7month sec D colt:opinions and advise please

[Tezzabezz85]

Hi there,

After pretty much forever I have finally gotten my own horse. Now it's been a while since I have been around horses so you will probably think me slightly daft for getting a foal as my first horse.

I have had him for nearly 6weeks now. He has settled in nicely and growing nice and steady like he should.

I just have a couple of things,and would love to hear peoples opinions.

A) What feed is good for babies?
My boy is on D&H pasture mix,speedibeet and AlfaA (this is what the breeder had him on, figured if its not broke dont fix it?)

B)what activities do you do?
I mainly brush him,pick his feet up and just generally fuss him, only for about 10-15mins per day. I get him out for walks when the weather allows and he has a run in the paddock with another 8mnth old colt when its not too wet.

There are two things that concern me:

He bites, all the time. I dont think he is being nasty, just curious and playing. I know colts can be very mouthy too.

I have taken to nipping his nose/lip area when he goes to or does bite me so he knows that I'm not playing with him back. (this is the only thing that makes him think twice)
Should I be really worried? will he grow out of this or is it something I should try and get him out of like I am doing??

Also he lets me pick up his front feet, (this can take abit of doing sometimes) but he will not let me near his back legs. I can brush them all day but as soon as I run my hand on his bum/thigh his leg goes up,sometimes he kicks out too. This has now made me very cautious when going down for his back feet, and i think he is picking up on my own nerves?!

Any tips?

Thanks in advance (sorry if I sound like a moron)

 

[team barney]

If he is getting colty the best advise I can give is geld him as soon as possible, when his hormones start coming into play more he will only become more of a handful.

Persevere with his back legs, if he senses you are fearful of him now he will as he matures most likely take advantage of that and become a complete thug.

With his nipping I have found it best to ignore or distract young colts rather than getting into a bite for bite match. If you can't distract him make a loud noise and wave your arms in the air rather than resort to physical punishment, this shock tactic works with most horses, especially if there is no malice in the action (witch at 7mnths I doubt there is). He is most likely trying to engage you in some form of boy's play and by nipping him back you are in a sense encouraging him by joining the game.


Last of all, if you are genuinely struggling with him and feel you have taken on too much don't be afraid to admit defeat and find him a more experienced home.

 

[be positive]

I would think that he is bored, it sounds as if he is only getting out in the paddock for a short time and not daily, young foals need to be able to play with others, they use this to develop both physically and mentally.

I would cut out the sugary feed and put him onto a youngstock feed like suregrow to make sure he is getting essential vits/mins. Give him adlib hay to help relieve boredom.

It would probably be a good idea to get someone experienced to help with his feet, either to lift them or to hold him while you do it, start with one, brush down it as he is happy with that and then just put your hand on him, move down further each day until you can hold the foot before you try picking it up, also get him more confident with the fronts, he will need trimming so the farrier needs someone that can hold him properly so he can do his job well.

Keep working with him and dont be worried about asking for help when you need it, many things are easier if there are two pairs of hands.

 

[hayinamanger]

Oh dear. Well, you've got him now, so there's not a lot of point me going on about a novice owner buying a foal, and a colt foal at that, as their first horse.

Firstly, never feed him from your hand, ever. This encourages biting and anti-social behaviour.

Do you tie him up to groom him and do his feet? If he has not been tied up yet, it's time to start. Headcollar on, longish rope through tie ring, you hold the end. Do this for several days, using a lot of give and take on the rope as he moves, so that he learns he has to stand and not to be frightened of being tied up.

Once he stands nicely to be groomed, you can concentrate on his feet. I would groom him all over, then brush his legs. As you brush the leg (Use a softish brush) run your other hand down the leg, put the brush down and pick up the foot. Hold it, and do not let go until he stops resisting, then place it down and praise him. With his back feet, I would hold his tail firmly down as you brush his legs (this makes it more difficult for him to kick you) then pick up his feet in the same determined manner, do not let go! Wait until he stops all the attempts to snatch his foot away and the, when he has stood quietly for 5 seconds, put the foot down and praise him.

If you are faint hearted about it and afraid of getting kicked, he will realise that he has the upper hand and you will not make any progress.

Most colts bite, don't smack him or bite him back, just ignore it and don't allow yourself to get bitten. If you stick your elbow out as his teeth come round, this will act as a deterrent.

He needs to be castrated, have you had a feel to see if he has two testicles present? His hormones will settle down after gelding, but it will take a few months.

 

[domane]

Congratulations Sounds like you are doing just fine. All I would say is don't be too keen to pump him full of mix.... as a native, he will do well on fibre-based feeds and a good all-round vitamin and mineral supplement. Too much rich food whilst they are growing can have joint repercussions as they get bigger.

DO persevere with trying to pick up his back legs. Get in close as a kick from very close range is much less painful than one from a distance.... I know it goes against your instincts but you need to get him used to this. Ask for the try, initially, even if it is just a bend of the fetlock, then praise immensely. As he's only been with you for 6 weeks of his short life, it is still very early days and he will settle in time as he gets to know you.

In terms of what to do with him, I would say that daily handling, grooming, picking up feet, tying up etc should be just about it. If you are going to take him for walks, keep them very minimal and not very often... he's just a baby and really just needs to eat and grow for the next 3 years. Boring, I know but the best thing you can do is just leave him be.

Regarding the biting... if you don't want to smack him or pinch him, you could always try putting a little gravel in a small plastic bottle and every time he goes to nip, shake the bottle to take him by surprise.

I have a two and a half year old traditional who used to nip me on the bum in the early days when I was picking out his front feet so I actually resorted to putting a grazing muzzle on him just for those couple of minutes! That way he wasn't being scolded but he couldn't do what he wanted either

ETA: Is he living in or out? He needs to be out, running around and building bone density and muscle. He would also benefit from being with an older horse who can keep him in check and teach him manners.

 

[vickyb]

I agree with what others have said, and also I think a section D, which is after all a good hardy breed, should be living out 24/7, running about and playing with his mates. Just going out for a few hours a day (unless I have misread what the OP wrote) is not going to do him any favours later in life, and he will get very bored as well.

 

[EstherYoung]

I would strongly recommend that you get an instructor/trainer who is good with groundwork to come and give you a few pointers. It really will be worth its weight in gold. I have our instructor out every few months for a 'babypony session', as although I theoretically know what I'm doing (haha) it is very hard to remain objective with your own. Just little changes in body language, positioning and timing have made all the difference.

Also, think about the life you are giving him. It is really important for babyponies to have interaction with other horses and to learn how to read horse body language. I've got mine in a stable herd of other babyponies, with a dominant oldie to keep order. Going out in the field every now and again isn't really enough for decent social and physical development and you will be storing up problems for the future. Are you on a livery yard or a stud? It can be difficult to manage youngsters on a livery yard unless they have other youngsters, so it might be worth trying to find a stud locally that does proper youngstock livery.

Also, do think about getting him gelded. It will be so much easier to manage his turnout needs if he is cut, and the winter is a good time to do it.

 

[katastrophykat]

I bred my colt so all this was done before 7 weeks- we started picking feet up at a day old...! But when you run our hand down his leg and he lifts it, get a hold of it sharpish- don't tell him off, as you're teaching him that picking his leg up is wrong- then you're going to have to teach him it's right. Best to teach the right thing first time! Maybe use a rope to start with and work up to putting your hands on his lower leg, at the end of the day if you get hurt, who will look after him for you?

I go with the flap arms and chase school with mine- if he's being horrible he gets sent out of my space- away from his food and to the back of his box. I keep him there until he asks nicely to be let back in (licking/chewing and head lowered) then I drop my shoulder and let him in. Oddly enough, the stand off goes on for less time if there's a haynet in and he's hungry...! He's a rising three year old now, and almost 16hh- I am still boss and won't have it any other way. Whatever he does, whether he's scared or being a brat from hell, I always handle him firmly, consistently (if he got praise yesterday for doing something good, I make sure I praise him again, if he gets told off for something once he'll always get told off for doing whatever it was) and everyone that handles him now (we have a turnout rota) comments on how well mannered he is.

He does need at least daily turnout- he's out from 6-5 usually in winter and 24-7 in summer with friends that will both play with him and mainly keep him in his place- my section D does this wonderfully. As soon as gunner steps out of place in the herd, Ru puts him back. I do the same in the stable, so he has consistency from me an his herd leader.

I'm not by any stretch into NH of any form, but rather choose to discipline him the same way as his mum did- I spent hours watching them when he was born and watched her with him. She warned him twice, then hoofed or bit him. So yes- when he's been in a total snit and being genuinely horrible or dangerous, he's been hoofed, flat footed. It stops him in his tracks an leaves me enough time to take his mind off whatever he was doing.

 

[angelish]

Go and spend your santy money on Kelly marks book perfect manners , loads of ideas in there for you

 

[brighteyes]

Stop feeding him anything except hay/haylage and get him cut as soon as possible. And follow the above advice from Elderly.

 

[Tezzabezz85]

Thanks for the posts. I really do appreciate the info and advise!

I'm planning on getting him gelded, I was planning on doing this in the spring, as the lady who runs the yard I'm at is having her colt done so thought they could feel sorry for themselves together (haha).

I dont feel he is too much for me, and think I'm doing pretty well with him. We have a good bond to say I've not had him long and he always backs out of my space when i tell him to, so he's not a complete thug lol just a cheaky chappy.

He is restless at the moment and I've had a nice chat with the lady that runs the yard (she has a bunch of youngsters on the yard) so he will be going out more and will have plenty of play buddies.

I tie him up every morning while I muck him out and he is tied up when i brush him and tackle his feet picking upness.

I've actually had some sucess today with the feet picking (Woo!! lol) I will def try the brushing and then try to pick his feet up, he does like a good brush so this will probably help.

I'll also have a go at the ignore tactic of the biting, and making him get out of my space when he does it as he does this when I need him to anyway.(probably will be more successful and I will feel better doing this)

I dont really like disaplining (sorry cant spell to save my life at times) him when he's so young but someone told me to nip him to mimic the nips he would get from another horse??? oh well hahaha

The lady who runs the yard helps when she can but I just think it's always a good idea to have different opinions on things from different people, nobody knows everything.


Again thanks for the advise, will definently apply some of it and will let you know how it works out.

8+)

 

[welshcobmad]

I bought a D at 6 months & I must say due to the breed that you have to be a lot more firm as they're the kind if you give them an inch they'll take a mile. You have to set your boundaries & stick to them.

Ignore tactics did nothing for mine but when he did nip, although I'm sure people will disagree, I used to give him just a sharp slap on the neck & shout oi loudly, only took a few times & he's not done it since (he's now 7). If he does anything now shouting oi is enough to stop him & he gets quite offended, anything more (as my vet found out) starts a fight as he won't back down lol.

I also had back feet issues! I used to do exactly as you are doing but also when I gave him his feed, use a sweeping brush to run it down his legs & use it to hook his fetlock up & hold it there for a few secs - therefore avoiding violent kicks & he got so used to it that picking up soon wasn't an issue at all.

Sounds like you're doing fab so far I hope you enjoy him, being biased but Section D's have so much character there's never a dull moment but never be afraid to put him in his place - its ok when they're young & you can over power them but when they're the size of a Sherman tank with a teenagers attitude they have to know there they stand. Id do it all over again anyday! Good luck!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

At the end of the day he is a young colt. He will nip. He will play. He will rummage through your pockets for anything and everything. And being a Sectoin D he has far more brain cells than most horses put together. In all honesty I would carry on with what you are doing with him, except the nipping him back thing - he will soon think it's a game - and try and kick him out in the field as often as possible for as long as possible so he can play with ponies rather than try to play with you. All youngsters are funny about their feet being lifted and it will take time but you will get there in the end.

The yearling year is always fun with a D colt. Mine ran out with the dartmoor (9yo gelding) and the pair of them played all day long. They did get a bit boistrous but I would rather that than him try to boss me about. As a 2yo he has been fab. Much more chilled, still growing like a weed. He just needs to fill out now. My lad used to nip, now he just grabs hold of my jacket and sucks it. Same at shows, he get's nervous so grabs onto my wrist in the line up for reassurance - I'm starting a new trend of wearing sweat bands to show Welsh Cobs in Now I know most people won't approve of him doing this BUT if it keeps him calm and happy then why not? He did it less and less as the season went on and he will grow out of it but until he is happy and comfortable in the ring there is no reason why he can't have his comfort blanket.

Keep going and try and get him as much turnout as possible.

 

[EstherYoung]

Re the feet. Only take your hand away when he gives you the right answer (ie that he holds his foot still, even if just for a few seconds). If he is waggling or kicking, keep with him and keep touching him. Keep very close to him too, so that if he does catch you he won't have much power behind it.

Ask him small questions to start with - if actually picking the foot up is too much, start off with just touching the leg. What you want is no reaction, so again if there is any kicking or leg waggling stick with him with your hand on him until he gives you the right answer (ie that he stands still and doesn't react) and then retreat an give him a scritch. Keep working down like that and in no time you'll be able to touch the legs all the way down. Then you can start working on actually picking them up.

I say 'foot' when I am picking up the feet so they know what's coming. Help him out, too - babies often find it difficult to balance on three legs, so before you ask him for a foot make sure that the other three feet are well spread out.

With our youngest, he was very nervous about his feet when we picked him up three months ago, so to start with one of us picked his foot up and the other one stood the other side just to help him balance. The kicking with him was a panic reaction because he thought he couldn't do it, but once he realised he wasn't going to die he started to pick up his feet like an old pro. He will pick up all four feet loose in the field now and has had the farrier do all four twice.

 

[foxy1]

He needs to be out. Find somewhere else where he can live out with other youngstock.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

He needs to be out. Find somewhere else where he can live out with other youngstock.

See now I don't agree that this HAS to be done. Yes I think he should be turned out as much as possible but there is also no harm in having him stable at some stage during the day. Also turning out with older horses he will learn more manners and do's and don't's from them. Yes interacting with other youngsters is great for them but not entirely essential. My shetland foals generally grow up with adults given that we only breed one ever year or 2 and it has never done them any harm.

 

[rascal]

I agree with what others have said, and also I think a section D, which is after all a good hardy breed, should be living out 24/7, running about and playing with his mates. Just going out for a few hours a day (unless I have misread what the OP wrote) is not going to do him any favours later in life, and he will get very bored as well.

This!


We have a mare we bought at weaning, the best thing for youngsters is turnout 24/7 with another baby or a very sweet natured older horse. We had a shetland who got on with anything so as a foal she was turned out with him.
We also have a welsh d we bought as a yearling, he is 3 and like all ours lives out.

 

[shadowboy]

Personally I wouldn't keep any youngstock anywhere they don't get daily turnout as a minimum. Vices develop far easier in a youngster than an older horse and research shows its better the bone growth and structure.

 

[PennyJ]

Just carry on being calm and consistent with him and it should all fall into place. I have 4 -2 colts, 2 fillies and they are all brilliantly behaved on the whole. All now coming up to 8 months old. Nipping (of humans) is absolutely not tolerated, they get my arms waved in their face and I turn into a big scary monster at the same time if they DARE do this, and it's been a while now since I've had to get cross. They play with each other, not with me. I feed them and look after them, teach them manners, that's my role.

Sticking to a strict routine as well as the consistent treatment is one of the best things you can do with them, 3 of mine were unhandled (forest bred new forest ponies) and 2 of them in particular were very difficult each taking over 6 weeks to "come round" but they are now absolutely delightful. The colts come in at night, the fillies live out (they will be turned back out on the forest in the spring) we used to have trouble catching one colt, but we have progressed from him coming in free range by being rounded up into his stable, to walking up to him and clipping on the lead rope to his head collar and leading him in. Consistency has paid off in the end. Of course leading them every day to and from the field reaps dividends, they just accept it as part of the routine. I'm quite laid back about the picking up of feet, one colt is brilliant at it, the other tolerates it once he realises nobody is trying to kill him. The fillies, we haven't needed to bother yet, although they will have to have their feet trimmed soon, so I need to organise some helpers and start working on that.

 

[springtime13]

IMO I think he should be out, with minimal handling at the moment. Let him be a baby with other horses, plenty of time for training later on. I personally wouldn't spend the money keeping a native foal in.

 

[Echo Bravo]

Depends on how much grazing you have to be able to turn out 24/7. Now my Welsh Sec D likes going out during the day but goes ape***** if you are 10/15 minutes late bringing him in and I've owned him since he was 2, my 8 month old foal also likes going out during day and again enjoys coming in the evening, and I can a sure you none of them enjoyed being stood out in the thunderstorm we had last Friday and I got home dripping wet with my car steaming up, my OH made me stand in the hallway to stripe off,before he gave me several towels to dry off.