Training has to be consistent and always follow through, if you’re running late or haven’t got the time to spare don’t start something new!  always make sure you finish whatever you start and let the foal go on a good note. We like to always start our session with something they know, then will introduce anything new and then finish again with something we know they will do correctly.

Young foals are like young pups and children, they like to nibble, nip, chew and put everything in their mouths. Don’t allow the foal to bite, push the foals mouth away and with a very sternly ‘no'.  If necessary, swat him loudly on the shoulder.

While we are discussing bad behaviour, rearing! … young foals just seem to love to rear, needless to say this can be dangerous [okay maybe cute while he is the size of a pea but your little pea is going to grow into a 600kg horse] If your foal tries to rear and you are beside him, a good open handed swat on the shoulder and again that magic word ‘no’    ..are you starting to understand those mothers in the supermarkets with a small tribe following? That word ‘no’ seems to be a universal thing.

Few foals will kick, however we have rarely had a foal that will kick as such at us, if they do a slap across the hind legs sharply and again say ‘no!’ All of these bad habits can be prevented with immediate discipline, which is usually only needed once or twice. The longer a horse gets away with anything, the harder it is to break it of bad habits so act promptly to curtail any misbehaviour. If you are not sure about discipline take some time out and sit somewhere you can view the foal and mare but they cant see you and watch ‘mum’ dish it out, she will very calmly and swiftly bring a boisterous junior back to sense, even if it is just a flash of ears been pinned back and a glare that just says ‘buddy you are pushing it’

So hopefully this may be of help to readers, remember it is most important little by little to build your youngster, at the end of the day he/she is going to be a horse and if you want them to go on and have a good life then by establishing manners now you are helping to assure their usefulness in life.

©2010 L. Moore