Grrr horrid foal!

[lennysmith]

Oooo he's such a monster!!

Denver has, this week, well and truely found his feet. He has been getting bolshier and more naughty to handle each day. Which prompts 2 questions from me (again, I'm sorry).

How you all you people deal with a rearing foalie. I'm not talking little hops here, he's almost bolt upright and is turning to aim his legs in my direction. Someone said yank on his headcollar, someone else said hit him on the chest another said a whack a leadrope on his belly. I like all this talk of yank, whack, hit. BUT, he needs to be disciplined and NOW. He's getting dangerous. He's now measuring 14hh (only a hand smaller than his mum

), and still growing like a weed. When he's 16hh this is not going to fun at all, (not that it is now).

Also, is it too early to get him cut? He's 4.5 months, he's been well and truely dropped from day one. Came out with all his tackle ready and waiting. Again some say yes some say leave him.

What do you knowledgeable people think?

Thankies xxxxxx

 

[rrose]

you can still get him cut, i know a horse that wasnt cut until he was 5, because he was bad tempered but now hes calm and happy. sorry i cant give you any advice with him rearing, i cant even stop my mare from doing it.

 

[mariond]

No he is not to young to cut and the weather is not hot enough to be a worry. We have catrated colts at all different ages and I honestly think they are best done whilst they are still on the mare. It hardly seems to affect them at all and as he is displaying such colty behaviour there is nothing to be gained from leaving him intact. I did question with our vet whether it made them smaller in height but his opinion was that it made no difference

 

[M_G]

I might get shot down for this...with mine it was a phase she went through when being led, I tried all the hitting belly with lead rope etc but found it made her worse so I got a lunge line attached it to her headcolar when she went up I carried on walking she soon realised it wasnt getting the desired reaction and stopped doing it.

Have a word with your vet with regards to cutting I have known of foalies being cut at 5mts (in the hospital not at home)

M x

 

[Ginn]

Aww Lenny, sorry to hear he's being such a monster.

When I first got Tilly she had a nasty habiy of going up, not right up but enough that when I was leading her it was a problem. I invested in one of those "be nice" type headcollars (except I got a cheaper libby's version). If you use one make sure it has both poll and nose pressure. Quite simply, when she went up I worked on the pull and give - 1 sharp tug which invariably brought her back down along with a very vocal "No!" and giving when the moment she startedto come back down which was usually pretty quick. I also found in the first week I had her when this was particularly a problm and I didn't have a Be Nice that popping a dog chocker through the square metal bits on her headcollar (the ones which the noseband attaches too) and using it like a curb chain really helped - again check and release - just like you would with a dog.

More recently we have been having handling and groundwork lessons - the first few months were spent really on managing her manners which were there but not all the time - now she is exceptionally well mannered for a 2 yr old and I need to do far less to tell her off (usually a growl) then I did initially. I also distinctly remember thinking "what have I done" in the first few months I had her as she was such a cow bag to handle but it does get better.

I can't believe he's that big (or old!!) already either!! Would love to see some piccies at some point!

 

[sallyf]

We had one cut at 5 months on the mare at home with no problems at all.
He didnt even realise he had been done.
so would definately recommend it, the earlier the better.
I know of ones that have been done earlier at home with no bother.

 

[Theresa_F]

Sorry to hear he is a little monster and yes you can get him cut now.

When Fleur reared I used to have a chain threaded under her headcollar in a "V" shape that if she went up, I could give it a hard jerk and it dug in her jaw. Never put it over her nose as it made her really angry.

After a couple of weeks she soon got the idea that rearing = chain jerking her hard and discomfort. I then reduced to just having the chain attached and within 3 months was able to get rid of it. I did attach it on days when I thought she might play up so it was there just in case.

Did you get a copy of birth to backing - if not, you are welcome to borrow mine.

Chancer did this a couple of times - he got a jerk and a good telling off and the final time, at a show, Mr Stick met his bum for one smack. He has not done it since - and I am hoping he has got the message.

That said, mine are a lot older than your little chap, but I would have thought that this may help. You will probably find that once his jewels are gone, it will help.

 

[maestro]

Colts can be cut as soon as they have"dropped"and we have found it much better to have it done while still on mum. Usually does wonders to their temperment. I would suggest to get it done asap. and not get too involved with him until he is done. I know there has to be some discipline but when hormones get in the way if you are not careful it all becomes confrontational. A quiet strict approach and then leave alone works for us.

 

[Vey]

I totally agree with maestro - getting confrontational is not the way to go. Be firm, insist on respect, but don't try to do too much. And don't imagine that unless you 'sort it out' he will be like this at three. If you handle him quietly but firmly, all the other growing up he will do (his place in the herd, getting older and calmer) will make him a very different animal at three.

It is better by far to get a conventional pressure head collar than to resort to chains and to hitting him, but if you do get one, make sure you know how to use it, and how to release pressure before you start using it on a foal.

 

[lennysmith]

Thanks everyone. As usual, some really great advice. Was expecting the whole, 'well if you cant handle him, you shouldn't be having him'. But as most of you know, he wasn't exactly planned!!

To those who said about a pressure headcollar. I do actually have one, a Monty Roberts one I think, used it for only a week on Josie as she was a bargy mare, I do know how to use it and got great results with Josie. Would this be ok for him? Will it go small enough? If so, guess what he is going to wlked to the field in this afternoon??

 

[Vey]

Don't go for the 'whole walk thing' yet. By all means, use the head collar if it fits, but just for a few feet in the yard. Teach him carefully how he can get the pressure released, and leave it there for the dya. Next day, recap and go on. It is very important with babies to keep lessons very short. Three mins is quite enough. If, when you are not leading him, he rears up at you, then I have found making a loud noise, fling up my hands, and moving aggressivly towards them usually amkes them back off at once. If you have a rope or etc in your hand, then flinging it up works too - you are making a challange back you see - and usually they just back down.

Try very hard to think of teaching him to be good, and setting up things to suceed. Try equally hard not to get backed into the 'and now I'll teach you a lesson!' thing, because then you are setting him up to fial. IMHO the most successful horsemanship revolves around teaching your horse to do it your way, while being happy doing it. So, clear bounderies, confident handler, but teaching for success.

 

[Clodagh]

Agree with Vey. Get him behaving in the stable before you try it outside. My friends next door have got a very colty colt and they have two people to lead him - not always practical, I know, but one person shoves him along from behind while the other leads mare and foal.

My Mum (parents used to breed a lot) says colts are horrid, and take them off! There are loads of flies around at the mo, though, I don't know what you can do about that.
Good luck!

 

[mandy4727]

Our filly was 9 months when we got her and 14.1. She too went through the rearing stage. But it was winter and she was in quite a bit until the winter turnout got sorted. We put a normal headcollar on her. And then another leadrein over her nose. So when she did go up we put pressue on the nose leadrein, said no and also pressure on the normal lead rein. And made sure that we really really praised her when all four feet stayed on the ground and she did what we wanted her to do. She is now very well mannered, doesn't pull at all and even I can lead her!!!! She even went to her first show last weekend and other than neighing a lot never put a foot wrong. You would have thought she was a pro. We just make sure we really praise the good behaviour and most of the time ignore the bad behaviour and go back to the start of what we want her to do. ie being tied up etc. Put her back where we want her to stand and praise her when she stood there. Ignore here when she moves off and starts to tootle about and put her back and then when stood praise her. Good luck with him.

 

[allijudd]

[ QUOTE ]
I got a lunge line attached it to her headcolar when she went up I carried on walking she soon realised it wasnt getting the desired reaction and stopped doing it.



[/ QUOTE ]

me too...

i thorouhly recommened this...it really does work...i used to do this on a dartm,oor stallion who used to rear at me and try to land on my back (not much fun!)

by walking away from him he gave up....

 

[MillionDollar]

No not too young to be cut, my friend had to have her colt cut when he was just 6 weeks old!!! He kept on mounting his mum! lol.

 

[lennysmith]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I got a lunge line attached it to her headcolar when she went up I carried on walking she soon realised it wasnt getting the desired reaction and stopped doing it.



[/ QUOTE ]

me too...

i thorouhly recommened this...it really does work...i used to do this on a dartm,oor stallion who used to rear at me and try to land on my back (not much fun!)

by walking away from him he gave up....

[/ QUOTE ]



Hehe It WORKS!!!!! poor thing. He reared my friend didn't bat an eyelid walked on a little faster than she was going, he tried to keep up on 2 back legs then gave up! NO confrontation either. I will be using his controller head collar too, but so far, evry early but so good. We even had a little trot round the yard with no naughtyness

 

[lennysmith]

[ QUOTE ]
No not too young to be cut, my friend had to have her colt cut when he was just 6 weeks old!!! He kept on mounting his mum! lol.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh Denver has done this from day 1!!! Randy little monkey I've got sooo many piccies of him mounting his poor battered mother. It's just a foalie thing I think