Halter & Lead Training Foals

[drk]

Since it's that time of the year I thought I ask everyone what technique works best for them when Halter/Lead training their foals.

I use the basic Halter/Lead and butt rope but wondered if there is something better out there ???

Please share your techniques with us !!

 

[~Lisa~]

It depends on the personality of the foal the real easy going ones just get handed off to Raven for some tug of war in the pen with deep sand. I grab a chair and get ready for some laughs and in short time they have figured it out.

For those that are really attached to mom and not independent at all I run the lead thru the side of moms halter and lead mom ( I put the baby on the opposite side of me) and they usually dont fight it at all they somehow think mom is pulling them and they willingly go right along. After a couple days I stand in between mom and baby and that seems to work pretty well.

For those that I know are going to be trouble i do the butt rope but really that is my least favorite method I usually just stand still and do not let up on the pressure once they ease up and move forward - praise and I take a step and the whole thing starts over again until we are actually walking

 

[barnbum]

What I did this year is hook the lead and then walk to the end of the lead and squat in front of them with some pressure applied--and just said "Tucker, walk." in a firm voice, then acted like they'd won Grand Champion of Show when they walked to me; I used lots of baby talk and scratches.

After a few of those, he went right to walking by my side. Now he follows me everywhere when the lead is hooked. He feels it's an adventure!

Mazie has stronger brakes. She thinks walking around on a lead is a stupid idea--a waste of time--for idiots. But--I took her out of the pasture the last few nights, while everyone else was stalled, and she went about her prancing perfectly! No brakes on that girl then--and from the work we'd done she had the basics down.

So--like Lisa said--it's different for every horse.

 

[Marty]

Up here on da mountain wee dun edumacate dem redneck foals dun fast............

Nothing traumatic or forceful here; just step by step.

In the course of one full week:

Step 1.

I put a halter on at a few days old so they can get the feel of it and let them wear it in the stall for a few minutes a couple of times a day. Soon they know how to stand real still and allow you to put it on and take it off easily.

Step 2.

Then I attach the rope to the halter and sit in the stall and let them realize they have become attached... to me while I brush.

Step 3.

Eventually I will begin asking them to lead around in the stall.

Step 4.

Leading in and out of the field is already easy since they will follow their mamas anyhow while we walk along side. When we get stuck a little jump start from a butt rope or push from the rear works.

Every evening we have our "training sessions." After a hard day at play and after night feeding dinner, we take extensive walks around the farm without mama. She's left behind eating hay in her stall and could care less that we've left. When we return to the barn we get tied up, feet cleaned and groomed.

A couple of times I didn't do the evening training sessions and boy that doesn't set well with the Redneck colt. He sticks his little bitty face over the door and hollars.....actually SCREAMS to let me know I forgot and bangs on the door. He really looks for and expects that time being trained.

Dem redneck foals iz smart!

 

[Allure Ranch]

It depends on the personality of the foal the real easy going ones just get handed off to Raven for some tug of war in the pen with deep sand. I grab a chair and get ready for some laughs and in short time they have figured it out.
For those that are really attached to mom and not independent at all I run the lead thru the side of moms halter and lead mom ( I put the baby on the opposite side of me) and they usually dont fight it at all they somehow think mom is pulling them and they willingly go right along. After a couple days I stand in between mom and baby and that seems to work pretty well.

For those that I know are going to be trouble i do the butt rope but really that is my least favorite method I usually just stand still and do not let up on the pressure once they ease up and move forward - praise and I take a step and the whole thing starts over again until we are actually walking

[SIZE=12pt]I sure do like the idea of attaching the lead to the dam.... GREAT suggestion. Ha![/SIZE]

 

[drk]

Thanks for your info. Great ideas to try. I also like the lead attached to the dam.

Marty, you cracked me up.... Love that mountain top slang