Page 32 midwest horse digest April 09
Horse Behavior
Proper Handling of a Foal
by Julie Goodnight
He's also been wearing a halter since he her job in protecting her foal. Do not assume
was a day and a half old. The mare has she is bluffing and do not interfere with her
been extremely protective: wringing her doing what she is programmed to do. Many
neck, snaking her head at people and people are shocked when their gentle mare
emphatically biting the air, as well as foals and becomes a different animal. It is not
keeping herself between us and him, but only her right to protect her foal; it is what
we've found that she's bluffing--if I go right every cell in her body tells her to do. Usually
in, tell her "no" or "whoa" in a stern voice this behavior diminishes after the foal is a
and grab her halter, she settles right down week or so old, but in the meantime, do not
and behaves. She doesn't try to bite when push it and never assume that any horse mak-
I'm actually reaching for the halter and, ing threatening gestures is just bluffing. Maybe
although she'll turn her butt to me, she hasn't they are, but it is quite likely they horse is will-
tried to kick--yet, anyway, and we're always ing to act on the threat. Be patient, gentle and
very careful and aware of that possibility. understanding with the mare and give her the
Question:
We've found that we have to pay a lot of atten- time she needs with her foal.
Dear Julie,
tion to her while we're paying attention to the Imprinting can be a great thing and it can
I recently purchased
foal. Before she foaled she was extremely also be painfully overdone. It is probably good
two Thoroughbred mares, because I want to
easy to handle and work with, and very calm, you did not do a lot at first because you never
breed Hunter Under Saddle Quarter Horses
so I think her behavior now is mostly hormones want to interfere in any way with the bonding
and Paints, and am really excited to tell you
with a little bit of jealousy thrown in. When we between mare and foal in the immediate hours
that I have a foal on the ground now, a Coats
go in to work with the baby, I put the mare on after birth.
N Tails stud colt who's all legs with a little bit of
a lead rope so I can follow her around without In my experience, foals are often over han-
horse attached. He's four days old today, and
being stepped on while she follows the baby dled, particularly when they are treated like
we've had the mare since January. We didn't
(and I watch her closely for kicking or biting). I pets. This results in a spoiled, pushy foal that
do very much of the classic imprinting tech-
scratch and pet her and whatever part of the has absolutely no respect for humans. Foals
niques before he got up after being born, but
baby is closest to me, and my daughter pets love to be scratched all over and if you indulge
we did do some, and every day since then
the other end of the baby and the mare if she them too much, pretty soon they are running
we've been petting and scratching him all over,
can reach her. He seems to like people--he'll up to you and slamming their butt into you so
with particular emphasis on the areas where
leave his mom and come to the stall door when that you’ll scratch them. Be careful not to let a
tack will be and down his legs for the farrier.
someone opens it. horse control your actions and elicit the
This little guy's scratching from you. When this happens, you
career will be are teaching the horse to be dominant over
showing and you because he can control your actions.
trail riding, and You can go overboard on desensitizing a
then, if he's foal to the point where he is oblivious to any
good enough, touch, or worse, learns to lean into pressure.
standing at That will come back to haunt you when he is
stud. Things are ready to be ridden and is insensitive to pres-
going well now, sure.
but what else I am not a big fan (as you can probably tell)
should we be of too much handling as a young foal. I want
doing? Also, them to be accustomed to humans and to like
can you recom- humans, but I want them to be a baby horse
mend any too. I will usually halter a foal when he is about
books or videos a week old, but never leave the halter on.
to help with this When you do come into handle him, slip the
process? halter on so that he gets used to being hal-
Thanks, Sandy tered. I will generally teach them to lead at a
pretty young age, with very light pressure (just
Answer: a jiggle of the lead, releasing the pressure as
soon as the foal moves his nose forward), and
Congratulations work with him occasionally for very short ses-
on your new sions.
foal. I am sure There is lots of time in the next few years to
he is a cutie start training him, starting with when you wean
and you are him. For now, let him be a baby horse and
having lots of romp and play and explore his world. Don’t get
fun with him. in a hurry to train him. Like most trainers, I give
However, I do young horses minimal handling the first year.
have a few As a yearling, we start teaching them to have
words of cau- good manners on the lead, stand tied, etc. But
tion for you. they are still babies at that age (training a year-
As for your ling is like sending a child to kindergarten
mare, she is not when he is three). I will wait until the horse is
jealous, she is 2-3 before even thinking about any saddle
simply doing training. Foals that are over handled and
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