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Rearing Foal

7K views 13 replies 7 participants last post by  Janna 
#1 ·
I have a 5 month old colt that has a little problem rearing and carrying on when you lead him. This little guy is super sweet, has had halters on him since he was two days old, and ties surprisingly well. The problem is when you are leading for an extended period of time he wants to play and rear and all that. How can I stop this before it gets to be a real problem and dangerous?
 
#2 ·
I would do a few things...

I would try to keep leading sessions to a minimum five-ten minutes but maybe do a few several times throughout the day if possible. However, if he starts rearing during the short session do not stop. How is he with giving to pressure? And is he desensitized to a short crop? This leads into my next suggestion

If he starts rearing, turn him around, using the crop to help move him into the circle, I'm not saying lunging, but to just turn him and walk the other direction and if he rears again do it again. Let him know that if he does this while you are leading him it is going to mean more walking/turning and the crop is not used for discipline but just to give you your safe space from him.

Hopefully by shortening your sessions, since the young ones have little attention span, he will learn that he can rear on his own free time but that it will not be tolerated during handling.

I'm sure others will give good tips, but please let us know how it goes for you! :)
 
#3 ·
My first thought is, what's an extended period of time? Remember he's a baby and his attention span is not much more than a knat's. Try not to mess with him for longer than you need to.
Another thought is what sort of environment is he living in? Can he be out with a number of other horses that will play with him and also put him in his place to keep him from being too naughty?
Regardless of all of that - rearing is unexceptable. It needs to be dealt with fast and furious and be over quickly. If his front feet are off the ground back him up furiously and aggressively. This may sound harsh but I would knock him off his feet a time or two so long as the environment is safe and he's not so large that this could do any real damage- any other horse would do this to him too. If you catch him right before the rearing I'd back him furiously. I'd start practicing teaching him to yield every part of his body and any time he wants to move his feet he can, but he has to do it where and when you tell him. Teach him to stand will be helpful too. Don't make him stay still for too long, he's a baby with a wondering mind.
 
#12 ·
How is a vet appointment going to stop him ?
A gelding is just as capable of rearing.
He's young and just needs correcting.

... Anyway. As said, if he's still small if he rears you could probably knock him over. I don't know how your ground is but ours is sand and it wouldn't hurt one here.

But I prefer, to start with kind of bump on the nose a bunch if times kind of hard and fast while they're in the air so it's not comfortable. but not not to hurt the little nose.

I don't like running them backwards because it could become a bad habit, if they think you're going to correct them or something they May automatically do it and if you're at a show one day they could actually run someone over on accident.

Those things usually work for me though. There's a couple colts I had that would cut up and id keep walking and ignore them and they grew out of it. They got no reaction from me. So they were like eh whatever.
 
#5 ·
Agree with Schulzs. The foal needs to learn to be sent with pressure, like a casual circle. Pull and direct with the directional hand, and apply pressure by spinning the end of the rope. If he doesn't move, you get closer with the rope and tap his shoulder until he moves off. If he dives into you, pop him with the rope underhand on his belly.

Then, once he walks around you calmly in a circle, pull his head and step towards his butt and make him relinquish his hindquarters.

Just teaching my 4 month old this technique this week. :)
http://www.horseforum.com/members/35111/
 
#13 ·
My opinion is this. if he continues to rear while being led and starts to get more of a handful I would seek a trainer. handling foals as they grow only gets harder aas they get bigger. I can see backing him when he goes to rear and even turning on his haunches etc etc But do so in a non agressive way. I am not one to shove a foal over to me thats cruel ( just my opinion ) mares do not do it when disciplining them and see no sense in doing it either. BUT a mare does apply pressure moving them off . and when they do walk calm and behaved reward by ending that session on a good note. Foals at 5 months are like infants with us handle them in 10 minute increments is about all the stimuly they can handle and trust me 10 minutes you can do alot with a foal.
Good luck be safe be patient and have fun

TRR
 
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