Teaching a yearling mini to lead...

[seattle]

I have a yearling mini that needs to be taught how to lead. I've never taught one to lead before, and I was wondering what to do. She's completely fine with the halter being put on and removed...she stands perfectly. Beyond that, however...I just don't know what the most effective way to teach her to lead properly is. Thanks in advance for any advice/methods!

 

[Magic]

What I do with the weanlings should work with a yearling too. It's great that your filly is fine to have the halter put on, that helps a LOT.

To start with, I just turn the foal's head one direction, not expecting feet to move yet, just for them to give to the pressure. Once they do that well, then I pull (gently) to one side until one foot moves. Praise. If you start by trying to go forward, the foal is going to naturally brace against you. After you get one foot to move (do both sides of course), try for two. Now, with a yearling you may be able to bribe forward movement with food as well, never tried that but it could work.

I also will put a halter and lead rope on the foal while it is in a stall with its dam and let them drag the rope (I am of course close by in case of mishaps). By stepping on the rope the foal quickly learns to give to pressue on its own. And then there is the always-helpful "butt rope" to get a horse moving forward if you need to get them to go somewhere. I hold the halter lead in one hand and the loop of rope that is around their rump in the other and apply gentle pressure to the butt rope as I walk forward. Foal comes along instead of planting feed like a mule (no offense to mules, lol!) Good luck with your yearling, let us know how it goes!

 

[K.C. Lunde]

Hi there--

I diddo what Magic has posted!!

 

What we do to halter train our weanlings and yearlings.. They are kept on a dry lot at night and every morning, they are caught up, and lead to a fenced off area of grass. At night they are recaught and taken inside the barn/drylot and fed a little bit of weanling/yearling feed. We find that they look forward to being lead around--- they are heading somewhere they want to go!! As for initially training them to lead.. we have had most success with leading 2 at a time, so they gain confidence off of each other.

 

This kind of method has helped me train some horses to be easier 'catches'-- they are caught, and tied up, to receive their morning and night grain/hay.

 

For trailer training.. same thing. The horses are caught up, and tied and fed in the trailer.

Heck, if someone said there was a flat of cupcakes in a trailer.. I'd jump in too.