# 8 Month Old Colt Training



## eeo11horse (Jun 22, 2012)

I have a colt that's almost 8 months old, not gelded yet. I was wondering what a horse his age should know. How proficient should he be in leading, tying, etc? Want to know if we're on the right track.


----------



## Breezy2011 (Nov 23, 2012)

You could halter break him, teach him to lead, not be pushy and maybe some desensitizing, like get him use to a rope, stick and string ball, tarp, etc... there are a lot of options


----------



## Kayella (Feb 11, 2012)

I have a 7 month old colt yet to be gelded. He leads, ties, and loads. He stands for the farrier and knows how to trot in hand. He also knows how to square up, back up and yield to pressure. I've worked on desensitizing him to plastic bags, tarps, and hoola hoops. I'm also working on flexing exercises, which I'm hoping will help with his brain injury recovery as he's still reluctant to turn his head to the right. He's my cutie patootie, and very well mannered for his age


----------



## Thunderspark (Oct 17, 2012)

My 3 1/2 yr. old was born here from my mare, when he was little I worked on the haltering (on/off), leading, backing, flexing, desensitizing, lunging online (short periods of time)......with little ones you just do things in short periods because their little brains are like kids little brains LOL they get distracted so easily! Have fun! I know I enjoyed working with my baby.


----------



## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

I like mine to be able to stand tied, lead well, load in the trailer, pick up all feet, stand for the farrier, yield front and hind quarters, back up, walk over objects, wear saddle pads, join up, be tolerant of "scary objects" plastic sacks, whip, etc. I pony mine with my horses, take them to play days and Rodeo's let them see the sights and sounds. I'm probably forgetting something but that's the main stuff. Remember when your teaching your colt these things to work on one thing at a time. When they master in move on to learning something new the next training session. Keep the sessions short no more than 30 minutes babies have short attention spans. And don't train everyday make sure you give break days where you do nothing or just take him out and pet, brush, and talk to him. Now this is my personal opinion but you don't neccasarily have to rush to geld him. There are tons of opinions on when is the right time. But if your good about your training and teaching manners you don't usually have the studly manner problems. Thats not true of all horses but I often wonder when people say thier young stud colts act bad becuase they arent gelded I wonder how much they have worked with thier colt. I usually geld around the age of two when both testicles are down, it's easier for the surgery if both testicles are down. That way the vet doesn't have to go dig for them and I'm sure that makes surgery way more painful afterwards. I have two stud colts one that's a year and a half and he is very well behaved another that is 9 months and he is in the middle of his training lessons. I had a three year old stud TB that I bought as a project and I did a ton of work with him and you would of never known he was a stud unless you looked or I told you. He could stand right next to a mare in heat and not even bat an eyelash, that's not true of all studs but a good example that gelding isn't an instant behavior cure. Good luck with your baby! Can we get some pictures we love pictures!

Here's my silly boys


----------



## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Yes, theres no reason that your colt shouldn't be able to learn how to tie for 10-15 minutes at a time (start shorter), back up in hand, yield to pressure, etc. I have a two and a half month old mule filly who already is doing all three of those things (exept only 5 minutes of tying. She has a very short attention span) and she also picks up all four of her feet for me, lets me play with her ears, and is learning to be 'sent' through things. It really comes in handy as they get older! The one thing we're still working on though is leading without a butt rope. She's fantastic with the butt rope but without it, for some reason she thinks its rather funny to set back on her haunches and give me the classic mule 'sit' xD


----------



## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

Endiku said:


> Yes, theres no reason that your colt shouldn't be able to learn how to tie for 10-15 minutes at a time (start shorter), back up in hand, yield to pressure, etc. I have a two and a half month old mule filly who already is doing all three of those things (exept only 5 minutes of tying. She has a very short attention span) and she also picks up all four of her feet for me, lets me play with her ears, and is learning to be 'sent' through things. It really comes in handy as they get older! The one thing we're still working on though is leading without a butt rope. She's fantastic with the butt rope but without it, for some reason she thinks its rather funny to set back on her haunches and give me the classic mule 'sit' xD


Pull her at an angle and make her walk a few steps then praise. You should probably start taking away the butt rope but sounds like your already trying to do that.


----------



## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

haha, yes I've been a bit lazy  I only started taking away the butt rope about two weeks ago. It was just so much easier xD I'll try pulling at an angle, I hadn't thought of that. I should of though, as thats what we do with the full sized guys that haven't learned to lead yet. Right now I'm just putting gentle pressure on her and increasing it until she takes a step, then release and praise- but she gets very stubborn! I think I signed up for more than I bargained for when I bought her, she's quite the smart little girl so its very hard to convince her that I'm smarter than she is. Hopefully it will work out though. She's the first baby that I've trained completely by myself although I've had tons of experience with _other_ people's babies....mule though? Definitely a first for me.


----------



## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

Endiku said:


> haha, yes I've been a bit lazy  I only started taking away the butt rope about two weeks ago. It was just so much easier xD I'll try pulling at an angle, I hadn't thought of that. I should of though, as thats what we do with the full sized guys that haven't learned to lead yet. Right now I'm just putting gentle pressure on her and increasing it until she takes a step, then release and praise- but she gets very stubborn! I think I signed up for more than I bargained for when I bought her, she's quite the smart little girl so its very hard to convince her that I'm smarter than she is. Hopefully it will work out though. She's the first baby that I've trained completely by myself although I've had tons of experience with _other_ people's babies....mule though? Definitely a first for me.


Well you can still do the pressure and release just save yourselves some trouble and so it at an angle lol. Mules are smart I used to have a miniature one. He was always giving me some sort of grief. He could escape from anything.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

haha, my girl is a miniature as well. 50 pounds of brains and muscle, I'm telling you!

I have the feeling that she's going to be one of those houdinis as well... just last week I caught her trying to crawl under her corral panels to get to he friend, Jet! LOL. She made it about half way, then got stuck. Luckily I was there to save her...now I have to figure out a way to rig it so she cant get under them xD


----------



## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

Endiku said:


> haha, my girl is a miniature as well. 50 pounds of brains and muscle, I'm telling you!
> 
> I have the feeling that she's going to be one of those houdinis as well... just last week I caught her trying to crawl under her corral panels to get to he friend, Jet! LOL. She made it about half way, then got stuck. Luckily I was there to save her...now I have to figure out a way to rig it so she cant get under them xD


Haha I have a Jet as well! Yeah Algerbra he would always escape I had to put an extra line of wire down low around my horse pasture to keep him in. He would get in the middle of my pond to escape being caught. And every time he got out he was so proud of himself he would run down the road prancing and braying. And I used to chase him down and it would take me forever to get him. One day I was so mad at him I was like forget I'm not chasing you this time. And that how I learned that if I didn't chase him he would come right back and put himself back up lol. He was a silly mule loads of personality I'll never forget him.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Inga (Sep 11, 2012)

With all of my babies the training starts right away. Teaching to halter, be caught, lead on the rope without being pushy, walk, trot in hand, pick up feet, tie, load and unload from a trailer, bath, clip and walk through some obstacles, not just up and down an arena rail and of course be touched and groomed all over. Handle every single area of them.

I never teach my babies to lunge as I think it is too hard on their extremely fast growing muscles, bones and tendons. I also never put any weight on their back other then a blanket. Far too often I think people get impatient and want to rush the weight on the back thing and more ofen then not, it ends poorly.


----------



## kay56649 (Mar 25, 2012)

I have a mini filly that is 7 months, and she leads, ties, backs, squares up, lunges (just a little, don't want to push it) stands for the farrier, loads, clips, bathes, cross ties, is desensitized to plastic bags, tarps, and people. She was in our christmas parade, and has had many children around her. This was my first foal ever, and I didn't want to have to say the words "I can't do that with her". I am so glad I have done what I have done, because she is just a dream. It was alot of work, but I had all summer to get her the way she is. When my filly was younger she got out of an 8" space under our gate. We had to put some mesh on our gate to discourage her, and also lower out gate. So far it has worked. Ha ha


----------



## Thunderspark (Oct 17, 2012)

Every day activities are great exposure for the young ones!


----------



## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

^ this is also very true! We have a 14 month old colt named Peppin who is now out at pasture with some other yearlings until he's 2, but in the past I taught him to pony off of another horse and he would come with my on walks around the property to fix the fence. It was great for teaching him to lead, pony, and be patient all at once!


----------



## eeo11horse (Jun 22, 2012)

Oh my gosh thanks guys!! I'm just trying to figure out what he knows and what we need to teach him. As of now he stands for the farrier, leads, ties, stands for vet (shots), taked dewormer, backs, moves from pressure pretty well, we've started loading him in the trailer (although he doesn't like to back out- we have a step up trailer), and we put bareback pads/ saddle blankets on his back from time to time. Also we've been introducing him to new objects. We've been taking him out walking all over our land (w/ and w/o another horse). I guess we're doing pretty good, but there's still so much for him to learn!

He used to act more like a little stud, but now he's so much more respectful and mannerly. His dam (one of our mares) is so calm hardly ever spooks and I can already tell that he's going to be like her!


----------



## eeo11horse (Jun 22, 2012)

Picture Time! 
The first two are of him when he was only about a week old or less...
...then a little older...
...Now...
...and his beautiful mother!


----------



## kay56649 (Mar 25, 2012)

What a beautiful little guy!!!!!! Love his big build and his coloring!!!!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

He is soooo cute! Nice build as well. I love palomino's I have one as well.


----------



## Thunderspark (Oct 17, 2012)

What a cutie, I would love to work with him!


----------

