manners! got to get sum

[tammysinnett]

I warned my husband all 6'4 300 lb not to wrestle with that special boy in our barn. He is the only foal this year and I am trying to make him not anyones pet but it is hard.....anyway...no wrestling I told him....you will regret it.....today I was gone....came home to a husband with a gash in his forehead - seems he was putting his wrestling buddy into the paddock with mom he got distracted then turned around as he did two back hooves imprinted on his forehead....when he was standing up... guess it knocked him completely on his butt....and dazed him.....you just know something went wrong when you come driving down the driveway and there the better half is being comforted by my son ....a muddy mess and a cold pack to his head.... first thing you say oh god people all accounted for wheres the horses Now after concussion watch all I could think of his how the heck did that boy get his feet that high wow what an athlete....the foal that is.

[docjocoy]

Haha husbands need as much watching as the foals!

[TrueColours]

Oh geez louise ... I'm glad your husband is okay!

I have to laugh when people say "Oh. You dont show the jumpers or hunters anymore. You've wimped out and are doing something SAFE now with horses! You get to breed them and PLAY with the little foals!"

Uh - I dont know what planet you are from, but jumping something over 5' jumps is far safer than live covering mares - especially maiden ones, and teaching foals how to lead, shoving stuff down said foal's throats, jabbing said foals in the ass end and trying to lead Mom and baby together since there is only you to do it and at times you feel like Gumby with the mare exiting right and the baby exiting left and you stuck in the middle with your arms being yanked out of their sockets!

Maybe buy hubby a hockey helmet for the future?!

I am glad that he's okay though - it could have been far worse ...

[Fair Play]

Foals have such sharp little feet. Thank goodness it wasn't worse.

I hadn't been in one our barns much one spring. We had a gigantic Nijinsky mare with a 10 day old foal who was about 500 pounds and 15hh . Someone asked me to turn her out. I am fixated on trying to get the halter on the foal who is galloping around a 15 x 15 box and am not paying attention to dear old mom, until I find myself pinned in the corner staring at the huge bum of the cranky mare. In my best "suck up" voice, I convince her to spare my life. That mare had 10 foals for us. I have scars from them all I think!

TC I have also been hurt worse on the farm than I ever was showing.

[madelyn]

I find it amusing when I get some of these baby show riders applying for a job here and they are all superior, arrogant and secure that they can handle any kind of horse -- yup, a kidsafe broke one they can. They can handle any kind of horse except maybe a weanling, yearling, mare with foal, stallion, etc. They've spent all their time with horses figuring out how to stay on and have never taught one anything.

TC, I use a nylon tiedown and snap the baby's halter to the mare's halter and then all I have to do is lead the mare. The mare and I will stand there while the baby figures stuff out - and then go around the stall, and then down the barn aisle and back. Usually after a couple of days that mare has that foal completely broke to lead. Cause I'm by myself, older than dirt and now I'm crippled.

Fair Play, you are lucky that Nijinsky mare didn't just take you out. I have a huge Moscow Ballet mare with that Nijinsky temperament and we are all business around her and minding our p's and q's. She will do it all - rear, strike, wheel and kick, come at you all teeth and heels hell on wheels. If I want to do anything with the foal I have to twitch the mare. Throws a great foal, though, and doesn't pass the temperament.

[foothillsequine]

"TC, I use a nylon tiedown and snap the baby's halter to the mare's halter and then all I have to do is lead the mare. The mare and I will stand there while the baby figures stuff out - and then go around the stall, and then down the barn aisle and back. Usually after a couple of days that mare has that foal completely broke to lead".


Wow, excellent advice. Thanks Madelyn! How is the leg by the way?

[madelyn]

Still limping after all this time. Can't do much. Ankle is still big and none of my old shoes or boots fit except for the slip on flat heeled stuff - barn scuffs, plastic gardening clogs, rubber mud boots, and my 14 year old Gucci driving shoes. I have a pair of old English jodh boots, leather with leather soles, and the elastic at the ankles is gone soft and I CAN wear those with half chaps. Cannot wear anything that closes in at the ankle. It Just Sucks. Thanks for asking.

Note about the tiedown, I have it adjusted to the perfect length so that foal will be at the dam's flank - can't get behind her, under her, etc. It is where the foal is naturally. I bought the tiedown at the stockyard tack auction for $3 three years ago. It's black nylon, with a snap on each end, adjustable, and about 3' long I think. I just stay on whatever side of the mare the foal is NOT on so I won't get run over.

[pfrsue]

Wow, madelyn! Where were you twenty years ago when I really needed that little training tip!

Tammy, I'm glad your hubby is okay! It's always quite the reality check when you discover the hard way that even the little guys can kick like a pile-driver. (Heh, I remember my former father-in-law getting knocked out by a teeny little Shetland stud. I don't think his pride ever recovered from that!)

[TrueColours]

tammysinnett - I am SO glad you started this thread (even though it sucks that hubby had to get hurt in order for you to find a topic to post about! ) as we all learned something new from madelyn

Thank you SO much for that tiedown tidbit - I gather it is like a cross tie? And if they try and flip themselves over or lie down all that happens is that Mom has to bend her head and neck down to accomodate them? Have you ever had anyone get hurt doing it this way? And I assume that after a week or so of leading this way you can then easily progress to leading them normally and if they dont behave stick them back on the tiedown for a few days to remind them once again?

And that stinks to hear your leg isnt much better either
This getting old business isnt fun at all ...

And I do have to agree 100% about the majority of the "show" riders not having basic horse handling and maintenance knowledge. They have getting their well schooled horse around 8 jumps perfectly down pat, but how to bandage or assessing a lameness or illness situation, or handling an uppity yearling is just completely foreign to an awful lot of them

I guess thats what the "grooms" are for ...

[foothillsequine]

Thanks again Madelyn, I love hearing about better ways to do something. I am so sorry that your leg is still bugging you. I know how it feels! Is the ankle big due to swelling or deformation? Man it sucks bigtime to have old fractures. I have had a number of ribs and a scapula destroyed due to errant horses! Or, perhaps it was my fault Take care of that leg, try taking some vitamin D, and hire more help! However, please keep that great advice coming...

[Vindicated]

Honestly I find it hysterical that most show people in general (alot of trainers included) cannot handle a uppity horse. I personally credit my first horse with teaching me alot of what I know. He could get as rank as any 3 year old colt I have dealt with since.
The farm I rode at growing up bred racehorses, and that is what almost everyone rode (OTTB'S) and I mean off the track. Not off the track and 90 days with a trainer. Sometimes the little buggers had just been clipped (gelded) before being tossed on the trailer to come over.

[madelyn]

Thank you SO much for that tiedown tidbit - I gather it is like a cross tie?

YES - but quite lightweight and only about 3/4" strap

And if they try and flip themselves over or lie down all that happens is that Mom has to bend her head and neck down to accomodate them?

YES - if the foal pulls a lot, I put counter tension on the mare's halter with my lead rope, while the mare is just standing still, so she doesn't get hauled around by the baby.

Have you ever had anyone get hurt doing it this way?

NO

And I assume that after a week or so of leading this way you can then easily progress to leading them normally and if they dont behave stick them back on the tiedown for a few days to remind them once again?

YES

And that stinks to hear your leg isnt much better either
This getting old business isnt fun at all ...

It's just awful - but it beats picking out a coffin.

[Fair Play]

Good tips. I am often alone foaling and put a halter on the baby for a time as soon as it's dry. I lead them out the first morning as I have a better shot teaching a day old something. By the time they are 10 days old...

My Nijinsky mare had one filly who was sent out to be broke as she was going to be a project. That was over 10 years ago, and they still talk about her though they have broke thousands of babies since. Every one of hers has been evil until they are about 2, and then a complete joy to deal with.

The last "show person" I hired, got me trampled by turning one loose. She thought he was a completely unhandled stallion when he was a broke colt. Throwing the shank in his face and screaming will do that to a horse. I hate when people talk themselves up, then blame you or your horse when something goes wrong.

I thought I was okay handling horses growing up raising a few and showing, but never dealt with much that was dead fit. I hot walked one summer, and learned so much. I see so many little show or eventer riders show up at the track and refuse to pick up a shank. It is really their loss as they never quite "get" what is going on in the back stretch. Where do they think the old guys who are successful jockeys or trainers started and why do they get to skip a step? I had a better riding resume when I was put at the end of that shank than most of them do who refuse.

Oddly on the farm, one with backyard experience is often faster to teach how to lead a youngster than one who has dealt with only sleepy hunters or ponies. They can be set in their ways.

[tammysinnett]

Thankyou Madelyn......and everyone else. Well hubby is off to the doctor still having some headache and he has me a little worried(allot really)Remember this happened when my husband had already made it to the paddock, the baby was lead there and then turned loose mamma being turned loos and boom husband gets the Kung Fu action....he wanted to play...he has tried to kick my husband more than once if he tries with me I push him away when I do this he gets the idea after a few moments and tries other things to get my attention. He is different from any colt we have ever had, I think he may have a good future if we can take all your suggestions and teach him well. Thankyou everyone....I amgetting ready for the adventure now of turnout....you know they do not stay little very long...he is a very big youngster (even though my stud is 16'h but seems to put height in his babies)and I always want him to feel non afraid and competitive....there is such a fine line...when it comes to knowing where it is as little ones.

[tammysinnett]

Ok so we named this little boy of ours Cash....Cassius Clay is what I always call him....well today he lives up to his name, Has a K.O for the hubby and today I took a left hook and now have a black eye..yep thats right we were cautious to turn out and back teaching manners etc just when I let my guard down he reared and sucker punched me with his front hoof....this boy is going to be the terror isnt he....please someone tell me this is a good sign if we can control this energy....we have something special....for all the foals we ever had he is the biggest attitude of them all and he seems never to be mean its almost like he believes he is the king...I hate to take away his heart ....but lord I dont know if we are all going to live through it!!!! Now we need suggestions in the proper way to keep is heart and desire but know that he needs to listen...his poor mother just puts up with it..she has never had a colt always filly...today after the punch she just looked at me like now you know what I have to put up with... ps hubby is on the mend