controversial?? How do you discipline your foals?

arwenplusone

arwenplusone

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As subject really.
My small madam foalie targeted a well aimed kick at me the other day and I kicked her back (not hard, obviously, just on the rump - enough to make her run off). Anyway lass watching was appalled (I didn't know she'd seen) and said I was cruel.
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Felt bad after that -
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Just wondering what you guys think to this - how do you discipline your unruly foalies? Or do you let them be?


(PS: My horses are NOT RSPCA cases...)
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im a horrible mummy to my foals if they want to be horrible to me im doubly horrible back, one foal was so naughty at about 5months old i took a piece of blue pipe to him so everytime he reared he got walloped but now he is still an entire yearling and immaculately behaved, i think its better to stop something before it starts, there is nothin scarier when their 4yrs old and they still dont know whats right and wrong
 
Stones in a plastic bottle. Rattle at the appropriate point - you do need big pockets but this made all the difference to my youngster. Definitely helped cure his nipping habit and his hassling you in the field habit...
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Oh before anyone reports me to the RSPCA, I was only joking. Having said that if my colt nips I nip him back, I dont have a problem with the yearling he has always been well behaved. You do have to be quick, & I dont think it is a good idea to let them get away with bad manners.
 
Exactly the same as with a big horse TBH! If they try it on, they get a whack and as long as it's not the head, I am not fussy where I aim back as long as it connects! They need to know the boundaries right from the start, no good when they're great hulking giants who don't feel a thing or also more likely to retaliate back at you which they don't usually think of if it is done as a foal. It might not be totally PC but I defy anyone to get one of mine to kick or bite you in malice and it's only due to being strict right from the beginning.
 
How do you discipline playful-nippy hormonal colts who think you're playing if you retaliate? I've only had to handle a couple of these and I really found myself at a loss.
 
What would another horse in the herd do to this foal were it to kick them? There you go - you did the right thing.
 
Fionn promised to be a right little thug in his first 3 weeks, but he had a really good handler who was very strict with him, and just as everyone has said, he got a very sharp tap if he attempted any nips/rears/kicks, together with a loud "No!" It can be tempting to play with them, but I think you risk them becoming hooligans. We've always made it very clear to Fionn that humans are not for playing with, and I have to say that he's far better behaved than his mum now at 4 months old!

The only thing that we may have future problems with is that he's always been handled by women, and only saw his first man when he had his feet trimmed by the farrier recently, and then our male vet came to look at the lump on his leg last week. In both cases he was very suspicious, completely unlike him, and made awful faces at the vet, who said "He must be very difficult". No he's incredibly well-behaved, but obviously doesn't like men at all!! The learning is that we need to get some men down to the yard very soon after the birth of our next one in the spring LOL!!
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Yep... I did the same with Troy when he was 4 weeks old. He aimed a kick at me, so I backed up to him and kicked him back as hard as I could. He has never kicked out at me again, and he certainly was not too mentally scared by it because he is no way a shrinking violet
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i think you're brave to kick him... they kick much harder than we do, and have a longer reach. i saw someone get laid out by a day-old foal once.
i throw a rubber feed bucket at their bum if they buck at me.
i slap them or tap them on the nose if they bite.
they soon stop.
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You just HAVE to discipline them. Kicking and biting is just fun to them and they need to know before they get any bigger. Bite = smack on the nose. Kick = wallop with something handy. Rearing = get a headcollar on and put them on the back. All these obviously only if it's threatening handler. If they're just playing amongst themselves, they'll sort it out. (Or one of the mares will.)
 
they are cheeky buggars, im having few probs with my yearling wen i put cream on her sweetich she will put her ears bk and turn to kick me, and i dont want to get kicked as shes a shire x. but i have put a crop to her butt . but she still does it any suggestions ...
 
Read a tip for stopping nipping before it goes too far - pull their whiskers, on their chin. It works very well, enough for mild pain, and it makes them stop as they try to puzzle out what's happening. Think our foals mum and my gelding are too soft with her, as she doesn't believe us when we drive her off with 'horsy' body language.

Bessy - can you have anyone hold her and fuss her while you apply it - to take her mind off it?
 
i always treat mine the same as the boss in the herd would, when my colt was a foal he used to nip badly and get stroppy but whenever he did it i would give a little kick in his leg (not hard) but enough to make him realise that it is not acceptable, he is usually really good now.
 
Not convinced by kicking the foal. Firstly there is a risk of hurting it seriously. Secondly you are not in the best position to move away to dodge another kick when you are standing on one leg......
 
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