Cheeky foal

[ottodyl1]

Just wondered if any experts out there had any good advice re cheeky foals. My colt foal is a week old and is already v bold & cheeky. He has started coming at us in the field & boxing. I have known & worked with cheeky colts before but not at this early stage! Mare & foal are stabled at night so he is being handled daily. He is already eating grass and hay and dunking his nose right under the water in the trough! I have started leading him with a foal slip & picking up his feet, which are both going well. However, I'd just like him to learn a bit more respect for space without me having to be too harsh. I've tried flicking the rope towards him & waving my arms but he seems to have no fear about anything.
Do you think I should carry on handling him as much as I have or do you think this is just making him over-familiar?
Although I've worked with mares & youngstock in the past the mares generally foaled away at stud & the foals if anything were more nervous when they came home. This is the first foal I've bred myself so I'd appreciate some advice please!!!

 

[air78]

If he's accepted leading and having his feet picked up, I'd be inclined to back off and leave him at grass if possible........ I think your gut feeling is right, there's nothing worse than over handled/ over confident youngster!