For those who have brought unhandled foals/youngsters

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rug~addict

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Obviously every horse is different but..... how do you know if your previously unhandled foal is doing well or being difficult/slow to learn, or maybe your are just not doing things correctly?

Do you just go by your pervious expectations/plans?

Just curious really as my new baby is doing brilliantly in my eyes, but it got me thinking. Is she doing exceptionally well or is she just average?

Would love to hear your stories.
 
I don't time schedule it and just take each day as it comes. Each day can only get better, even if its a not so great day. Horses for courses....depends what in your mind is improvement and final aim of what you want to be able to do with him/her. For me, atm, it's seeing a rising 5 yo colt able to live a normal life, be handled by all and kept on a mixed riding school easily and even be used in the occasional lesson once a week by others, as well escorting hacks out and leading others off on lead rein. So that to me, is what I wanted. A well mannered easy anyone's ride. :)
 
I just don't rush her. Unhandled and not halter broken 6 month old filly 1 1/2 months ago, now happily having headcollar put on and taken off in the stable, leading out to the field alone and with Genie calmly and sensibly, and being caught and brought in with Genie in the dark at night. Haven't tried taking the headcollar off in the field just yet, but one step at a time!
 
I have taken on a couple of unhandled weanlings. I always stabled them first and got to the point they could lead and be touched all over without too much hassle, then I turned them out with my uber friendly youngsters, who came to call at a gallop! I think the youngsters taught them more about how nice people are than I ever did! It used to take me roughly 2 weeks to be happy loading them and then turning them out. I've always found they come round really quickly, and generally make easier and better horses than the ones that have been badly/over handled :)
 
Well I've just bought my first youngster of my own and she was fairly unhandled. She's around the two year mark (vet coming in the next couple of weeks to confirm age!). We've gone from not being able to get anywhere near her, to being able to catch her, rug her, groom most of her and have her feet trimmed in just four weeks. She's getting more confident with strangers and is now doing as much as I need her to at the moment. When a stable comes up on my yard I think she will come on a lot faster as she will get more handling than she currently does on grass livery.

No ide how her progress is compared to others but she's doing as much as I need her too :)

x x x
 
My 4yrold came from Ireland virtually unhandled. 8 weeks later he was broken and working beautifully and 10 weeks after arriving did his first ridden show
 
I purchased a foal straight from the forest. She was reasonably quiet, halter put on and taken to trailer. Wormed and unloaded into stable with grills. I sat with her for a couple of hours reading a book She came up and nuzzled me so I got a nice soft brush and gave her a bit of a groom. I then left after about 5 minutes. She had horse company next door and the next morning she was more than happy to see me. She led out quietly for a pick of grass and went nicely back into the stable.

My first forest foal had been touched but not had halter on. When he was 9 months old I put a headcollar on him and led him off the forest away from his dam and put him in a stable. He was castrated the next day. All quiet and no trouble.
 
Un-handled would probably be better than mal-handled.

Last year, at weaning, one of my foals panicked, ran out of the field shelter, slap bang into a turning post which snapped at ground level. It was a nearly new 400mm post so you can guess at the force involved. Naturally, the foal, who was physically fine the next day (Highland ponies are tough), blamed me!

Handling progressed on that foundation and I found I had a very nervous flighty problem on my hands. It was impossible to put a hand near him and he developed a paranoid attitude to head collars and lead ropes. Now, 18 months later, he is an absolute sweetie and quite confiding. I can head collar him, groom him, lead him, and pick up his feet in the field.

Sometimes it seems as if they will never learn. But they do. Sometimes it does take a lot of patience and when you are busy with other things that can be very frustrating!

I was at the Dallas roundup by the WHW when they sorted out 90 ponies that had been left to run feral on 2,000 acres. The colt foals were castrated by veterinary students and distributed to new homes. I remarked to another onlooker that these new owners would have their time cut out. But I was corrected. The girl said she'd got one of these weaned foals and had it leading, bring groomed, feet lifted, and so on, within a week. She then added, "But I did move into the stable".:)
 
If at end of everyday you walk away pleased with their progress and behaviour, it's all good! :)

Doesn't have to be doing something new everyday, just doing what they've learned well.

Each have their own personalities and learning capacities, however there is no harm in being proud of them when they are doing great, like yours sounds to be! :)
 
Just like children, foals will learn at different speeds, depending on breed, previous experiences and how you approach their training.
There is an excellent book called No Fear No Force by Sarah Weston which gives you plenty of tips and techniques. She has had plenty of experience having given courses on Exmoor and Dartmoor, and the Dartmoor Pony Training Centre recommends it to everyone that takes on one of their foals.
Don't rush. and enjoy the experience.
 
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