Questions about training Foals

[Floridachick]

I erased because It was not my intention to hurt anyones feelings.

 

[tagalong]

Not meaning to postho.... but Floridachick... some hay fields are indeed baled according to the baler choice. And yes - I have taken forage crops courses, helped bale for many years etc.

Some preferred round bales. Some preferred the refrigerator-sized ones...and some the regular square bales. And the same grass hay mix was iin all of them....

Just a matter of handling and feeding preferences in those cases - and not the content of the bales...

 

[Minimor]

Way to go guys & gals. You have no idea what kind of hay they have or how they're going to feed it, but jump all over them because it's round bales & that makes it totally wrong. I've had some really crappy round bales, and I've had some really excellent round bales. The one year our nicest hay came in round bales; it was fine stemmed, leafy--not at all coarse--and yes, perfectly suitable for even the foals. And believe me, after all my years of experience with horses I do know what makes good horse (or foal!) hay.

Maybe it would have been better for someone new to horses to get two geldings, or two mares, or two fillies, but the fact is they have these two foals and they're doing their best to learn. I'm still not sure why you all think it's necessary to jump all over them for that. You could get your point across so much better if you worded your replies nicely.

 

[littlesteppers]

OMG..whatever happened to this forum..somebody bought 2 foals..and comes here for advise..so he/she gets FLAMED for asking ..how sad.. :no: :no: its not what is said its HOW its said..

I remember I time where ANYBODY could ask any question..without getting rediculed. Nobody was born with horse knowledge..we all had to learn..I am just glad Nobody yelled at ME back than..

 

[1 is not enough]

Hello and welcome to mini ownership! You came to the right place (really you did), there is a lot of knowledgeable people on lilbeginnings. Post pics when you can, I would love to see your babies.

Take Care

Karen

 

[Fancy Me]

I just want to say congratulations on getting two minis!!! :aktion033: They are a joy to have. I only have one, but as they say "horses are like potato chips....you cant have just one" but she is my life. :bgrin I think you will go far with your new bundles of joy. Even though studly muffins are hard to handle sometimes i think you will have fun!

: I would really like to see pictures when you get a chance. I hope you have a great experience with your two babies. :bgrin You should be happy, don't let anyone rain on your parade. They don't deserve to bring you down. Again congrats!!

anyhoo...just my thoughts.....

Have fun!!! They will be a lot of fun to have around!

-Lulu :risa8:

 

[zoey829]

I comend you for asking and getting involved. We all are here to learn and love these babies.

 

[twister]

:aktion033: Congratulations Charlotte and John on getting your 2 new mini babies :bgrin I hope they bring you great joy as only minis can. I am fairly new to minis myself having purchased my first one about 4 1/2 years ago, I now have 7(how does the saying go, they are just like potato chips, you can't just have one) :bgrin We just had our first foal born here on June 1st, she is a doll and we are having great fun with her as I am sure you will have with your 2. If I can be of any help or you just want to talk minis you can pm me, I live in Ontario so I don't know if you would want to call me but my number is 519-323-2883. When you get pictures please post so we can see your cuties. Again welcome to the forum, please come back again. Yvonne

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Hey floridachick and nathan, to your suprize he has put up the hay properly and doesn't plan on just free feeding it. And where I am round bales sauare bales and the 80# bales I feed all come from the same field, are raked with the same rake and the only difference is the baler.

I'm not surprised

The dangers I raised were address by the gentleman's next post, and luckily he had taken them into account, as far as the free feeding and exterior quality part. Didn't comment on the interior quality part... we'll just have to see on that one.

I don't think any ridicule was offered; like was mentioned, huge red flags went up. I've seen disaster happen from people who came into the field with these ideas and this lack of experience; I'm sure many people here have. Our goal, well, certainly MY goal and I'd assume everyone else's too, is to warn these people that they need close attention and help from a local expert to help them along, since they choose to jump into the game at halftime with no knowledge of the rules. There is huge risk here, and its in all our best interests, THE NEW OWNERS INCLUDED, to avoid problems and start them out the right way, to avoid the inevitable posts in the rescue forum looking for new homes. This is how horses are made homeless, like the six next door to me who's owner had a horse with a hoof abscess, a still birth that claimed the life of the "non-pregnant" mare, and all of a sudden had a huge crash and is giving away all the horses on the property because they realized how over their heads they got themselves. Three years of peace and quiet, not a single problem, then these minor issues that any moderately experienced horseperson could have addressed, and the household is in panic mode because they have no idea how to deal with the situation. This is what we all want to avoid, to keep those horses in their happy home with knowledgable people who have the information and experience they need to keep their animals healthy and happy. Jumping into the game with two colts, already intending to breed them together and raise a stallion and a mare, training both, with no experience is a recipe for disaster and people are trying to give them good advice so that they can save the new owners a lot of pain and suffering, and to make them much happier and content horse owners. And we're evil people for trying to help. Thanks.

Not meaning to postho.... but Floridachick... some hay fields are indeed baled according to the baler choice. And yes - I have taken forage crops courses, helped bale for many years etc.

Some preferred round bales. Some preferred the refrigerator-sized ones...and some the regular square bales. And the same grass hay mix was iin all of them....

Just a matter of handling and feeding preferences in those cases - and not the content of the bales...

Actually, they aren't all equal

Hay that can be baled perfectly safely in small bales can fermet and kill horses when baled as large bales, AT THE SAME TIME as the small bales. You would know that if you've done it

The moisture content tolerances are very different between 1200lb bales and 40lb bales. Too much and you'll ferment it; too little and it'll combust. The tolerances are much higher in smaller bales since they can breathe better than the larger, more compact bales. PROPERLY baled hay doesn't matter how its baled, but improperly baled hay has a much greater chance of being healthy and nutritious if stored in smaller bales.

 

[maplegum]

Welcome to the wonderful world of mini's.

:

Lots to learn, as you have already realised, but it has the greatest rewards. I owned big horses for a large part of my life, but this is like learning all over again.

My only suggestion is to find a mentor that lives close by.

The way some people reacted here made it seem that these little horses are possesed!

Congratulations to both you. I'm sure you will ALL find that happy balance.

:

 

[Katiean]

I do not think you are idiots. I only asked what you were intending for the horses so that you could be pointed in the right direction. I am not a big breeder. I have 3 horses. However, I would suggest with your babies, try taking them out, one on one time and the other the next. The reason I say this is we always took our horses out on walks together. When my mare was too pregnant to go out (she would huff and puff all the way) we would give her some grain while we got the other mare out of the pen. She was fine until the grain was gone and she would try to find her friend. In some cases they look harder and can get hurt. You may try getting a couple of miniature goats to buddy up with the stud and filly. I would get the one for the stud colt soon. That way as he matures he won't have a hard time accepting the goat. In getting a goat for the stud you might try a weather. We have a doe and she runs the whole place and goes under any fence we put up. She is in the horses and then the rabbits. The only fence she hasn't gotten through is the chicken pen. But as a buddy she is very important. For your horses that are used to company and have to be on their own a goat is very valuable. :bgrin

 

[Leeana]

Welcome to LB and i swear we are not all that bad :bgrin :saludando:

:

If you have any questions, take Kay up on her offer and give her a call or drop her an email. Everyone on here knows that i got allot of what i know from Kay and spent hours upon hours with her, she is GREAT to learn from and tons of fun.

Just wanted to say Goodluck

: :bgrin

 

[Scoopiedoo]

Not everyone that wants, or will own a horse in their lifetime will have a degree in Equine Science!!! I have met some VERY knowledgeable horsemen/women that bought a horse before they knew the entire "owners manual" by heart. I think for a first time visit to this forum, it's been pretty rough. I understand that many would like for everyone that has horses to know ALL there is to know about them before "jumping" into ownership, but that's NOT reality. At least Charlotte and John cared enough to ask, and I can say for POSITIVE that they have handled the unsolicited advice MUCH better than I would have. A simple question was asked and they've had the book thrown at them for everything from feeding to breeding!!

I believe she was asking how to get the foals to come to her. Any advice on that??

:

Jodi

 

[chandab]

I believe she was asking how to get the foals to come to her. Any advice on that??

Ok...

My usual practice is to keep them separate from each other for awhile, so they rely on me for food and companionship and it doesn't seem to take long for them to come around. I try not to always catch them to do something with them, so it isn't always unpleasant to be caught (you know catching only for shot, farrier, doctoring, etc). Unfortunately, it sometimes takes cornering them to get them caught the first few times, a stall or small pen is nice for this, so they don't have access to the whole pasture to run and play the chase game. Mostly it takes lots of patience.

 

[horsehug]

I agree with Chanda. That is how I do it too.

My colt SuperEyes has been one of my biggest challenges of all the colts I have ever raised.

But he is Finally starting to realize that the others who are not so spooky, are not all crazy.

And he is getting more and more used to me working around him...... cleaning the barn etc. to where he will stand still as I go by and let me scratch him. Once he is weaned, I'll put him by himself for a while if necessary to get him really tame.

Susan O.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

I am going to be a bit different when it comes to socializing babies. I am not an expert nor a trainer but have worked with a few foals myself.

I dont know that I would catch them every time you go in there, in fact I often go into the pen and sit down on the ground or a chair and just sit there. I have with harder to convince foals just sat and read a book- foals by nature are very curious and really cant stand it for long they will have to come up to you. When they do.. I dont even reach out for a pet at first Ilet them check out the book the chair my shoe.. then I pick up and leave. Every day depending on how quickly they come to me I do more a scratch- a pet but I always am the one to walk away after just a few days of doing this a couple times a day they are fine coming right up to me for scratches and pets and they usually do it pretty quick before I decide to leave.

Once I have that done then the halter and such is easy sometimes I put the halter on, pet scratch and then take it off and walk away, others I lead them, sometimes I groom them I dont always make it the same thing and dont always make it seem like something not fun (compared to running and playing with there friend)

Usually if I take my time and do it slowly and make my being out there something pleasant and I leave before they want me to (that seems to be a key part for me) then on the days when I dont have time to take such a long time and I need to just go and catch it isnt such a big deal to them.

Just my advice from my own experience.

 

[CHARLOTTE & JOHN]

[quote

like the six next door to me who's owner had a horse with a hoof abscess, a still birth that claimed the life of the "non-pregnant" mare, and all of a sudden had a huge crash and is giving away all the horses on the property because they realized how over their heads they got themselves. Three years of peace and quiet, not a single problem, then these minor issues that any moderately experienced horseperson could have addressed, and the household is in panic mode because they have no idea how to deal with the situation. .

quote]

Nathan, How could you let such a thing like that happen right next door to you??

John

 

[Marty]

OH MY GOSH ENOUGH !!!!!!! BACK OFF!!!!

Some of you are being so mean here. I do understand you are sending a warning to Charlotte and John about different things because you do not want to see the baby foals get hurt or become sick, but there can be a much better way to get your point across without jumping all over them!

I for one have trouble many times putting my thoughts down on a message board and trying to find the right words to use, but come on folks, some of you have your claws out and fangs showing and you know it!

God forbid they got in trouble tonite with their horses but were too scared to come back here for help because your wrath. You are going to run them off like so many others have been run off of here so knock it off.

Charlotte and John, WELCOME anyhow for what it's worth from the Brave Little Prancers in Tennessee.

We have all had to start somewhere! OK so you bought a colt and a filly, and very young ones at that. Big deal, so did I and so did plenty of people. So let's just get to work and help you work with them and have some fun with it, the way it was intended.

 

[Leeana]

Marty is speaking the truth :worshippy:

 

[Scoopiedoo]

Thank you, Marty!!!!!! WE LOVE MARTY!!!!! (Well, I do anyway

: )

You said what I wanted to, but didn't know how.

THANK YOU!

Jodi