feet from the time the horse is a baby.

THE ADVANTAGES OF STARTING YOUNG

If you handle his feet as a young foal, you can teach him he cannot take a foot away from you; at this stage, you are stronger than he is. He learns that you are in control and not hurting him, and he comes to accept foot handling. He will learn to relax and give you his foot instead of fighting, kicking, or trying to throw himself on the ground.

Beginning Lessons in Tying

After the foal knows how to lead and respects the halter and your control over him, it’s time to tie him. But before you tie him, simply loop the halter rope around a post or pole. Have the foal stand as though tied while you hold the other end of the rope and give slack, if necessary. He will probably stand there quietly at first, thinking you are holding him. Then you can gradually move a little farther away, still holding the rope; eventually, he’ll realize that you are not holding him — the fence is. He will come to understand that the fence can restrain him just as you do.

When you tie him, use a strong halter and rope that he can’t break, and always tie to something solid. Never tie to a wire or net fence of any kind; he might injure himself if he paws at it and gets a foot caught. Don’t have too much slack in the rope; your foal might get a foot over it or go over backward in his struggles. Tie him high and short. Stay with him at first so you can get him out of trouble if he has a problem.

By tying the foal next to Mama, you put him at ease. Stand behind him the first few times to help keep him from setting back hard on the rope.

And keep these lessons brief. The foal has a short attention span; he will do better with frequent short lessons rather than occasional long ones. And keep in mind that a young foal needs to nurse and nap often and should be tied for only a few minutes.

Tie Next to Mama

It helps if the mare is well halter-trained. Tie the foal next to her. She will be a good example, and the foal will be more at ease near Mama. If you tie them both briefly every day, you can gradually lengthen the lessons until mare and foal are standing tied for 20 to 30 minutes. If the mare doesn’t tie well, give her some hay or grain to eat in the corner of a pen or stall while the foal is tied next to her.

Tying Precautions for the Young Foal

When tying a young foal the first few times, loop the rope around a pole or post, without tying him hard and fast. This will allow you to monitor his reactions and give him a little slack if necessary so he cannot hurt himself, then take it up again after he becomes calm. Once he resigns himself to this flexible restraint, you can tie him solidly, but don’t leave him unattended.

If he fights the rope and falls down, he’ll need help if the rope holds him in such a position that he can’t get up. Always tie with a knot that can be undone quickly, no matter how tight it gets (see page 25). With a small foal, you can keep him from setting back or throwing himself down by standing behind him. If he sets back, he bumps in to you, and you can help keep the pressure off his head and neck. This is safe to do with a young, small foal but not always safe with an older, large foal.

Tying the Older Foal

If the foal is large and strong by the time you begin tying lessons, make sure he does not injure himself or you during first experiences. Dally the rope around the post (wrap it around the post a few times), tying him solidly only after he is accustomed to flexible restraint. Use a body rope or tie to something that will give, like an inner tube, so he won’t hurt himself if he pulls back. A foal who pulls back may hurt his neck if he is tied solidly by the head.

If you are using a body rope in addition to a halter rope, allow some slack in the halter rope so the body rope will take the strain if the foal sets back.

Using a Body Rope

To avoid injury and to help teach the foal he cannot pull free, tie with a cotton body rope, so most of the strain comes on his body instead of just his head and neck. Put the rope around his girth, and tie it under his belly with a nonslip knot so it cannot tighten up and squeeze or pinch him when he pulls back. Run the free end between his legs and up through the halter ring under his jaw. Tie him to a post or something else secure that will hold him. If you are using a separate rope in conjunction with the halter rope, tie with both ropes, making sure that most of the strain will be taken by the body rope rather than the halter rope.

Usually, the young horse will pull back strongly only a few times. Once he tries it and discovers he cannot pull free, he will respect the restraint. Some headstrong individuals don’t give up easily, however, and need more lessons — tie them daily with the body rope until they learn the rope is stronger than they are. Then they will resign themselves to standing patiently when tied.

Using an Inner Tube

Another method that works is to use a deflated inner tube fastened securely to a stout post. Use a new tube without tears, holes, or rot. Tie the foal to the inner tube rather than the post. When he sets back, the tube stretches and has some give, so he is less apt to hurt his neck, but it goes back to its original shape when he comes forward. No matter the method you use, stay nearby during the first tying lessons in case your foal gets himself in trouble. Do not leave him unattended until he is well halter trained to tie.

Avoiding Problems

The rope should be the final master. Never reward the foal with freedom during his struggles or he’ll think he can free himself by fighting and pulling back. If you have to untie him or cut the rope to get him out of a bad position, tie him right back up again. After he submits to the fact that he must stand there, then you can untie him. Most foals halter train quickly and easily, but a few stubborn youngsters take more time and effort. Routinely tying a youngster every day will eventually produce a well-mannered, halter-trained foal.

Grooming Lessons for Handling and Patience

You don’t need to do much actual grooming with a young foal, but you should accustom him to grooming tools and having various parts of his body touched and rubbed. This is especially valuable for later training, particularly if you did not have a chance to imprint him at birth. After he is trained to tie, it’s easy to groom him while he is tied. If you think he might be ticklish about grooming, which might cause him to set back, tie him with a body rope.

Rub Him All Over

At first, rub the foal all over just with your hand. When he gets used to being touched all over his body, try a soft cloth, then a very soft brush. It will upset him least if you start at his withers and along his back, then gradually work up the neck. Most foals are sensitive about their faces, so go very gently there. Work around his rump, under the abdomen, and down the legs. Each time you groom him, it will get easier; he will be more reassured that you are not going to hurt him and will soon come to enjoy the rubbing and brushing.

TALK TO THE FOAL

Horses like to hear you talk; a constant stream of soothing tones or humming will help keep them relaxed and focused on you. Talking softly and humming can also calm a nervous horse; a loud voice will make him nervous.

Tone of voice is important in training any horse, especially a foal. Your voice should be soft, soothing, and reassuring. Easy is a good word for him to learn and is used to encourage him to relax. This will come in handy later when you need to calm him.

A strong, severe voice should be used only for reprimands. With many horses, tone of voice is sufficient reprimand; no physical correction is required. Like a child, the horse knows from your voice whether he has pleased or disappointed you. A horse also learns his name by hearing you repeat it often and direct your voice to him. Most horses quickly learn to come when called, particularly if you use the same tone each time.

Prevent Bad Habits

The foal will readily develop bad habits if you let him — things that seem cute when he’s young won’t be cute later. Don’t let him chew on the rope or nibble at the brush or on you. When he is not tied (held only by the halter and rope in your hand), don’t let him wander around as you work with him. He must learn to stand quietly in one place as you groom him and handle his feet. A tap on the chest and the command Whoa whenever he starts to move forward will usually cure him of wandering. See the coming pages for lessons in stopping and standing quietly.

Advanced Leading Lessons

When you are handling the foal every day, you can perfect his responses in all lessons, including leading. As he gets older and more independent, you can lead for longer periods and farther away from Mom.

Leading Solo

After a foal is several weeks old, most mares become less worried about Baby, and he’s less worried about being apart from his dam. You’ll be able to leave her tied and take him for longer walks, gradually switching his dependence and obedience from her to you. As long as you are still within her sight, such as while leading the foal around in the pasture while she grazes or is tied eating grain, she will generally tolerate these separations. If she worries or if the foal is insecure, take things more slowly — go just a little farther each day as the foal gains confidence. Don’t create a stressful situation by suddenly taking him out of sight. A screaming mare and a frightened foal will defeat your purpose.

Leading at the Trot

You can teach a foal to lead at the trot after he leads well at the walk, or this can wait if he’s rambunctious. For the calm foal, however, it’s the next logical step. Give him the cue to trot by making “clucking,” “clicking,” or “kissing” noises and by moving your own feet faster (trotting in place), then begin to move faster. He’ll soon catch on and begin to trot as soon as you give this signal. Eventually, you can cue him to move right into a trot from a standstill just by “clucking” or giving the trotting signal with your feet. He also learns that clucking always means “move.”

Leading at the trot

Carry a little switch or crop in your free hand in case he balks. Simply reach back and gently tap his rump as you begin to trot; this will usually make him move faster. Take care not to alarm him, of course, or he may jump forward faster than you want. A switch or training whip is often necessary when teaching older horses to lead at the trot, but foals usually catch on more quickly; many will not need this cue at all.

If your foal hangs back and won’t trot, use a switch to urge him forward rather than using a rump rope around his hindquarters. The rope loop works well for teaching him to lead at the walk but may spook him while trotting, especially if it moves around on his rump or hind legs. You don’t want him distracted or annoyed by a rope flapping at his hocks or to be constantly urging him to go faster by bumping his hindquarters.

Most foals are quite lively; often the main problem is not getting them to move out at a trot, but rather holding them down to a trot after they start off. Never let a foal get up too much speed or he may be able to jerk away from you. He can gallop much faster than you can! Your loss of control can undo a lot of training, so with some foals it’s best to save trotting until later, after they accept restraint.

With most foals, however, including trotting in the early education pays off later. If a foal learns to respect restraint at this age, he will be more manageable as he gets older. Teaching him to lead at both walk and trot makes him more maneuverable and responsive. He learns to control his exuberance and move at your command, traveling quietly and responsively at your side, at whatever gait you ask for.

Basic Lesson Planning

The nice thing about starting a horse’s training when he’s a baby is that you have a chance to minimize bad experiences and teach him all the things you want him to be able to do when he’s most receptive to learning. Early lessons can be challenging but are also a wonderful opportunity.

Goal-Oriented Lessons

Always work with a purpose and keep long-range goals in mind. Even if you didn’t get as far today with a lesson as you had hoped, you still made progress if your horse had no bad experiences to set him back. A good horseman has both time and patience. Don’t be disappointed if you see little progress at certain points. Time is on your side.

Everything you do with the foal is training; you teach him either good habits or bad habits. Curb bad habits when they begin. You want a well-trained, obedient yet affectionate horse, not a spoiled one who does whatever he feels like. If you let him get away with breaking rules when he’s young, he’ll grow up to be a bad-mannered or headstrong horse. Cultivate his respect and trust, using tact and patience, and always insist on proper behavior.

Keep Lessons Short

Frequent short lessons are always more beneficial than occasional long ones. Never continue to work with a foal after he becomes tired or bored; he will begin to resent and resist the lessons. He’ll express his boredom by being inattentive, by acting resentful, and by not wanting to cooperate. A bored foal is not interested in what you are doing and would rather be left alone. He has a much shorter attention span than does an older horse; don’t stretch it too far. Gauge his mood, and end the lesson on a positive note while he’s still trying, learning, and doing things right. Don’t wait until he’s tired and fighting or doing things wrong. One of the most important aspects of being a good horse trainer is knowing when to stop for the day.

Avoid Spoiling the Foal

Most foals are inquisitive and sassy, which is part of what makes them so lovable. Unless these tendencies are properly channeled, however, they will become bad habits and bad manners. A youngster may be feeling frisky, and you may be tempted to play with him, but don’t. The small foal who nips at your clothes or kicks up his heels won’t seem so cute when he’s larger than you are and takes a bite out of your arm or kicks at you on the way by. Curb these playful tendencies before they get out of hand.

ACT QUICKLY AND WITH RESTRAINT

To be effective, correction must immediately follow the misdeed or the foal won’t know why he’s being punished. If you must reprimand him, don’t overdo it. Never strike him above the muzzle or around the ears; this will make him head shy.

Spoiled Foals Are Hard to Handle

The spoiled foal is much more difficult to train than is a timid foal. The more fearful individual can be controlled and taught that nothing will hurt him as long as he behaves, but a spoiled foal is not afraid of anything or anyone. He thinks no one will hurt him, no matter what he does, because he has gotten away with this behavior before. If someone tries to discipline him, he may fight back or think it’s just a game. A spoiled youngster usually grows up to be bad mannered or mean tempered.

Prevent Bad Actions in the Beginning

Exercise good judgment, and you can usually keep from giving a sassy foal an opportunity to bite or kick. This is important because there are times when you won’t be in a position to properly punish or correct him. It is very bad business to let him kick or nip at you and run off; he feels as though he is in control and can do as he pleases.

If he nuzzles you, make sure he gets only to your hand and not to your body. Be one jump ahead of him and tweak his nose or meet his muzzle with your elbow, a flip of your fingers, or the poke of a finger if he starts to get nippy. (For more on maintaining personal space, see pages 405–7.)

Foals are quick; they can get in a fast nip and be away again before you have a chance to punish. This is how they play games with one another. You have to anticipate a nip and prevent it. Don’t give the foal an opportunity for naughtiness; try to see or sense it coming and act quickly. You must be able to outsmart the foal.

Some foals go through exasperating stages of being nippy, hard to catch, or in some other way uncooperative — they are testing you to see if you really are boss. If a foal is handled with good judgment, tact, patience, firmness, and kindness, however, he will usually outgrow these little rebellions and become well mannered.

Dealing with Challenging Personalities

Some foals are easy to work with from the time they are born; others are frustrating and take more care and thought in handling and training. Try to figure out the best way to handle the difficult foal. This way, you avoid mistakes that would hinder your training progress.

The Aggressive Foal

A bold foal may consider you a playmate to roughhouse with rather than an instructor to be respected. It can be a challenge to determine how much patience and how much firmness are needed to keep him in line. As always, firmness and consistency are very important. As your foal grows up, he may continue testing you if he feels he is in control or if he is determined to gain control. A foal with this personality is easier to handle and train if he was properly imprinted at birth to accept restraint. If you begin his lessons later, his training will take much diligence until he learns respect.

Precocious Colts

Many male horses become aggressive at an early age. Some will act like stallions, mounting their mothers, playing rough-and-tumble games with other foals, and trying to play rough with you unless you impose rules of behavior as soon as possible. Colts tend to be more nippy and aggressive than fillies, often trying to dominate you and other horses with their teeth and feet. You must thwart this behavior before it gets out of hand. The young colt has to learn he cannot get away with nipping, kicking, rearing, or striking.

Castration during Foalhood

Unless a colt is destined for stud duty, he should be gelded. Young males are easier to handle, work with, and train if they are gelded at an early age. Many horsemen wait until a colt is one or two years old before gelding him, but this isn’t necessary and can be dangerous. A young stallion is a nuisance — he must be kept separate from mares and fillies after weaning — and is more apt to get in trouble, perhaps trying to go over or through a fence to get to fillies or mares.

Even if he has a wonderful disposition, the young stallion is more unpredictable than a mare or gelding. You’ll avoid many problems if he is gelded as a baby, and surgery is much easier on him at that age than it will be after puberty. Unless you plan to keep a certain colt for breeding purposes, it’s wise to have him gelded as a foal.

Handling and Training the Colt That Will Become a Stallion

A colt with a domineering attitude and aggressive disposition is a dangerous animal and should not be kept as a stallion. But even the young male with a good disposition who is the ideal candidate for stallionhood will have his “male” moments, and care and consistency should be paramount in handling and training so that he always respects and trusts you. Having a good rapport and complete understanding of each other will make the training more successful and enjoyable for both the colt and you.

The colt who will be kept as a stallion needs to be handled with kindness rather than force — force from you is generally met by retaliatory force from him — and with firmness and consistency. There must be no doubt in the horse’s mind that you are the leader in the partnership. If you can work with him regularly, starting when he is young, you can check bad habits before they become established. If he tests you continually, however, he needs to be handled by someone else who can better command his respect — or he should be gelded.

The Timid Foal

Some youngsters are insecure and afraid. These take much patient care and handling to ease their fears so they learn to relax and trust you. It may take many lessons and gradual stages to achieve the same progress that was gained in a shorter time by the easygoing or bold foal. There are no timetables for certain lessons. It may take days or weeks of gentle encouragement to win over the timid foal, but he may progress swiftly once you’ve built a solid foundation of trust.

The Headstrong Foal

Perhaps most challenging is the independent foal who is resistant to your efforts. The headstrong youngster may be exasperating in his attempts to avoid being caught or his stubborn determination to fight restraints. Regular handling —once or twice a day — and diligence are necessary to convince him to accept your leadership.

Some independent individuals need firmer handling and more forceful methods, such as daily tying with a body rope, use of a rump rope while being led, and harsher punishment for nipping, to bend them in the right direction and create willingness rather than resistance. Try to determine the best way to handle each individual. Your goal is training progress, not hindrance.

Know the Foal’s Limits and Abilities

Every foal requires an individualized training program. Your foal may be a fast learner, but don’t make the mistake of trying to teach him too much at once. Don’t confuse him. Make sure he has learned one thing well — leading freely at the walk, without balking, for example — before going on to something new, such as leading at the trot. After you have worked with him several times on a particular cue or movement, he will become more responsive or cooperative as he discovers what you want him to do.

If you confuse or frighten him, or if you let him get away with bad manners, it’s easy for his negative reaction to become habit. Be a perfectionist in training him, with total flexibility and in tune with his needs. Try to do everything properly and at the right time for that foal. Think first of him, and anticipate all possible reactions to whatever you do.

No two foals are alike in personality and learning ability. Some foals need very few lessons on several aspects of training and more drilling on others. For instance, one foal may learn to tie up without ever pulling back hard yet be sassy, independent, and headstrong while being led. One may have no qualms at all about having his feet handled but has trouble learning to lead at a trot. Another may pull back hard on the tie rope again and again before he resigns himself to being halter broken yet be easy to handle for other lessons.

What works well in training one horse may not work at all for another. Be flexible, exercise good judgment, and use a great deal of ingenuity. Treat each foal as an individual, and tailor your training program to him. Progress at his pace, and emphasize the things he needs work on.

In your enjoyment of a foal, don’t neglect his basic training. Handle him wisely, often, and well, setting the stage for later training. All of your work with him will be easier if you have laid a strong foundation for learning from the beginning.