Halter breaking/tying up foals. Opinions please.

Enfys

Enfys

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I had an interesting conversation with my Hoof Trimmer chappy this afternoon, he is quite into the NH methods I gather. He breeds and competes Canadien Horses and was talking about their early handling methods with foals.

He admired Isabella's tiny little halter and laughed his head off when I admitted that it was actually a size 3 dog Halti because I couldn't find a halter small enough for her.

Anyway, he said that they tie their foals when they are about a week old, his method is to loop a long rope around a post and hold it lightly (obviously so that it can be released quickly) and let the foal discover that pressure is released when it steps forwards, he reckons that his foals learn after two or three goes and are safe to tie for life because of this early lesson.

Has anyone used this method on foals this young? Or any horse come to that? Is it a good or bad idea do you think?
 
I have seen this method used on young stock 2/3yo, but not foals, but then I have never seen anyone teach a foal to tie up.
 
I dont really know why anyone would want to tie a foal up?
Or anything under breaking age for that matter.
I dont teach any horse to be tied up, I teach them the manners to stand still when asked so that when they need tyeing up it isnt an issue.
 
I have seen a few people with native ponies who have tought them to tie up as foals. I have seen them tied up to the lorry at shows next to mum and behaving very well.
 
I think this is dangerous. If a foal is still with its mum, it is not likely to be cobfident enough to cope with standing still if it gets spooked... A foals neck can be badly damaged if it pulls back on a headcollar which is tied to something, hence why people are advised not to lead them by their head but by their neck with a bandage or something else that wont put too much pressure on them.

We wait till they are at least 12 mnths old x
 
Well obviously each to their own. But like Vjp, we don't 'teach to tie up' either. When the need arrises we just do it - there's never a problem as they all have manners and understand what standing still means. We never tie up as a foal - the youngest would be a yearling, and that would be pretty rare.
 
How dangerous is that, sorry but it is a fact that their necks can very easliy be damaged as already mentioned. I have never had an issue with teaching youngsters to tie, but they are always started with a long line looped through the ring which is then held not tied. Horses are known to fight pressure & a foal will have no self preservation so if they panic, all hell could let loose.
 
Wouldnt tie up at that age either .


We taught missy at 10/11mths at the latest and even at that , it was while he stood with her and for about 5mins at a time, although shes 13 mths now, she can tolerate it fine.

she stands tied to be groomed and also stood tied in the horsebox .
 
Both of mine were tought to tie up from the age of 5 months ( after they were weaned). They needed to be tied up for mucking out and traveling. They were shown as foals and now yearling and 2 year old.
 
bey was tied (lunge through a ring with me nearby) for very short times as she was so mature at 4 months.and i gradually increased it.she was fine, but i wouldnt have done it if she wasnt ready.
shes since taken to being tied up outside on her own great, no problems
 
I was quite surprised but I didn't get the impression that he was advocating actually tying them, just getting them used to the idea that pulling back against pressure was not a good idea.

I, too, can't envisage ever tying a foal up and am not planning on doing it myself, as it strikes me as a recipe for disaster but, playing devils' advocate, the sooner a youngster learns to respect a lead rope isn't that a vital lesson for life?
 
I think that sounds a good way to teach a youngster as you dont actually tie them to anything. Inky was weaned at 3 months ( miniatures weaned alot earlier than larger horses ) He came to me at this age and within a week he was used to being tied up no problem. I think it depends on the individual youngster as to how quickly they learn something like that. I was lucky, Inky has never had a problem with being tied up and never bothered.
 
I never really understand why people can't just let foals but that, foals. What's the hurry all the time with 'training' youngster, let them learn the natural lessons from being in a herd and then when they're strong enough start doing 'our' thing with them.

Another bug bear of mine, foals on their own with no pals to play with
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I never really understand why people can't just let foals but that, foals. What's the hurry all the time with 'training' youngster, let them learn the natural lessons from being in a herd and then when they're strong enough start doing 'our' thing with them.

Another bug bear of mine, foals on their own with no pals to play with
frown.gif


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Absolutely! Agree with all you have said 100%. It's not just foals, people are always in such a hurry to do 'training' with their youngsters and I just cannot understand it. After basic halter breaking some of my youngsters have been left until they are 4, and they come in sweet and quiet and have never been a problem. Why do people feel the need to do 'handling sessions with them and bit and lunge them and walk them over plastic bags and do funny things with poles and carrot sticks?
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Horses are horses, let them behave as such.

I also don't like foals on their own. Horses are herd animals and foals need to learn to socialise and integrate with a herd so that they don't have issues later in life. It also gives the mums a break when the 'kids' amuse each other. An only foal is a lonely foal.
 
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An only foal is a lonely foal.

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Not necessarily. We've had single foals at my yard for the past three years for varying reasons. None have grown up lacking in playmates or attention. Admittedly they did have other youngsters with them, and autnies to give mum a break. But single foals can and do do very well.
 
[[ QUOTE ]
I never really understand why people can't just let foals but that, foals. What's the hurry all the time with 'training' youngster, let them learn the natural lessons from being in a herd and then when they're strong enough start doing 'our' thing with them. Another bug bear of mine, foals on their own with no pals to play with
frown.gif


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That can't always be helped though can it? I didn't plan on buying an infoal mare, I could, I guess have left her, half starved, in a bare paddock with dozens of big Quarter Horses over a freezing winter to take her chance outside. The foal, if the mare had survived, would have plenty of playmates by now, but personally, I think she has the prospect of a better start in life with me.

Although it would be preferable of course, mine doesn't have another foal to play with, nor, at the moment is it safe to introduce any of the others into a field with her. I have two most unsuitable horses which I wouldn't trust, ever, and the Paint mare, although gentle (over a stall door) also isn't 100% trustworthy.

For the sake of the foals safety it will just have to be an only baby for now. I do agree that socialisation with other horses, of all ages, can only be for the best. I do believe that it is in their best interest to learn basic manners very early however, and to respect, not fear human contact. A few minutes a day with a halter on, being handled/checked over can't do anything but good, how traumatic it would be if the foal was seriously injured and not used to being held or handled.

I think so much can be done in the way of training without actually doing anything, my horses walk over poles at the gateway, hosepipes in the barn, past (and under)washing hung on the line, sacks in the paddocks, tractors passing 6' away from their fences, the ATV is always buzzing around, there are dogs, streams of children about,etc, etc, they learn without knowing it everyday.
 
foals are far easier to train than older horses that are less curious and more opinionated!!
i dont agree with doing things such as lunging too soon as this can physically damage them.also ridden work-why is there a huge rush to get them jumping etc so early?
the early lessons in giving in to pressure are very important and best learnt early in my own experience.further lessons should be taken at the horses pace as some are more mentally ready than others.
 
I completely agree with him. My little Legacy at less than a month old already leads and stands still for me. She very quickly understood that to move forward releases pressure hence she walks well on the lead and stands to have her feet picked up and to be groomed.

She has also had the rope looped around the fence with me holding the end of it and yes she picked this pre-tying lark up perfectly. She won't actually learn to be tied until she is about 4 or 5 months old though but by then she will already understand the principles of it.

My bugbear is the opposite from some of the posters above - I seriously dislike people not spending 5 or 10 mins a day teaching their little ones things that they will need in later life. Gradually and slowly is my way and it's always worked well.
 
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