# Continue training 6-month old or stop



## morehorsesense (Jan 25, 2010)

Should I continue training my 6-month old colt or wait for a while? He has advanced very well, but I am concerned about him being bored and losing respect if I continue regular training. Should I continue the training while being sure to continue with new tasks so as to not let him get bored, or shall I be patient and not ask too much too soon? At this point he will lead, move parallel with me, stop, and load in trailer, all with hardly any tension on the lead rope. He will lift legs (although I have not pressed him to hold long enough to trim because not needed), follows very well on trails, let's me touch him all over, is not afraid, but has respect. What is the wisest approach at this point with a well-behaved 6-month old colt - continue or wait?


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## xxBarry Godden (Jul 17, 2009)

A trainer in the UK whom I had a lot of respect for once said to me:
"For the first twelve months the foal lives with the mare and she teaches it how to be a horse.
After weaning, for the second twelve months the youngster lives within a group of other youngsters so as to it learn how to live within a herd of horses.
In the third year the horse starts to be handled so that the fear of humans can be lessened. Some fast growing breeds might be lightly backed but then turned away to wait for year four.
In the fourth year, formal training starts in hand and on the lunge, leading eventually to work under saddle. 

But that is mostly the British way.

I've never heard of anyone 'training' a foal of 6 months - even in the US where there is a tendency for youngsters to be brought on early.

We recently took on six year old warmblood who had been well treated but not trained in any way. After just a few weeks in our hands, he is proving to be a fast learner and a delight to work with. And importantly when we first sat on his back, just a few days ago, there was minimal risk of over loading the animal's spine


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

Barry I don't know what planet you are living on but training a foal to lead, load, tie up and pick up thier feet is all perfectly normal and infact is advisable as it is easier whillst they are still on thier Dams. 

I had a foal out at a show with its Dam aged 3 months. When he was weaned at 8 month he was quite happy to load, travel and tie up anywhere at any point.

we trained him to walk over tarpaulins without fear, we trained him to walk and trot on command, to mover round his stable when asked, to pick up his feet and hold them for the farrier. This sort of training continued right up untill we broke him in at age 4yrs. Aged 4 and only 6 weeks after he was sat on for the first time the pony did a handy pony class and won with a toddler on his back. He is the most kid proof youngster you have ever met.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

I think the problem with working with a youngster can be overstimulation on a mind that is still too young. While some things should be taught, such as leading, standing for the farrier, being handled; too much training can cause a negative effect. 

I've seen cases where an owner wanted to imprint their colt and over did it. The horse became totally unmanageable with absolutely no respect for humans. I can see that with trying in this case too.

Let the colt be a colt. The training you have put on him is enough.


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## xxBarry Godden (Jul 17, 2009)

The horsey folks I mix with feel that a foal needs time to develop both physically and mentally. Usually foals are weaned from the mare at around a year and then put with other weaned foals to play and learn the rules.
Even the breeders hold on to their stock until the third year.

If other folks feel they can 'train' a baby from a very early age then so be it - it is their stock. But for me looking down the line at what I would be aiming to achieve ie a well balanced, confident, obedient, riding horse which can carry
itself and my weight without strain then I'll wait. Even a horse deserves a 'foal'hood. 

If I want a small horse to play with, then I'll find a Shetland.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Wow, you all wean way later than I ever have. 4 or 5 months is what I have always done & the couple breeding farms where I worked as well. Mostly because the foals had buyers and buyers didn't want to wait 8 months or a year for their purchase. All babies were halter trained, all lead, picked up feet and I went a step further, since the foals I had were show horses, I made sure they didn't mind the clippers or being sprayed by the hoses for baths.


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

OP, it sounds like he has all the basics that he needs. Let him have fun being a colt 

Iride brought up an excellent point. There can definitely be too much. Over-handling foals can and will create pushy, spoiled monsters. I've met more than I've wanted to over the years. 

I do about the same as waresbear. We usually wean at 5 months, have earlier on occasion if a big foal is dragging the mare down. Our youngsters are show prospects and shown as yearlings, quite a few as weanlings. They need basic manners and handling. They all learn to lead, be touched & handled all over, feet - mine start farrier visits early (even if just for practice before actual work is needed, they remember that guy that loved all over them for letting him play with their feet), trailer load, clip, fly spray & baths. All done in very short sessions with the dam right along with them. Once they've learned that (those that I keep) I bring them in once a week or so for a 10 minute refresher of what they already know. Aside from the 10 minutes a week they get to be horses until they are closer to under saddle training age.


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

teaching an unhandled 3yr old to lead is not something I would want to do. Totaly different prospect to handling a baby.

The foal we had, it stayed with the mare till 8 months, then went out with other youngstock and then after a few months the herd of youngsters was dumped in the field with some older mares and geldings to learn horsey manners. During all this they were handled daily, taught things like walking over sheets etc. They all turned out into very very sweet, quiet ponies who love thier jobs, totaly fearless and excellent for kids. Non of them were sat on untill late 3yrs old or 4yrs old but by that stage getting on them was a mear formality and none of them batted an eyelid (mind you most of them had been ridden by a teddy bear before then).


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## morehorsesense (Jan 25, 2010)

*conclusions*

After reading these excellent responses as to whether to continue training a well-behaved 6-month old colt, I believe I have arrived as some fundamental principles. Your input is welcome.
1. If the foal is developing disrespect through the repeated training effort, postpone the training until an older mature age and/or get a more skilled trainer that can alter the attitude of the foal in being more teachable and willing. If the training is ill advisably continued, the foal will continue to get worst.
2. If the foal continues to be teachable and willing, i.e., he does not try to get out of training situations, but submits calmly and willingly to the training - continue with his training. He will benefit from repeated good behavior.
3. The outcome of #2 will depend on the horse genetics and the skill of the trainer. The trainer will need to be very vigilant in reading the attitude of the foal to be sure that he does not develop a disrespectful attitude, if training is to be continued.


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## Tnavas (Nov 29, 2011)

Barry Godden - Foals are usually weaned at 6 months - not a year! They need to learn to pick up feet, lead well, go in a trailer or truck do a lot of other stuff before they get too big and more opinionated.

They are turned out with others to learn to behave in a herd and learn their manners with others. It doesn't mean that they can't be well handled. I don't break mine in until they are at least 3½ but they are well handled and respectful.


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## mystykat (Dec 4, 2011)

I have seen very good results from multiple trainers/breeders who put the basics that you have put on the foal when they are weaned (5-7 months old). Once the foal will lead, pick up his feet, respects your space, loads, etc they get to go be a horse (of course they still get regular handling). Then as a yearling they are exposed to things like tarps, water, etc. Once again they are turned back out (continuing with regular handling and maybe a refresher every once and a while). Then as a long yearling they are ponied, lunged and tacked (and more things along that line-leading up to riding them). In between the basics they learn they were always given quite lengthy breaks to learn interaction with other horses and to just be a horse. You don't want to sour your colt by boring him.


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## draftgrl (Jan 8, 2011)

The only other thing I would teach the lil one would be to stand for vet work, and for a spray bottle (fly spray). Other then that unless something came up that becomes a problem would just let the baby be. Play with it and such but no more new training. 

We always weaned our babies at 6 months, depending on how the mom and baby are doing. Whether the baby needed more or mom was getting overloaded. Even had a mare (mustang) who would wean the baby by herself, sure did make it alot easier on us!


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

horse1sense said:


> After reading these excellent responses as to whether to continue training a well-behaved 6-month old colt, I believe I have arrived as some fundamental principles. Your input is welcome.
> 1. If the foal is developing disrespect through the repeated training effort, postpone the training until an older mature age and/or get a more skilled trainer that can alter the attitude of the foal in being more teachable and willing. If the training is ill advisably continued, the foal will continue to get worst.
> 2. If the foal continues to be teachable and willing, i.e., he does not try to get out of training situations, but submits calmly and willingly to the training - continue with his training. He will benefit from repeated good behavior.
> 3. The outcome of #2 will depend on the horse genetics and the skill of the trainer. The trainer will need to be very vigilant in reading the attitude of the foal to be sure that he does not develop a disrespectful attitude, if training is to be continued.


Another big point is to keep sessions very very short. I normaly did max 10 mins with foals as they have the attention span of a gnat and will get sour quickly if they get bored.


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## bellagris (Dec 6, 2010)

in my experience all of that stuff is great to teach. I think you have established a solid foundation in the horse and you can leave it be mostly for now...bring it in for the farrier, occassionally bring him in and go over the things he knows...but honestly you've come a long way with him and just keeping him with with what you have taught him is probably enough until you can do more heavy training. We halter break our horses as weanlings, teach them to parkout, lead, load etc...and have found that once you do that if you just keep up with it by normal handling, they don't really forget.


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