Foal dragging in from the field

[Poppy2605]

Hi, my filly cob foal is about 9 months old now. She is well handled daily, mucked out in her stable, feet picked daily, led around the farm etc… she is a dream 99% of the time ??‍ her and my other horse became attached and they now have to go out separately because it was becoming dangerous at the gate. They are still stabled next door to each other. The foal leads out perfectly and comes to call in the field but this is where the problem starts… as soon as we are out of the field gate on our way to the stable she becomes an absolute nightmare, she puts her head down and drags, runs infront of me, backs up and tries to turn away. There’s a few times I’ve had to let go of her lead rope and she just gallops across the yard straight to her stable, if I manage to keep hold she goes on ridiculous all the way across the farmyard until we are at her stable. This started happening when they became separated and she started being lead in a normal head collar instead of a foal slip. Sorry for the long post I’ve tried to include everything ??‍ Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[TheMule]

This is no way to keep a foal, sorry, but your set up sounds entirely inappropriate for a weanling and I'm not surprised you are struggling.

 

[Poppy2605]

Sorry I fail to see how it acceptable to keep a foal? Having had horses and foals at home with this set up for 10+ years I’ve never had issues. If you’ve no nice advice you need not comment

 

[Poppy2605]

Unacceptable*

 

[FestiveG]

Sorry I fail to see how it acceptable to keep a foal? Having had horses and foals at home with this set up for 10+ years I’ve never had issues. If you’ve no nice advice you need not comment

Is the weanling kept on her own?

 

[AmyMay]

Sorry I fail to see how it acceptable to keep a foal? Having had horses and foals at home with this set up for 10+ years I’ve never had issues. If you’ve no nice advice you need not comment

So how have you managed a recalcitrant foal in the past?

 

[Poppy2605]

Is the weanling kept on her own?

No they share a field with some our our sheep and my oldest horse who lives out

 

[Poppy2605]

So how have you managed a recalcitrant foal in the past?

This is the first time I’ve had any issues with leading in from the field, none of my previous foals have had issues like this and any leading issues have been easily resolved

 

[ycbm]

Sorry I fail to see how it acceptable to keep a foal? Having had horses and foals at home with this set up for 10+ years I’ve never had issues. If you’ve no nice advice you need not comment

I'm sorry Poppy, but if this was true then I think you would know how to manage this situation without joining a forum of strangers to ask their opinion.

She understandably got attached to the one (?) other horse she was turned out with and her reward for that was to be kept on her own?

You are handling the filly too much for a weanling and she is learning bad habits and fear of isolation from the way you are managing her. Please try to get her turned away with youngstock until she is much older.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Why don’t you leave her out with your old horse who is out 24/7, it will do her the world of good to be allowed to be a baby while being instructed in the way of life by an older horse. Minimal handling so she is good for the Farrier and vet if needed will suffice at her age.

 

[Poppy2605]

I'm sorry Poppy, but if this was true then I think you would know how to manage this situation without joining a forum of strangers to ask their opinion.

She understandably got attached to the one (?) other horse she was turned out with and her reward for that was to be kept on her own?

You are handling the filly too much for a weanling and she is learning bad habits and fear of isolation from the way you are managing her. Please try to get her turned away with youngstock until she is much older.

She is turned out with 2 horses regularly, she doesn’t enjoy staying out in the field so comes in daily, she will stand at the gate and shout regardless of who she is out with.

 

[Arzada]

her and my other horse became attached and they now have to go out separately because it was becoming dangerous at the gate.

You've had problems at the gate so you've separated your horses. These are herd animals and one of them is young and depending on the only other horse available to her. Something I think that we all do with friends and family (witness the effects of lockdown and post lockdown Covid rules on large swathes of the human population). Separation is no way to treat your foal. A few problems at the gate/to the stable = how many minutes per 24 hours? So rather than work on a solution/training at the gate you are punishing a 'baby' horse with 24/7 separation

 

[Poppy2605]

TO CLARIFY
the foal is not turned out alone or separated 24/7, she is out every time with my older horse. The two that I have issues with at the gate go out separately for mine and anyone else bringing them is safety. The middle horse is dangerous at the gate when out with the foal which is why they go out separately. Neither are ever turned out alone. I am asking for advice or alternate methods of advice brining her from the gate to the field. I am not asking for advice or anything else regarding how I keep my horses or how they are turned out. If you have anything else in needed to comment then do not reply

 

[The Xmas Furry]

TO CLARIFY
the foal is not turned out alone or separated 24/7, she is out every time with my older horse. The two that I have issues with at the gate go out separately for mine and anyone else bringing them is safety. The middle horse is dangerous at the gate when out with the foal which is why they go out separately. Neither are ever turned out alone. I am asking for advice or alternate methods of advice brining her from the gate to the field. I am not asking for advice or anything else regarding how I keep my horses or how they are turned out. If you have anything else in needed to comment then do not reply

Maybe you ought to have read the forum a little before posting, many experienced horse people on here like to get the full picture to assist with advice.

Being autocratic to others in telling them what they shouldnt post, isn't forum etiquette either, on any forum unless it's in the sign on rules.

My 5p worth? Leave the youngster out, let her forget the lessons that she has recently learned (how to pull, run away, to assert her authority over a human).
Start again in a couple of months.

 

[honetpot]

I always let them just a follow, I very rarely lead young stock unless there is someone leading their companion in front, once the little devils learn they can get away, it gets harder. By the time you start leading them properly, it's ingrained, that includes the IDx maxi cob I had from a foal. I have my own yard so I would just avoid the situation and let it make its way on it own, but I am a great believer in personal space, so they have to move out of the way and stand back from the gate or door. I find you have to make them wait just enough so they do not get stressed and silly, but they get the message they have to wait for your command.
I would go back to lunge line, making it back up, with a finger and voice, and get someone to lead its companion in front, and it has to stay behind, and use the leader as a blocker.
I do not do all the handling stuff either, it gives them more opportunity to realise they are much stronger than you. The only person who picks up their feet is the farrier when they are trimmed every eight weeks.

 

[Maryann]

I had an accidental foal who was a big lad at that age and still entire. We had to go to and fro each day and for each journey I would wear a hat, gloves, carry a showing cane type stick, use an inhand bridle with a rubber bit and a chain and a lunge line. It was a right pain and seemed to last forever but I was able to show him in hand the next year (for experience) and I had a lot of fun with him and kept him until the end of his days. His in hand manners were always spot on after the initial pain.

 

[ycbm]

She is turned out with 2 horses regularly, she doesn’t enjoy staying out in the field so comes in daily, she will stand at the gate and shout regardless of who she is out with.

She doesn't enjoy staying in the field because she's got the wrong company. Turn her out full time with babies her own age and she'll have a ball.

At the moment she's a spoilt brat. She drags you about and when she screams she gets what she wants. But not what she needs.,

 

[ycbm]

TO CLARIFY
the foal is not turned out alone or separated 24/7, she is out every time with my older horse. The two that I have issues with at the gate go out separately for mine and anyone else bringing them is safety. The middle horse is dangerous at the gate when out with the foal which is why they go out separately. Neither are ever turned out alone. I am asking for advice or alternate methods of advice brining her from the gate to the field. I am not asking for advice or anything else regarding how I keep my horses or how they are turned out. If you have anything else in needed to comment then do not reply

Sorry, you're on an open forum, you can't dictate what people write, you can only dictate whether you respond or not.

You are turning two horses out as one of a pair with only one other horse to make the other of the pair?

How long is she able to be out for under that regime, since you are splitting turnout between two horses? How many hours a day is she stuck in a box at 9 months old?
.

 

[paddy555]

I keep youngsters out with older horses as I never have more than one youngster and they are stabled with everyone else in winter. I have had no problems with this and on the contrary it produces nicely behaved and well civilised youngsters. That is where and how they are going to be living and their routine for the rest of their lives.

.Why can't you just catch the older stabled horse, open the gate and let it and the foal come into the yard and then let the foal either follow or more likely run ahead into it's stable where you have left the door open already for it. Leave some hay in to keep it in and everyone will soon get into a routine.

As she gets older and you get more time then you can move onto imposing good leading from the field. As you lead around the farm lead her out to the field gate and back again and insist on good behaviour.

My horses all run in from the field. I open the stable door, yell their names and the appropriate horses put themselves in their stables. I just haven't got time to go around catching and leading them.

 

[Arzada]

I am asking for advice or alternate methods of advice brining her from the gate to the field. I am not asking for advice or anything else regarding how I keep my horses or how they are turned out.

You don't think that how you keep your horses and/or how they are turned out impacts other areas of their lives and behaviour eg the middle horse's behaviour at the gate and how you get your youngster from the gate to the field? Nothing is in isolation

 

[AmyMay]

She is turned out with 2 horses regularly, she doesn’t enjoy staying out in the field so comes in daily, she will stand at the gate and shout regardless of who she is out with.

I’d say that this is where your issues are probably arising from. Given a suitable companion then this shouldn’t happen. Change your management and your weanling won’t be begging to come in and being in a rush to do it.

 

[AmyMay]

My horses all run in from the field. I open the stable door, yell their names and the appropriate horses put themselves in their stables. I just haven't got time to go around catching and leading them.

I’m sure for some this can work well if the set up allows. But can be a recipe for complete disaster in many cases.

 

[paddy555]

I’m sure for some this can work well if the set up allows. But can be a recipe for complete disaster in many cases.

this person said they went from their field gate, across their farmyard to the stables so not sure why it wouldn't work. I wouldn't have suggested it if they were leading down a road or through a livery yard.

 

[[153312]]

What Paddy suggests can certainly work but it's not what you want to be teaching a nine month old IMHO.
Poppy I don't know what your experience with youngstock is but with something so recently weaned, the recommended set up would be turnout in a herd of other youngsters with a mature mare or two to keep everyone in order, and handling sessions that are short and sweet, focusing on the basics of leading, picking feet up, etc. In your situation it might be best to try and keep the two you have together with another companion to prevent attachment issues.
Stabling a lot and outting baby out alone is a pretty sure fire way to ruin her unfortunately and cause yourself issues down the line.

 

[Poppy2605]

I keep youngsters out with older horses as I never have more than one youngster and they are stabled with everyone else in winter. I have had no problems with this and on the contrary it produces nicely behaved and well civilised youngsters. That is where and how they are going to be living and their routine for the rest of their lives.

.Why can't you just catch the older stabled horse, open the gate and let it and the foal come into the yard and then let the foal either follow or more likely run ahead into it's stable where you have left the door open already for it. Leave some hay in to keep it in and everyone will soon get into a routine.

As she gets older and you get more time then you can move onto imposing good leading from the field. As you lead around the farm lead her out to the field gate and back again and insist on good behaviour.

My horses all run in from the field. I open the stable door, yell their names and the appropriate horses put themselves in their stables. I just haven't got time to go around catching and leading them.

Thank you, I would like to be able to do this but as she lives at home and we are a working farm it’s not safe for her to be loose on the yard and we are a cattle farm and I worry she wanders off or heads towards the cow sheds or near machinery etc… otherwise this would definitely be my go to option

 

[Poppy2605]

I’d say that this is where your issues are probably arising from. Given a suitable companion then this shouldn’t happen. Change your management and your weanling won’t be begging to come in and being in a rush to do it.

It’s not an option to change her companion, I only have my horses here as we are at home. It is a behavioural problem I am aware of with my middle horse and his behaviour around bringing her in and him being at the gate. He’s never had any issues with other horses but as they’ve formed an attachment he wants to be with her and her being a foal means she’s happy with him. He’s a 16hh heavy cob so it’s unsafe to have him behaving in such a manner at the gate, that is something I’m working with him separately but whilst it stands she has to go out and come in alone and it can’t be worked another way.

 

[Shoei]

Have a look at TRT, Tristan Tucker recently did a weanling session which I found useful.
Many people, including myself bring weanlings in at night and as I plan to show mine a little as a yearling, he needs to be used to being led independently.

 

[Poppy2605]

Have a look at TRT, Tristan Tucker recently did a weanling session which I found useful.
Many people, including myself bring weanlings in at night and as I plan to show mine a little as a yearling, he needs to be used to being led independently.

Thank you I will look into that, shes my prospect for showing next year and she doesn’t have the option to be out overnight so I’m hoping we can work around it, best of luck with your yearling!

 

[Poppy2605]

What Paddy suggests can certainly work but it's not what you want to be teaching a nine month old IMHO.
Poppy I don't know what your experience with youngstock is but with something so recently weaned, the recommended set up would be turnout in a herd of other youngsters with a mature mare or two to keep everyone in order, and handling sessions that are short and sweet, focusing on the basics of leading, picking feet up, etc. In your situation it might be best to try and keep the two you have together with another companion to prevent attachment issues.
Stabling a lot and outting baby out alone is a pretty sure fire way to ruin her unfortunately and cause yourself issues down the line.

I bought her from the stud is worked at for 2 years so was involved in her breeding etc… as I knew the outcome would be something similar. Shes is now at home with my two older horses so the option of going out with youngsters or older mares isn’t there. They have an attachment issue already which is definitely part of the problem. My two older horses has the same routines as her from foals and they aren’t ruined as horses

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Could you make a large electric fence coral around the inside of the gate so that you bring one in and the other remains in the field. I have one who is very aggressive towards my other horse and the safest way to bring him in is to always catch him first and then lead him into the coral part so I can negotiate the gate with just him and the remaining three are out of the way.