Early training or leave them be?

[Slave2Magic]

My youngster is 16 months old and it got me thinking. Which is best, early exposure to the world or leave well alone? Other than leading, tying up and feet handling, is everything else best left until they are older? My youngster is in a field next to a busy road so will get a certain knowledge of traffic. So who does what under 2 and is there a right and wrong?

 

[scarymare]

LOL - you'll polarise people with this.

I leave mine alone BUT felt pretty stupid when due to the crap weather my 4 month old unhandled colt foal developed an abcess

It took me 3 days to get a headcollar on but luckily my vet breeds and was able to tame foal pretty quickly after a bit of a fight.

This has probably made me rethink slightly but tbh I'm on my own so things are very difficult.

 

[Wagtail]

I think the earlier they learn about things the better. From day one, the foal here has been accustomed to being gently squeezed around the girth area, and had things draped and gently fastened around him. Once he is bigger, he will have light weight tack put on and off him, and at around eighteen months be introduced to the bridle for short periods and being led in it. Even though he will not be backed until four years old. We will teach him verbal commands such as walk on, trot and canter. Learn to back up, move over, and walk over objects such as poles. Load in and out of a trailer etc.

 

[smellsofhorse]

i thing exposure to life is better early.
don't rush is or scare youngster but it is better than leaving until they are older.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

My OH was putting trotting harness on his 10 month old foal just to get him used to being tacked up. His yearlings now are cross tied and used to having their feet picked up and handled etc. It makes things so much easier down the line.

When Stevie came in as a 2yo to be broken he didn't bat an eye lid at having the backband and crupper being put on him, or the hobbles, because he'd stood around in the crossties as a baby with it all on him.

I'm all for teaching them when they're young

 

[Littlelegs]

I'd rather too little than too much. Ideally I like it so if something happens, treatment isn't an issue, whether that's cold hosing a wound or treating an abcess. Really v little, just minutes a day, quick check in field half the time, 10 mins in the other days. For me its not so much teaching specifics, just more teaching very basic manners, such as not invading body space, & acceptance of people. So when it does reach time to learn specific things, anything goes. Although I don't set out on a bombproofing mission, normal stuff goes on during those 10 mins around them. So loose dogs, clippers, hoses, rugs drying flapping about, farm stuff etc. So they develop an 'anything goes' attitude.

 

[FfionWinnie]

Get on with it. Time spent with manners, handling and despooking a youngster will reward you later in their life.

 

[Enfys]

Do stuff, as Wagtail and others say, as early as possible, before the youngster learns that he is bigger and stronger than you and can win a battle of sheer strength.

Why have arguments with a 'teenage' hulk, when you can have conversations with a kindergarten student?

There are many ways to do things, as far as I am concerned there is no wrong way as long as you end up with a respectful horse that does as he is asked, when he is asked.

I do everything except get on them with my pre-twos, oh, and I don't lunge.

They are lead, step up, down, over, through and around anything and everything I can think of. My yard looks like a fairground at times with bunting hung around it. Rugged, bridled, saddled, led from another horse. Know their basic commands etc, etc, etc.

Phoenix and George do pole work at liberty

 

[Goldenstar]

By two mine would lead ,load ,travel short journeys .
Tie up be groomed and be good at picking up feet .
I expected them to stand when told and walk on when told .
That's all most of the time they where just out doing horse stuff but if they have learnt that as foals you just have too keep it in their minds it is not a lot of work but it makes starting them at three very easy.

 

[eggs]

Our youngsters are taught to be caught, have a foal slip put on, lead, tie up, pick feet up, move over and be groomed. Once they are confident doing this we then tend to leave them to be youngsters although theyvare bought in each day for a check over and a feed.

In the past we did a lot more "desensitising" ie. Introducing them tobdifferent things but to be honest we don't do that now and haven't noticed a difference when it comes to backing them. Some seem to be born more spooky and som are born bolder. I find the foals are all bold and don't seem to learn to be more wary of things until they get to nearly 3.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Mine have all been taught to lead from a headcollar as of 3 weeks old - it makes putting them in and out much easier. They get brushed, feet done and thats pretty much it. They get turfed out with the older crew at weaning and are handled once in a blue moon over winter but are fed twice a day and get patted so they don't turn ferral. In March of their yearling year they learn to lead properly and go to a few shows over the space of the year. The colts all get bitted for this. Again over winter they are left to be ponies. Their 2yo year is pretty much the same although they get rugs introduced and if a colt is being licenced then they learn to lunge and long line for 5 mins a day to show off their paces to the vet and to check their hearts. 3yos are shown a few more times. 4yos get left in the field and then they get broken as 5yos. Bearing in mind we are talking about shetlands here. There is nothing worse than an overhandled shetland pony! Mine are the easiest to break in on the planet. You can do anything with them in the field with or without headcollars on. They don't barge, bite, kick or be nusances but they are still ponies not machines.

 

[MrsElle]

My 4 month old allows me to brush her, look in her mouth and ears and under her tail. I can touch her all over and pick out her feet. I was weigh taping the others yesterday and she came for a nosy, so I went to do her, not thinking she would let me put this white tape on her. She put her ears back and looked round at it, but stood still while I weighed her

She is exceptionlly nosy though. I do sometimes go days without handling her, just a quick scratch if she comes over, but know if she needs the vet/farrier etc, she will be ok to be caught and handled. Her mother, on the other hand, is a nightmare!

Also, why do they make weigh tapes white? There can't be many horses that are comfortable with white tape that looks like leccy tape being wrapped round them.

 

[TelH]

My 2yo ties up to be groomed, will have a rug on, behaves himself for the farrier/to be wormed etc. I take him for short walks round the village 10-15 minutes a couple of times a week. He isn't bitted yet, if he was a big chap I would have him bitted before I took him out on the road but he's only 10.2hh on his tiptoes He will go in the show ring as a 3yo, the same as his sister has done this season.

 

[Dry Rot]

I don't handle foals much pre-weaning but there is surely a lot they can learn by themselves. I've never had a problem teaching weaned foals to lead, once they can be handled. Let them set the pace! Food is the key! No such thing as a free lunch here.