Over-handling a foal?

[domane]

What constitutes "over-handling"? Where is the line between "well" and "over" handled, can anyone advise please?

I've had weanlings and pre-yearlings and I'm always consistent with expecting manners, but I've never had a newborn "wild" foal. Boo is now 8 weeks old and is has been brilliant to handle to date. We have a bit of a gap in the leading department due to him and his mum not needing to actually go anywhere but we can work on that later. We don't go into the field when him and mum are out grazing as I don't want him to charge up to us to play - we poo-pick when they are down in the shelter eating and then after they've finished, for 10-15 mins we scritch him all over, pick his feet up, open his mouth, under his tail, belly, sheath etc and he's very amenable. Sometimes we stand in with him, sometimes over the bars. But apart from that he's left to be a baby and grow. He hasn't started pushing any boundaries, hasn't kicked or reared at us, sometimes if we go in with him, he will lean against us, like he does with mum, but we push him away to make him stand independently.

He's so docile, he's like a big dog at the moment but that doesn't make me complacent. I'm very wary as I know how unpredictable baby horses can be. Am I on the right lines?

 

[the watcher]

I don't think you are far out at this stage, I tend to focus more on training to lead, being accepting of a foal slip and possibly a rug, as well as picking feet up, essentially all the things I need them to do obediently and without fuss. Of course they get scratches and fuss too but not too much of that.

 

[Miss L Toe]

You are lucky, I could NOT get near my filly foal [had a foal slip on], for four/five months, her mother would not allow it, she just ducked away.
We did manage to catch her twice for worming, but this only made her "keep away" strategy seem sensible!
I got so used to sitting in their stable, I must have read a dozen Mills and Boons............. eventually she popped her head over the stable door, and I managed to get a lead rope on, and the rest is history... she is perfect in every way, she must have had the most handling ever, partly because she was my one and only foal.
I taught her to tie up, and to stand with farrier, she would load, walk any where on her own, at a year old, she would wear a harness, accept loose reins round her legs without panicking, carry a saddle and girth, wear a tiny rug, accept a leg over back, and being groomed and plaited, in winter she did all the ground handling with the others, and when only the small arena was available [ice and snow] she went loose schooling in company, including tiny cross poles, walking over tarpaulins, any number of scary things were left around, tractors, and trailers were driven past her, flags and umberellas, we did it all!
We did have a "rearing with teeth" experiment, a rap with the lead rope on the neck stopped that, otherwise all went fine, not too much in the way of cuddles [well none] and no treats.
Left her alone in summer to enjoy life, she would always seem happy to see me, but soon got bored and went back to play with her friends.

 

[elijahasgal]

I think that as long as you handle them well, with a mind to what they are growing into when you consider what habits to allow and work on you are fine. I make a point of holding my babies, with my head and body over (no weight) their back so that a person in riding position does not worry them. I make a point of introducing them to a foal slip seperate from leading them. A rope round their middle for girth, all legs handled, rubbed and touched everywhere. I make myself inviting for them, so they like want to come to me for scratches, but are free to leave, But I do not allow them to have scratches if I am behind them (always in a polite position at the side of them) or lean on me, If they get too mouthy I tend to do a little tug on their whiskers. I start them leading with a figure of 8 rope, which gives them the feel of yeilding from anywhere on their body, ask them to move over front and back end. Always when they try I give them a scratch on their favorite scratchy spot.
I dont allow them to have manners around me that I wouldnt want in an adult, but I do allow them while they are gaining confidence the freedom to leave when they want, as with the scratches they tend to come back fast

 

[alfiesmum]

oops, my wee man is 4 weeks and 4 days old

he rugs, headcollar on and off, goes back on command,gets groomed all over including his bits touched , feet picked up and cleaned, nail varnish on too lol. tied up today for first time and he was a bit confused but was next to mum so settled quickly, leading .. well not there yet but plenty of time.
he shouts on me when he sees me. runs over for a snuggle, (been thru the rearing, biting and kicking bit already,). doesnt bother him if i am in field or not , usually this means a bum rub .

i have a very confident little man, doesnt hesistate to go into the stable and leave his mum in the field.

so maybe he is overhandled ? i have one very polite little chap who loves human contact. and he loves both horsey and human world