those of you who show foals and yearlings...

NeverSayNever

NeverSayNever

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how do you do it? :p

i have a sec A colt foal and I am doing plenty of work with him on leading, groundwork and manners. He will back up and move his quarters and most of the time he leads nicely. We only do 10 mins at a time but we have led round the paddock and also been for a couple of little walks. I lead him with a lungeline at the moment as when he has a little paddy to himself he cant get away. The thing is, there have been a few little winter shows locally that Id have loved to take him too but Im just not 100% confident that I can always keep hold of him without a lunge line as despite being teeny he is v strong!:o
 
can you do some practice leading him around with other horses.?? in front behind etc.. he will also still be expected to trot up.

on the plus side, i know manners are a large part of showing but at that age they can get away with jumping around.
 
jhoward said:
can you do some practice leading him around with other horses.?? in front behind etc.. he will also still be expected to trot up.

on the plus side, i know manners are a large part of showing but at that age they can get away with jumping around.
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yeh he's done a bit already as was shown by his breeder when he was teeny.. ive been doing ring craft type practice and most of the time he is really well behaved,its just those baby moments, im not sure i can hold him and id hate to take him out somewhere for that to happen. Ive tried a rope halter and it wasnt any better. As I say, i feel he is coming on well and most of time behaves, but if he has a welshie strop and pings about i cant keep hold unless i have a lungeline:o
 
not as a welsh yearling, its a rope halter.

OP.. can you get OH to show him a couple of times whilst he learns that its really not that exciting?

or go to the gym :D
 
could you get away with one of the welsh rope halters with a longer rope? As previously said, sometimes at that age they can get away with a bit of pogoing, i know my yearling did, he still got away with the occasional rear of excitement when he was 2 aswell. if it helps, when he tries to run off, plant your feet and yank his head towards you. This worked with my now 2yo when he used to tank off with me! they soon learn walking at your pace means they dont get a sharp check!!
x
 
rope halters give you much more control than a normal headcollar especially with the little ones where you are more 'above them'. Also, getting him used to a rope halter would be a good idea as that is what he should be shown in and it does work differently to a headcollar where the pressure is underneath the chin as opposed to the side with the halter.
Plas Equestrian sell halters of different widths and thicknesses and they come with longer than normal ropes, though tbh I dont see why you need a lunge line when he should be leading beside you and not getting away.
dont over practice and have him stale in the ring, the Welshes are expected to have a wee bit spark, however, he needs to be respectful and understand whats expected of him.
 
AMW said:
rope halters give you much more control than a normal headcollar especially with the little ones where you are more 'above them'. Also, getting him used to a rope halter would be a good idea as that is what he should be shown in and it does work differently to a headcollar where the pressure is underneath the chin as opposed to the side with the halter.
Plas Equestrian sell halters of different widths and thicknesses and they come with longer than normal ropes, though tbh I dont see why you need a lunge line when he should be leading beside you and not getting away.
dont over practice and have him stale in the ring, the Welshes are expected to have a wee bit spark, however, he needs to be respectful and understand whats expected of him.
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thank you everyone :)

the rope halter i tried was one of these -
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Adjust-Rope-H..._Equipment&hash=item5639ea727b#ht_1036wt_1139

i found it kept riding higher up his face though :confused: also, the rope is no longer than a standard lead rope.

AMW - the lunge line helps me as when he has a bit of a 'moment' I can let a little bit of it out and plant my feet and pull him up, but he cant pull it out of my hands. Whereas with a normal length leadrope, Ive found he can get away from me. I know it sounds pathetic,a sec A foal:o but imaagine feeble 5ft3- wear childrens clothes-is a total wimp with no strength:o

The twice he has got away from me have been when practising trotting back and he pulled and set his neck. The other time he was behaving very well but a car went past the other side of the fence very fast and sprayed up slush and he got a fright. Neither of these times were on a lunge line... all the similar moments on a lunge line Ive been able to deal with it.

to make me feel even worse, lol- he is teeny. this was us last week just outside our house... the road is very quiet as in 1 car every 15 mins and we were able to go into our driveway in plenty of time if we saw anything coming.

DSC01950.jpg

DSC01949.jpg
 
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Have you tried a proper White Welsh Halter but with a chain on? I have 2 for my welshies. One with a chain and one without.

This is my 5 year old section a with the one without the chain on. ( Fitted slightly too low )
2010_07270003.jpg


and my section a colt foal with the chain on.
DSCF0646.jpg


The top pony is usually shown with the chain as he gets very strong and will be starting my colt with the one without but if I find he is too strong I will be putting the chain one on.
 
I have a friesian filly, she will be 2 at the end of june, she is 14.3, a big chunk and also VERY excitable when I'm leading her! I gave her a little break from it over winter, just lead her out on little 'hacks' with the other horses and tonight I took her up to the school for the first time in a while to practice for the spring shows and she is just a little bomb of excitement! As soon as I ask her to trot she explodes to canter gets ahead of herself and when we turn she gets ahead, tries to run then throws little tantrums when she doesn't get her way!
I was wanting to show her in one of the white halters? But wasn't sure as thought she may need a bit because she is so strong!
Does anyone know where I can get good quality white halters or even better headstalls?

Sorry to hi-jack post a bit!

Nakita x
 
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