{"id":3977,"date":"2014-07-06T12:17:34","date_gmt":"2014-07-06T02:17:34","guid":{"rendered":"\/?p=3977"},"modified":"2014-07-15T21:05:45","modified_gmt":"2014-07-15T11:05:46","slug":"imprinting-educating-foal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/naturalhorseworld.com\/stage\/imprinting-educating-foal\/","title":{"rendered":"Educating the Foal"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Cynthia Cooper<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Fortunately, many horse breeders now recognise the pay-off for spending time with the foal in the early days. And many like myself have also realised that socialisation and education is the most important part of human interaction, not the imprinting.
\nAlthough imprinting helps initially and forms a much stronger bond between foal and humans, it is not an issue if you aren\u2019t there at the birth and miss that small window of opportunity (true imprinting happens during the first 2 hours of a foal’s life only).
\nIn fact studies have shown that the mere presence of the human at birth, either passively or gently rubbing and touching the foal, is enough for acceptance of the human in the horse\u2019s world. Frequency of time spent with the foal after the mare\/foal bonding seems to be the vital element.<\/p>\n

\"Foalhanding1\"<\/a>
Being able to touch your foal all over at liberty is an important pre-requisite to training to lead.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In those first few days and week, spending short periods with the foal many times a day, just being friendly and finding all their \u2018itchy\u2019 spots will encourage their natural curiosity. When the foal is confident with having you around and providing something they enjoy, then education to pressure and de-sensitising can begin. It may only take a few hours on the first day of frequent visits to reach the stage where the foal trusts you enough to allow things like a towel, or plastic bag rubbed all over it. De-sensitising to clippers, tarps and more can be part of your foal\u2019s ongoing education and will be readily accepted if the foal trusts you first.<\/p>\n

The quickest way to destroy any trust you have built is by reverting to the \u201cI\u2019m stronger than you\u201d mode where you force the foal to accept anything, or any pressure.<\/p>\n

They are a horse first and foremost and have the same reactions and responses of a wild horse. We must treat them with respect and not grab, push or pull them around just because we are stronger. This sort of education will teach the foal to push against pressure and will set up resistances both physically and mentally.<\/p>\n

Good horsemanship starts by \u2018asking\u2019 the foal\/horse with a mental picture of what we would like then to do. You can say it out loud if it helps – \u201cCan we see if you can move backwards?\u201d for example, would precede a light touch on the chest that becomes rhythmic pressure until the foal responds.
\n\u201cCan we walk over there, back to mum?\u201d – \u201cCan I rub this halter all over you before I put it on?\u201d – \u201cCan you take one step this way?\u201d.
\nAlways ask\u2026. only ever \u2018tell\u2019 if it\u2019s a life threatening situation.<\/p>\n

\"2\"<\/a>
Leading with a figure 8 rope helps the foal understand rope pressure before it is applied to their head with a halter.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When you ask the question and are not in a hurry to get a response, the foal is given a chance to understand what you\u2019re wanting. So often we are tempted to just grab that leg and lift it up because we can use our strength, or pull on that rump rope to move them forward, \u2026.because we can.<\/p>\n

Remember that you are not only training the foal to respond to pressure, you are training their attitude as well. Watch your foal\u2019s expression \u2013 are they flicking their ears back or switching their tail at lot? If so, they are trying to tell you something \u2013 possibly to not be so rude or rapid with your requests. Many \u2018imprint trained\u2019 foals get a bad name for being pushy, dull or un-interested in their training because they learned to push back (reflecting your \u2018pushiness\u2019) or switch off totally.<\/p>\n

By the time they are ridden, they can be so zoned out to their rider\u2019s requests their apparent quietness turns into stubbornness, grumpiness or dullness.
\nWho wants a horse like that? Quietness yes, but I\u2019d rather have respectfulness and responsiveness in my young horses while retaining the interest and enthusiasm for being with me.<\/p>\n

\"Foalhandling3\"<\/a>
You can have some fun allowing your foal to play with things which de-sensitises them to to various things they will encounter in the future.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A foal is strongly influenced by the mare, who ideally should trust you and be educated to the basics of being caught and handled herself before she has a foal.
\nSadly, some people breed from a mare because she\u2019s not good to handle or ride and this then sets up a pattern with the foal, of negative learned behaviour where humans are concerned. If your mare is worried about you, she will transfer that worry to the foal so it\u2019s very important to develop the relationship with her too. She should also trailer load well and tie up, in order to be helpful when teaching the foal these things.
\nIf the mare becomes over-protective (which is natural), then you will need to have a good yard to work in for the first week or two until she is not in the habit of running off with the foal whenever she sees you. Feed her in the yard and she will realise it\u2019s a friendly place to be.<\/p>\n

It is well worth spending time with the mare before she foals and then reinforcing things with her after the foal is born. It will make handling her in case of a
\nproblem such as needing to be milked, veterinary attention and so on, that much easier.<\/p>\n

Think carefully about the sort of education you are giving your foal. Look upon training a foal as a privilege and an opportunity to refine your horsemanship skills.
\nA foal is a blank canvas, brand new and ready to absorb everything we do with them, be that positive or negative. Above all, enjoy the wonder of having a new foal and the process of educating them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Cynthia Cooper Fortunately, many horse breeders now recognise the pay-off for spending time with the foal in the early days. And many like myself have also realised that socialisation and education is the most important part of human interaction, not the imprinting. Although imprinting helps initially and forms a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3657,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_thinkrank_schema_form_data":"","_thinkrank_selected_schema_type":"","_thinkrank_additional_schemas":"","_thinkrank_canonical_url":"","_thinkrank_og_title":"","_thinkrank_og_description":"","_thinkrank_og_image":"","_thinkrank_twitter_title":"","_thinkrank_twitter_description":"","_thinkrank_twitter_image":"","_thinkrank_imported_from":"yoast","_thinkrank_focus_keywords":["foal educating"],"_thinkrank_focus_keyword":"foal 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