What are some desensitizing tips for young horses?

Question

I have a young filly, and although she's only a few weeks old, I would like to try to get her used to everything as soon as possible.

What are some desensitizing techniques used for young horses?

I've worked with babies before, I know how to handle them, I just would like to know a few techniques as she'll be my first foal that I bring up.

Does anyone have any techniques they use?

Thanks!

Answer 1

I agree with everything already said above. Another thing that is fun with babies is if you have a good horse to do it on, you can pony the babies around the property, it teaches them how to lead and follow the horses. "Ponying" is what I often see trainers doing with their babies.

Answer 2

Yes

Answer 3

idk but lets go horseback riding call 1 310 567 3582 for appointment!

btw they call me tito!

Answer 4

i'm right there with bennett.  take your baby everywhere you can think of.  to the mailbox, down the road, into some sort of water...puddle, pond, kiddy pool, whatever.  have people "pop out" of places with bags, tarps, etc.  make scarecrows, play really loud annoying music.  play with your cell phone ringers.  play with clippers.  

both of my horses love cap guns and those party poppers that have streamers.  my one horse loves fireworks, while my other doesn't.  

basically, think of the weirdest things you can, and expose your baby.  take a dog with you most everywhere you go, so that your baby will be used to dogs running around, too.

another thing...pick up a book/video on either clicker training, trick training, whatever.  this will give you guys fun things to do that will help with all aspects of your baby's raising.

best of luck, and may you enjoy many years of fun!

Answer 5

My old trainer used this on horses of all ages.

All it requires of you, is LOTS OF TIME.

She would just snap the horse onto a lead line and take it with her wherever she went on foot during the day. Outside, the trails, the barn isles, the arena, the lesson area....

You have to pay attention and be smart about it, but eventually even the spookiest horse would stand calmly in a parking lot or as people were jumping 6 ft fences around it.

Answer 6

if you are looking for "bomb-proofing" your horse then do these things.  trust me I have had many horses and have used all of these techniques and they work! for one horse I had, he would pull back a lot when he was tied up and spook quite a bit as well..the cure..tie grocery bags all around the stall.this will get him used to fast moving things that flick and make noise..you don't have to use grocery bags just use whatever will make an odd movement/noise ect. .....u can also get an umbrella and open and close it quickly.. take her in situtions that might be a little frightening, but u still have complete control..also to get her used to her.constantly be around her and toucing petting her ect. and give her treats, they love that lol..do whatever you can to get them in scry situations to them.  For example (this rele happened) if your horse happened to be afraid of a stream of water then all u do is go across that stream a million times until they don;t even notice it.. also one of my horses was afraid of our new cows and all i did was take him in the pen ride him in it for about 2 hours then let him spend th nite in there...the next day we were chasing them and roping thm like he was doing it his whole life...time and practice is key as well as him trusting you..take the time to build that special bond and you will have the best horse

Answer 7

For a baby, I would just spend a lot of time grooming and touching them everywhere!  Play with their hooves, put your fingers in the mouth,  brush and comb the tail and make sure you can touch and "groom" her utters.  You can easily teach a baby to lead IF the mare is a good leader and will allow it. It's very easy to halter the foal, attach a lead rope, run it from the opposite side around her butt to the side you're on and, keeping her close to the mares side, have her "follow" the mare.  Never actually pull on the lead, instead, push with the butt rope. I've always been able to have my foals accept ropes around, over, and under them.  Just never pull on the head or neck, they make flip over and injure themselves.  Think of the things you do naturally with the mare, the baby will want to "follow mom".  You can saddle mom and unsaddle mom (be careful of the stirrups, don't want baby getting a foot caught), bridle and unbridle, wash and bath, pick up feet and clean, any of the things you need to be able to do including wormer (use applesauce to train). It will only be a few months until you will have to have a vet give the first shots, any training you can do to familiarize the foal to the world she'll be living in will pay dividends in the future.  And your vet and farrier will love you.

Answer 8

My 8 year old was my first foal to bring up. I was there the night my mare was giving birth. Amazing to watch and assist with.

The key is to be patient. He can take on a task very easily and then wham, he can be a slow accepter to another.

Groom him and touch him often through out the day. I am able to touch his ears and put fly spray on his face with out him shying away or giving me a hard time because I began doing this as he was a foal (not the fly spray, but touching, putting a wet towel on face etc).

I used him Mounted Sheriff and Rescue Volunteer patrol.

Qualifications consisted of things that I had to work with him since foal, to have the better chance of him qualifing at age 5.  (Able to go on the long 5 mile trail, so I waited til 5 to fully qualify him).

Things I done:  

1)Shoot off BB-Guns: Advanced it to rifles.

2) Fire crackers (popping/wistle sounds etc and when 4th of July rolls around...he can care less while other horses are upset. So he isn't stressed due to desensitizing.  Since I live on Military base with the range always having activity, I don't have to worry about him being upset when "booms" happen.)

3) Flares (smoke and glow they don't like at first)

4) Walking over tarps. Having tarps lay on body, over face (insures trust in you).

5) Big to small balls rolling across infront or under them.

6) Chain saw (10 feet qualifications)

7) Pulling a car tire and a log: half telephone pole. Insure horse can pull with out issue from sound, weight and time frame.

8) Car alarms.  Ambulance alarms (we had sherif cars around etc).

9) Hula hoops (sand or beads moving inside while twirling it around. I have 5 and I place one on rump, two on neck, small on ears : (think of an angel halo) and one on the ground for him to step into while moving with all that on him.  Took awhile for him to be "okay with it" with out snorting, pawing the ground, fearing away etc.

10) Costums!!!!   Get him to wear alot of material: place sheets over him. Belly dancing belts or Christmas stuff that Jingle when he walks. etc.

11) Pick up his feet a few times a day. My gelding is able to pick up his feet when I say "give me" and he will pick up each foot with out  me asking therefore after. If he doesn't, I remind him with a "tap" on his pastern with my own foot and he lifts right up. Makes it easier on the ferrier too!

12) Pick a side for him to stay on. I lead my horses on the right side. If I am leading my other horse, I lead both on each side, but they are trained now to have a foot distance, incase they spook etc so they don't smoosh me like a sandwhich.

13)  I pony my horses. Meaning, I ride my mare and pony my gelding with us. Once he was old enough, I rode him and ponied my mare (so he got used to be lead by a person on horse back AND was able to lead a horse while being ridden).

14) Use clippers (I started at 4 weeks old). I used the small pocket sized one that took one battery and I upgraded to the larger one by time he was 6 months old. I went through a lot of batteries as I kept it on for awhile. Let it be left alone and let him "investigate it" with out me instructing him too. Once he felt it was a "toy" or "okay", he had no issue with me triming him. He at first didn't like the vibration, til he actually liked it vibrating in his mouth!!.... go figure.

My fault is that I haven't been up keeping with it. Horses can change into being "afraidy cats" if you don't keep doing it.  So, he can spook or "question" at things he was trained for years with.  So, keep doing it consistantly.

If need any more ideas, I can give some more in email if desired.

Answer 9

Bennit is correct, just a few things to add. If you have use of a round pen getting your baby to move away from pressure, sack her out with the lead rope all over her body, a dressage whip with a plastic bag on the end, you can progress to sacking her out with this after the lead rope so she knows what to expect and the end result being calm about it. you can even go as far as teaching moving off to the left and right in the round pen just by body language. and If you can pick up ground work training by Clinton Anderson on ebay or check and see if the library has it. Hes very popular so maybe you can borrow the set from someone you know.