foal handling help!

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sarah and hatty

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Hi,

I was hoping to get some advice on my now 1 month old! Unfortunatly my mare got colic when he was a week old and ended up in surgery. She survived thank goodness but it was touch and go for a while. He then had a week with her at the vet college and she is now on a months box rest and then a month small paddock turnout.

However to let him have a run around I take them out 3x a day for about 30 - 40 mins and hand graze her and let him run around. This means he is being lead out of the box 3 x a day. I was leading him with a rope around his neck and hand on bum but hes getting so cocky and bold now that he leaps around everywhere and charges forward, i know you aren't meant to pull on the rope on the headcollar much yet so i haven't been attatching it but have tried it the last few days. Doesn't make much difference and he gets annoyed at my hand being there and just tries to nip me or bounce around all over the place! Im not really sure where to go from here, I know he is still very young and its a lot to expect a month old to do, but i don't want him to develop bad habits either. Its only a short walk to the paddock so its not a problem but Im looking at it from a learning/behavioural point of view, any tips?

Other than this he is very well handled, can be touched anywhere, fine with a foal slip, is learning leg pick ups, and loves his scratches, he has started to get bolshy and nippy in personal space the last few days so have been pushing him back if he gets too on top of me. This foal lark is so lovely but so hard at the same time! Im terrified of doing something wrong that will turn him into an impolite or agressive adult horse!
 
How far is it between the box and the grazing ? Will he follow the mare if you just lead her out? Might be a solution for a short time? (assuming there is nowhere he can escape to)
 
There's also a little foal harness that you can buy which sounds great if you are handling on your own. Its like a bigger version of the type that you can get for dogs, and the straps go round the chest so no pulling on the neck ....
 
I'm with H5's thinking on this. Foals are not stupid. The grass in my foaling paddock was getting short so I fenced off a section in the next field which is accessed through a small (4 foot wide?) gate.

The first day, the foal, 2 - 3 weeks old, tried to get through the fence and brought some tape down, all under supervision I might add so no harm done. She has since learnt to go round by the gate and avoid the white tape.

The first try might be a fiasco, but if you take it quietly, preferably when there are no distractions, I am sure yours will learn to follow and mum will call and guide. Try to give the foal time to work it out rather than "help".

Frankly, the thought of ropes and head collars on young foals make me wince and I'd prefer to leave as much alone until weaning but that's just me. The recommended way to lead a foal (if you must) is with a long rope over mum's back so the foal is merely guided to stay next to her, but it really needs two people, one leading the mare and the other leading the foal.
 
Its perfectly possible to teach him to lead from a headcollar - start using a figure 8 rope around his body (butt and chest) so he;s being guided by that and have the other hand holding the headcollar and gradually guide more and more by the headcollar and he'll pick it up quite quickly.
 
Thanks for the replies, the foal hugger looks great think that is def worth an investment!

Unfortunately letting him run alongside is not an option, i have drains that need to be negotiated around and there is a 80 acre open barley field! He is not a shy little foal that will just follow, thats my problem, he wants to charge off in front and leap around everywhere!

I went back to basics with a towel around his neck today which wasnt too bad but i think the harness will be my next try!

Thanks!
 
You can make the same thing as the harness with about half a padded lunge line.
Pass it round the front of the chest, hold it at the withers or where the saddle goes then pass it round the hind legs under their bum but above the hocks, where a Pessoa goes and hold back at the withers.The lady that showed me called it a handbag! ;) You do end up with what feels like a handbag...!
 
amy_b said:
You can make the same thing as the harness with about half a padded lunge line.
Pass it round the front of the chest, hold it at the withers or where the saddle goes then pass it round the hind legs under their bum but above the hocks, where a Pessoa goes and hold back at the withers.The lady that showed me called it a handbag! ;) You do end up with what feels like a handbag...!
Click to expand...

This is what we did with a lead rope, works really well
 
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