- Breeding
- The History of Horse Breeding
- Horse Breeding, Part 3: Birth and Care of a Foal
- Targeted Nutrient Therapy for Insulin Resistance
- Buying a Horse
- Top 3 Ways Using Horse Classifieds Can Save You Money
- Rocky Mountain Horses
- So You Bought A Friesian, Now what!
- General Horse Articles
- How to Market Your Equestrian Business
- Battle-Ready: A History of the War Horse
- A Guide to Horse Show Events
- Horse Feeding
- The Truth Behind Bran Mash - Its Uses & Disadvantages
- Let's Talk About Equine Probiotics - Equitivia
- Ingredients in Feed that Affect Behavior
- Horse Grooming
- What do do when the Panic is On to keep our Horses Safe!
- eZall Shine & Detangler Transforms Ratty Manes and Tails Into Flowing Tresses
- Keeping Your Horse Beautiful with Horse Products
- Horse Health Issues
- Bucking, Shying and other Attention Deficit Disorders
- A Look at Horse Vision
- OmegaTri & the Equine - Reducing Inflammation, Restoring Balance
- Horse Training
- Emotionally Neutral Training
- Equine Experts Send Us Your Best Tip - Win $750 Worth of KAM’s Healthy Horse Products and More
- Let's Talk About Equine Probiotics - Equitivia
- Horses & History
- Equine Experts Send Us Your Best Tip - Win $750 Worth of KAM’s Healthy Horse Products and More
- What do do when the Panic is On to keep our Horses Safe!
- Horsing around the Sierra Madre - 1974 Style.
- Horses & Sports
- Ask Chelsie Natural Horsemanship - What Does It Mean To Disengage My Horse?
- Equine Experts Send Us Your Best Tip - Win $750 Worth of KAM’s Healthy Horse Products and More
- Submit Your Grant Proposal To USA Equestrian Trust
Starting Early: Training the Foal
05/26/2008
For a horse to become disciplined in a particular area, it is important for them to go through several stages of training. It is crucial that this training begins early, and ideally, when they are a foal.
For a horse to become disciplined in a particular area, it is important for them to go through several stages of training. It is crucial that this training begins early, and ideally, when they are a foal.
Beginning to handle a foal can start as early as birth, or when it comes time to wean the foal away from its mother. Many feel that it is important to start at birth, so that the foal develops interaction with humans as early on as possible. This is important so that the foal understands that the human will not harm it and will begin to trust it. This will breed a respectful relationship between human and horse.
The first steps in training the young horse in its first year are very simple tasks; no riding while it is young. These simple tasks include allowing a halter to be placed on its head, be led to walk by a human, and stopping when directed. A foal needs to learn to be calm during grooming and veterinary exams. The young horse can also be trained to stand still while its feet are being picked up to have its hooves trimmed. Then a foal can be taught basic skills that it will need to know for the rest of its life, such as being loaded into a horse trailer, and to not fear noisy objects. While living around a human, a young horse can learn to get used to human devices and noises.
Some do insist that you do not handle the foal until weaning. If you wait until the horse is weaned from its mother, some argue, you will create a stronger bond as the separation from its mother will cause fear. If the foal understands you will protect it, it may readily follow you. Horses at this age are still highly impressionable, and while they may be quicker than they were at birth, they are still a fraction of the size and strength of a full horse.
The importance here is starting young. Some do not begin training until the horse is able to be ridden, but it takes much more skill to train a full horse without being injured in the process.
