Foal halter breaking

aurora · Postby **aurora** » Tue May 25, 2010 2:00 pm

Seems a long time ago I saw a note on this forum about teaching a foal to lead by tieing it to its mother and then leading the dam. Does this really work? My little buggers are getting big pretty fast and I've got to get a better handle on this.

madelyn · Postby **madelyn** » Tue May 25, 2010 2:49 pm

I do that. I use a nylon tie-down with a snap on either end, adjusted so the foal is at the dam's flank. It works PERFECTLY. However, I start on day one.

griff · Postby **griff** » Tue May 25, 2010 7:14 pm

Imprint them at birth and they will follow you w/o a halter..

My partner was able to imprint one of ours last year and the thing thinks he should be allowed in the house.. The other colt is halter broke and will let you pickup all four feet in open pasture plus we have no problem with vaccinations; however, he knows he is a horse.

griff

Intrinsic Worth · Postby **Intrinsic Worth** » Wed May 26, 2010 10:39 am

Just start at day 1 with putting on a halter. Don't wait until they are 500lbs and full of fight. Same thing with leading.

aurora · Postby **aurora** » Thu May 27, 2010 2:40 pm

Madlyn,
I haven't quite got the picture of this arrangement with the tie-down. This is the kind of tiedown that is just one length of nylon or is it an arrangement with a loop that goes around the mare's shoulders? One end obviously needs to be snapped to the foal's halter but the other end, do you just have it hanging from the mare's shoulders? Can you be more descriptive please?

I actually did work with these foals from day one but sent them to the breeders for a foal heat breeding so by the time they came home a month later i had to start all over again.

madelyn · Postby **madelyn** » Thu May 27, 2010 5:54 pm

The tie down I use has a snap at each end. One snap goes on the foal halter and the other to the mare's halter.

I will try to get a photo tomorrow of how this works. It is just the tie down strap, nothing around the neck of either horse.

aurora · Postby **aurora** » Fri May 28, 2010 12:24 pm

Thank you so much, Madlyn.

I'll have to try this next year!

karenkarenn · Postby **karenkarenn** » Fri May 28, 2010 7:53 pm

I dont think that I would tie the foal or newborn to the mare. What happens if the mare gets antsy or angry. Or she takes off.
One never knows what a horse thinks.
To be honest Aurora there is nothing more that s going to help you than patients. Having the lead rope in hand, being with your baby, even when he or she is at the moms side. Going with the baby. Talking and stroking, is a good start. Sometimes they get mad or frightened, but thats okay. Just so long as you reaffirm love but respect.
Karen

ireneinwa · Postby **ireneinwa** » Mon May 31, 2010 1:37 pm

karenkarenn wrote:I dont think that I would tie the foal or newborn to the mare. What happens if the mare gets antsy or angry. Or she takes off.
One never knows what a horse thinks.
To be honest Aurora there is nothing more that s going to help you than patients. Having the lead rope in hand, being with your baby, even when he or she is at the moms side. Going with the baby. Talking and stroking, is a good start. Sometimes they get mad or frightened, but thats okay. Just so long as you reaffirm love but respect.
Karen

Agreed

Never tie down a baby thats an accident waiting to happen.
Easy way to teach them( only way Ive ever known horsemen to do) to lead take a long lead rope snap to halter all the way around them on right side around butt and hold in hand and they move forward. Sure there must be a video on youtube or somewhere.

karenkarenn · Postby **karenkarenn** » Mon May 31, 2010 2:23 pm

Irene
You are right. They might throw themselves around but still it works-
the butt rope works. Just be patient and do it in a calm manner and you'll be fine.
Karen

Laurierace · Postby **Laurierace** » Mon May 31, 2010 7:36 pm

Just one pull, even a minor pull can damage a foal's neck to the point of needing to be euthanized. I am always very careful with their necks the first few months. I use a butt rope if necessary but generally I put a lead on the foal and he just follows Mom while someone else leads her If there is any resistance I go with the foal so as not to put pressure on his neck. Before you know it, you are leading. Mine usually have it figured out by the end of the first week.

ireneinwa · Postby **ireneinwa** » Mon May 31, 2010 10:32 pm

I dont even lead break them til they're weaned never had any troubles.

drewsbadboy · Postby **drewsbadboy** » Fri Jun 25, 2010 12:35 pm

We start by putting a halter and one of those roping reins (the little thin rope reins with the tiny snaps- the small snaps are great because they aren't so heavy on the foal's head) used as a lead rope EVERYTIME the foal goes out of the stall. This way they don't have to wear one in the stall, but they start to learn that wearing a halter is a good thing.

One person leads the mare to the pasture and another person leads the foal. Works everytime.

madelyn · Postby **madelyn** » Fri Jun 25, 2010 1:16 pm

You're lucky, drew, that when your mares and foals go out, you have TWO people available. That just about never happens to me.

I've never had a mare who, once she figured out the foal was at the other end of the tie down, didn't pull along patiently with me, stop here and there and wait for the foal to figure it out. They are not going to "take off" since you have a lead on the mare, nor run from the foal. I usually push the foal out in front, guiding directionally from behind. The tie down is just to prevent the foal from going walkabout on me, leaving me holding a frantic mare. The butt rope is great, but awkward if you have the foal AND the mare, since you have three ropes to handle that way.

Shammy Davis · Postby **Shammy Davis** » Fri Jun 25, 2010 2:21 pm

http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1123/