Question about teaching a foal to lead

[kiwifruit]

I have a four week old colt that is pretty good about putting on a halter and leading around the field. He will take four or five great steps, then either plant his feet, crowd me, try to bite my arm or just freak out. When he plants, I try to ask him to turn, if not a squeeze on the butt cures him, crowding I poke him in the shoulder/neck, and when he bites, I flick him in the nose. When he freaks out I try to be steady and encourage him to give to pressure. Suggestions or tips? Also I read some thread about having a lead line dangle from halter so when foal steps on it he learns to give to pressure naturally? Of course it would be supervised when doing this but wondered if it works?

Thanks!

[Ticker]

Congrats on your new colt!
Try using a butt rope to move him along. Be very careful you don’t put a lot of pressure on his head and neck while trying to teach him to lead via the halter, you don’t want to cause an injury.

[Underthebridge]

Injury to whom, should she wait until he gets bigger, strongest and most stubborn wins.

[QUOTE=Ticker;7049774]
Congrats on your new colt!
Try using a butt rope to move him along. Be very careful you don’t put a lot of pressure on his head and neck while trying to teach him to lead via the halter, you don’t want to cause an injury.[/QUOTE]

[ambar]

In addition to the butt rope suggestion, make sure you’re rewarding (by slackening the pressure on the halter) each step. But yes, butt rope.

[RyuEquestrian]

We use a dangling lead rope on them when they are in their stalls so that they learn to give to pressure and makes sure that their halters are either leather or have a breakaway poll strap just incase of a problem. So far we have found that this helps them 1) learn not to panic from poll pressure 2) teaches them how to deal with things dangling and wrapping around their legs without any reason to scare themselves.

Another thing you can try is to put a lead rope around mom’s neck (like a neck strap) and do a quick release knot to mom’s strap with baby’s lead rope (we have seen this done in Europe at mare/foal inspections). Stand on the left hand side of mom (with baby on her right and lead her or turn her and baby will learn to follow mom’s lead. Then, after baby is accustomed to leading right next to mom, then practice leading baby yourself and see if it has translated.

[drkarins]

Another vote for butt rope

Try the butt rope, and also agree with previous poster’s comment regarding the importance of immediate “give” by releasing pressure when the foal stops resisting. Also, start in small, confined areas (stall) and then move to bigger (paddock) and bigger spaces (arena). Also remember they are still at risk for developing an umbilical hernia if they generate too much intra-abdominal pressure which has been described as happening when they pull back against a handler. We found that frequent, brief (less than 10 minute) sessions were most beneficial.

Good luck and congrats!

[EventerAJ]

Coming from a TB farm, I learned to lead foals with the rope in my left hand, and my right arm draped over the foal’s withers (holding the mare’s rope, when leading the two together by myself). The foal learns to lead in a straight line, with mom on his right side and me on his left. If necessary, I’ll use the mare’s (LONG) rope around his butt to encourage forward, but I usually don’t need that beyond the first couple days of age.

With your right arm hanging over the withers, you can give a light (or firm) slap to the rib/flank to encourage the foal to keep moving when he balks. It may help him later in life, too, as it’s right about where the rider’s leg will kick. I’ve found that most foals like the guidance of your arm around their neck/wither, and you can lead them with barely any pressure on the halter. It also keeps you walking at his shoulder, less for him to chew on, and you can bump his nose away from you with your left hand if he gets mouthy (as colts will do!).

For the leaping/jumping excitement, encourage him to keep moving FORWARD, just as you would with a riding horse. Lightly slap him on the ribs, make him march forward at a walk; praise and scratch him when he’s good.