training to walk properly is hard please help!

[Samm S]

hello, i was just wondering if anyone knew any easier way to train a 2 month old colt to walk, trot..etc. on a lead. i am gonig to be showing this boy therefore he must know how to walk in the show ring. I have tried coaxing and wraping the lead around his behind.. but it doesnt seem like im getting anywhere! do you have any tips? because this would be my first time teaching a foal to be walked on a lead...

thankx!!

 

[Minimor]

Sounds like you're going about it the right way, but it does take time & patience. And, foals all learn differently. The first Mini foal we raised just took naturally to leading--I could take him out in the yard & he'd walk & trot & pose so nicely. I showed him when he was 2 months old, but of course as soon as we got out in the show ring he forgot his manners--he still led not too bad, but he tended to want to walk on his hind legs & he was hollering for his mom... :lol:

Our foals this year, in comparison seem hopeless. One is 3 months old & the others are 2 months old. Honestly, it seems like the more I take them out & lead them, the worse they get. The first time I took the oldest filly out in the yard she walked & trotted real nicely. I was amazed. Unfortunately, it's been downhill from there. Sigh. They are starting to come around now--it's not like I'm working with them every day, they've really had very little work at all--it's just that when they started out so well (and all 4 of them did start out quite well) you expect to keep going from there, not regress!

Do you have someone to lead the mare while you lead the foal beside/behind her? Sometimes having mom along encourages the foal to walk along better, then before baby knows it, you're leading him/her off away from mom.

 

[kaykay]

tie the foals lead rope to the moms lead rope and let her lead him around. This imo is the easiest way to teach a foal that young. as karla said not a lot is expected of foals that young but they do have to walk into the ring LOL

 

[lilfoot]

Well Sam...I think a whole lot of patience, time spent practicing, some coaxing & a sense of humour will get you further. :bgrin by the way...several kids have shown an interest in training Moonie so "many hands" will help too.

Remember don't expect too much too fast...be happy with small steps forward.

Moonie is very people oriented & willing so I hope that it won't be too difficult.

 

[dannigirl]

I start by putting them on a lead and walking slightly to the back of them--touching them on the butt when they stop. When they get the idea that they are supposed to go forward, I gradually move myself to the side and then next to the head of them. I don't usually have much problem if when I work with them this way. My problem is usually trying to keep them off of me. That normally just takes time and trust.

To get them to trot, we get next to a fence and one of us works the lead and the other is behind and will tap with a whip (tap--not whip) to get them to move forward or I will use a very short whip and touch their butt from the back side of me so they move forward.

Actually, weanlings will do just about anything in the ring. i can remember showing one standing backwords to all the others in the ring--and she placed first out of 5 with all 3 judges at a show. :bgrin

 

[Bess Kelly]

Like Kay, I have had some luck with the initial phases of leadline by leading them along beside their dam. It's not perfect but, it does help get a very young foal to accept the idea. Then, I try to move to two people leading mom & foal as separate handlers but, at same time & location. At that point, I then move the foal some with mom there but, standing at a whoa. Progress from there.

I tie mine next to their moms, also, to begin learning to stand tied. It is much more calming for them. Of course, you have to be "right there" but, it has worked well for me.

 

[Miniv]

We start them like Kay and Bess Kelly...........Halter the weanling, then tie their lead to their mom and take them BOTH for a walk!

Let's just say it makes for an interesting walk!

: But the baby learns LOTS. (Mom probably wants to kill the baby by the time the lesson is done!) :lol:

If necessary, when you need to lead the foal? You really do need two people to make it easier. One to lead and the other to bump the foal from behind. Horses learn instinctlively from pressure, (because they are a herd animal) so having the second person to apply that pressure is important.

MA

oops....typo

 

[Samm S]

thankz guys!!!

: :aktion033: now we have many to choose from

: :bgrin

thank you