Ezperiences and advice needed please

[not_with_it]

Dixie is now 6 months old, how time flies. She has just started coming in at night and is out with mum during the day.

The majority of the time she is a poppet. I always make her step back when I enter her stable, she will tie up, have feet picked out and will stand to be groomed.

I always lead both horses to the field together but at least once a week Dix will play about on the end of the leadrope throwing herself in all directions. She does doesnt respect the headcollar and is so strong. On the very rare occasion I have help she has always walked really well up to the field apart from the other day. My dad had taken Gin and was infront, I had Dix who suddenly decided to bolt forwards throwing her legs in the air narrowly missing my head. She has never got away from me and gets a growl if she starts to throw her head around which sometimes stops her but its getting to the point where it is dangerous.

When I have more time next week I am going to start taking them to the field seperatly but until then I have been leading her around the yard doing lots of stopping and starting. Today she threw her toys out of the pram.

I was thinking about getting her a pressure halter as this really needs nipping in the bud, so any suggestions.

Also please tell me I am not alone in having a cheeky foal. She isnt at all nasty but needs to learn there is a time and place to play and I am not a toy!

 

[not_with_it]

anyone?

 

[Clodagh]

I read this earlier but didn't reply.
I carry a showing cane when I lead Piper then he can be poked with it if he tries to play on the way out to the field, hes OK coming in again.
Ollie (2 year old) I lead with a chain over his nose, thats fab but I think would be a bit much for a foal. A friend who is into NH used a dually on her foal who was a right madam, it worked really well. I guess a be nice is similar?

 

[not_with_it]

Thanks for the reply.

I think I will look on the net and see what I can find. I just keep thinking it would be far nicer than pulling her about and she is so good in every other way.
I dont do naughty horses on the ground so it has to stop, she has plenty of play time in the field.

 

[Clodagh]

Friend said you can get duallys really cheap on eBay now.
I agree with you, even though they are only foals, Piper is about 14hh and if he starts standing up when being led theres plenty of him about. Normally hes too horizontal to bother, but when I'm opening the gate and squashed between him and Dixie is usually when he can't contain himself any more.

 

[Holly831]

You are not alone!!

They will all try at one time or another, I prefer it when they are much younger though as at least you have a chance of holding them!

I personally don't like the use of pressure halters on foals but thats just me better to use one if you feel you need to rather than risk serious injury and end up with a yearling+ that is unrully to lead!

I always use a long slip rope with foals, gives me chance to turn their heads if they start acting up. I tend to turn them sharply as soon as they have that 'look' to give them something to think about before they misbehave. On occasions where I am too slow or have become complacent (because they have behaved for a while ) then I can at least get clear of flying hooves without letting them go!!

Good Luck and you are doing the right thing by tackling this now rather than with a yearling or older to deal with

 

[kerilli]

as above, they all try it at some point, they are growing and starting to feel their strength etc, and I think "WHY should I listen to this puny human" tends to cross their minds here and there...
always wear a hat and gloves, if you don't already. it only takes a sec to put them on. horses can move so fast that even if you think you're ready for them, something can happen.
i tend to keep a wilful youngster quite short on the leadrein, i'd let the mare (if she's good to lead) have 10% of your attention, and the foal 90%. talk to her, jerk the rope a little, let her realise that you are paying her loads of attention and that you're ready to nip it in the bud if she starts anything. a sharp loud "NO!!" can be enough to shock them out of a naughty impulse. calm determination usually impresses them enough.
hope that helps a little.

 

[jenz87]

Hi
I wouldnt want to use a pressure halter on a foal myself but thats my opinion

Im on a yard where the YO has done all the courses with Kelly Marks and is trained in NH. We have a dually on the yard and its fab. We also have a be kind one, and it isnt as "kind" as the dually in my opinion, i wouldnt use one.

Those are my opinions though good luck!!

 

[Clodagh]

To add to Holly's comments, I have a very long lead rope on Piper so he can do airs above the ground away from me if he really has to.

 

[not_with_it]

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Im glad im not alone.

Kerilli I do keep her short and growl at her if she pics up the pace which a lot of the time does work.

I always use a long leadrope when im leading so that I can hang onto the end of it.

Tonight a friend leant me a headcollar with a loop that goes over the nose. Its hard to explain. It did help in that she didnt have any really naughty moments but she didnt respect it enough. It didnt help that someone decided to put their youngster in the coral then tie up their foal outside, both who were going crazy. But on the positive side she just put her tail in the air and danced round, there were no airs above ground.

This is the foal who is made of steel! She is so tough that she doesnt feel the electric fence (although fingers crossed that is rectified) and just says "what you going to do to me now, I didnt feel a thing" its a good job shes not nasty.

Clodagh you are not alone. Dix is huge although only 13.2 at the whithers. She looks like a yearling rather than a foal. There is another foal who just arrived on the yard and he is tiny compared to Dix. I will have to take some pics.

 

[jessieharriet]

I lead naughty foals with a whip infront of their face until they respect you. also a pressure halter like a rope halter that tightens over the nose. tug on that every few steps until she will walk all the way to the field with no problems.

 

[S_N]

Get a peice of blue pipe, drill holes straight through it. Wear hat and gloves. The method of restraint you use on the foals head is down to personal preference. I personally would never use a dually or anything that can apply excessive pressure over the nose of a foal/weanling, prefering a rope halter for pressure release in this situation. The blue pipe is not to beat the foal/weanling with, but with the holes drilled through it, it makes a gret whistling noise if you do need to smack them on the chest. Growling often isn't enough, belting out a short sharp OI, can often work better - all about shock tactics

 

[Debz87]

Yeah get a dually, or what we used to do was carry a whip and do some in hand work at a seperate time to turnout time asking for the horse to halt and wait evertime they got silly or walked a bit too fast and if they tried to keep going we used the handle end of the whip to tap on their chest.

 

[Holly831]

Tonight a friend leant me a headcollar with a loop that goes over the nose. Its hard to explain. It did help in that she didnt have any really naughty moments but she didnt respect it enough. .

Sadly they are not a magic fix. You need to do ground work so Dix learns that if she misbehaves she gets uncomfortable pressure but as soon as she behaves the pressure is gone. With foals, they are so quick that they can 'wriggle' their heads out of the pressure therefore we are actually teaching them to act up....if that makes sense!!

I know my timing isn't good enough to use a pressure halter of any type on a foal which is why I don't recommend them - Richard Maxwell makes it look easy but timing is everything

Would love to see pics of her now as she sound huge

Forgot to add...have you tried the distraction technique? It works for most things in youngsters. Everytime you sense/feel a naughty moment coming on tap (and I mean tap not kick or hurt) her front cannon bone with your foot. They tend to stop and look at what you are doing giving you time to correct them...although you do have to be quick!!

 

[not_with_it]

We have a walk around the yard for 5-10 mins on an evening and she is improving. By the time we had finished today she was stepping back nicely when asked and was mouthing.
I would love to do some shows with her next year hence why I would like some respect from her.
Im not quick enough for the distraction technique, shes too quick for me.

I will take some photos tomorrow of the monster.