how to trin 8 month old foals for lead rope.

[Sue S]

My 2 - 8 month old foals will not get use to a lead rope, I don't want to pull them or have them fall and hurt themselves. This weather doesn't help either, can't get them out where I can train them we have about 90 in. of snow on the ground here. What is the best way to train them? they are use to their halters.

 

[mininik]

Check this out:

 

[lilmiraclesfarm]

okay, I trained my 6 month old colt in 5 minutes to lead with a lead rope. Now he's an angel and follows me where ever I ask him to go. The only time he fights me, is when leaveing the herd or if he feels unsure of the situation. My method of training is clicker training.

What I did.

I had grain in my pockets for reward (he won't take another treat as he sucks on treats instead of eating them lol)

I kneeled down on the ground a little aways making me intiseing for the foal to want to visit.

I called him over and as soon as he came face to face, I clicked and rewarded.

Step back about the same distance a few more times and repeat the reward system.

Once it seems to be down, I add a little pressure on the lead rope and halter and just sorta tug them over to me alittle. I don't pull or fight them.

Normally by now the foal gets the idea of your asking them to come near you and will come to you with the slight tug. Again, I click and reward.

I literally couldn't get this foal to move with a lead rope. He would fight me tooth and nail and I would end up having to just put my hand behind his rear and guide him. But it took me not even 5 minutes to train him to lead by useing the clicker method. Its very easy to do and clickers are only maybe 4.00 at your pet stores.

 

[kaykay]

Hmm Ill probably get flamed but thats okay. Im not a fan of training horses (or dogs) based on food rewards.

Most of the time foals will refuse to walk forward. So I walk tword their hip and swing the end of the lead rope with lots of energy (i never hit them) this tells them to move their feet. Once this is done they will generally walk about 2 steps and stop. So I do it again. Once you get to about 5 steps and they stop make them turn a tight circle if they stop and refuse to move forward. All you have to do is turn quickly which puts them a little bit off balance and they have to move. A couple times of this and they decide walking in a straight line is much easier.

Be SURE you are not doing the death grip on the lead rope. You should have plenty of slack so that you can tighten up ONLY when they do something wrong. Pressure on Pressure off.

Once they have walking forward down (without crowding me) we work on whoa.

A good pre training is to put the lead rope on and let them walk in the barn or stall. But always do this with supervision. They learn about pressure all by themselves by stepping on their own lead rope.

 

[dannigirl]

No flames here Kay,

I also do not use food rewards. Most will eventually do what I want them to because they want to please me and get the smile and loving. Training new ones takes time and patience. For me, short training periods work best. Five minutes is the most I will spend with a foal that is 8 to 12 months and not walking well because--to me--they are like little kids and their attention span is short. I start by going into their stall and attaching the lead. I stay in the stall the first and sometimes the 2nd and 3rd times. I hold the lead with just enough tension to let them know I am there and then talk to them till they stand still while I stand right next to them where I will be standing or walking while leading. Then we venture into the hall. As long as they are walking, we move forward. If they start acting up--jumping, pulling forward or pulling back. We stop and go back to me just being at their side and talking to them and even petting on them. When they calm down, we start again. Remember to keep the sessions short at first. The first time out of the stall, we may only go 5 feet before we turn around and go back to the stall. When back in the stall--which is their safe place, we stand with me at the side again and my arm around them loving on them and then I take the lead off while loving on them.

Takes a bit of time, but usually after 10 or 15 sessions, they are walking like old pros. While I use short sessions, I will do sometimes 3 or 4 sessions a day until they get the hang of it and then daily for a while to reinforce what I want.

Oh, and I forgot--make sure they don't get hurt. If they don't feel safe with you, they won't lead as well.

 

[StellaLenoir]

oh man how I needed this thread!!!

My little man, is a turd on the lead rope! He used to walk great, almost to the point of me being comfortable to walk the neighborhood with him.

Then came gelding, then came weaning, now we have a frozen in place fuzzy little stinker!

He will only go backwards. I have done something similar to what Kay said with the circle hip thing. He will circle forever! Then go backwards LOL!

If I crowch down he comes, if I am beside him he is frozen still.

I will try the other methods mentioned

Not that I want anyone elses horse to be a pain, but I am SO glad to hear I am not alone with my problem child!

Thanks

 

[Contessa]

I train to lead in less than 15 minutes. Here's the trick... Use a long lead, snap on halter and lay it across his back and bring it around his butt under the tail. You will have two different sections of the rope in your right hand and the part that goes around his butt is your "move forward" signal. You guide him by the area of the rope that is right next to the halter. Say "walk" and put pressure on the lead BEHIND the horse. No pulling-it doesn't work. I hope all that makes sense because it is the easiest way to teach to lead.

 

[kaykay]

I SO AGREE on keeping the lessons very short with young foals!!!

Stella your guy has been through a lot and sounds like a bit of stress overload

When I have a horse that has been through a ton of stress I put off training a bit until things settle down

When Cody was gelded he woke up 2 times during the procedure. It was a nightmare. It took him a month to get over the trauma. During that time all training was suspended. Once he got over it we started again and all was good

Kay

 

[Brandi*]

Yes I have been using this method with my new guy and it seems to be working very nicely. We are almost to the point where he doesn't need the line around his butt anymore.

I train to lead in less than 15 minutes. Here's the trick... Use a long lead, snap on halter and lay it across his back and bring it around his butt under the tail. You will have two different sections of the rope in your right hand and the part that goes around his butt is your "move forward" signal. You guide him by the area of the rope that is right next to the halter. Say "walk" and put pressure on the lead BEHIND the horse. No pulling-it doesn't work. I hope all that makes sense because it is the easiest way to teach to lead.

 

[Jill]

I've also used the butt rope idea, not food rewards.

 

[Warpony]

I always use a butt rope as described above.

 

[Katiean]

I read the first page of replys and I have to say I am not a fan of the butt rope. I had a filly that was soooo brain dead that as a yearling she still would not lead if she did not have the butt rope on. I never had to apply pressure on it but she would not move if the rope was not there. That is when I swore I would NEVER use a butt rope again. With my colt I put the halter on and we would lead a step or two. The next time it was a bit further. Now all I have to do is tell him lets go. There is never any pressure on the rope he just goes because he is expected to. I know this doesn't help. I just wanted to say use the butt rope with caution.

 

[mininik]

If trained properly, the food rewards in positive reinforcement are phased out, diminished over time and/or replaced by non-food rewards. Similarly, when properly training using positive punishment, you shouldn't have to rely on either pressure or pain after the desired behavior is learned.

You can either spend yor time rewarding the steps done correctly, or correcting the miskes leading to a learned behavior.

 

[StellaLenoir]

thanks Kay for the advice. I do not try training him alot, but when I am working with his older sister Silver, he is SO interested.

I just didnt want him to forget the halter, and lead rope. He doesnt seem too stressed, just like to him

lead rope = vet = no fun, dont like!!!!!

Oddly enough he was an angel standing for the farrier, and will stand still for brushing and bathing. Just dont expect him to move anywhere!

 

[maplegum]

We taught Bailey with the rope around the bum trick. Only had to do it a couple of times and he got the idea.

You probably don't want to hear this, but Willow NEVER had to be taught! From the very 1st time of wearing a headstall and lead rope, she lead like a pro! I've never seen a horse do this before! She knows 'whoa' also without really being taught. It's like she's been here before.

She is only 5 1/2 months old and is already doing really well at trick training too. I guess some horses just 'get it' quicker than others.

 

[disneyhorse]

I do the butt rope thing, too. Minis are so small you can get away with the butt rope at a much older age than a big horse.

One thing to keep in mind is patience. Sometimes if you have a horse that's not too much of a turd, just keep steady pressure on the lead rope until they move forward. Their reward is the removal of that pressure.

Add me to the list of "no treats even when training." I'm not a big fan of treats. I don't care for horses that come into my space uninvited or look for treats or ask for treats. They need to just be respectful. When I'm around them, they are expected to work and behave, even if "work" is just standing still enjoying a grooming or a scratch.

Andrea

 

[Sue S]

Thanks everyone for your advise, think I will try the butt rope tomorrow when it is nice out. When it comes to the farrier or the vet they are really good but to get them to lead what a job. He puts the brakes on and she hops and stops. For being little they sure are strong.