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Welcome to the Foal Handling Series where we are going to follow Steele, an AQHA/APHA Stud Colt that was born at Meadow Brook Stables, Alton, Nova Scotia though his daily training sessions.
Here you will find Videos from Day 1 to Day 30 of Steele’s life – his first month.
Disclaimer/Release of Liability:
Use of the information contained in the videos on this website is at your own risk. Horses, horse activities and horse training can be extremely dangerous. Working with horses is an inherently dangerous practice and horses are incredibly unpredictable animals. Persons attempting to follow any suggestion from Kaila Watters, Meadow Brook Stables, Tru Horsemanship or any of our associates, in hand or ridden, will do so at their own risk and assume full responsibility for themselves, their horses, and any others in the vicinity. If you are not comfortable with any of the exercises, demonstrations, advice, or activities contained on this Website, then do not attempt it. The training in these videos assume that you are attending to the well being of your horse and have checked out any possible underlying medical problems.
Video Descriptions
Day 1 (17:14)
Basic Overview of our Program. Flooding vs what we do. How to properly touch the foal. Allow them to approach you and why. How to catch your foal, using the baby bumper system and guiding. Velcro exposure. Navel dipping.
Day 2 (14:58)
Vet exam. The importance of an IgG Test. First Haltering Session.
Day 3 (22:38)
Redirecting chewing. Introduce the plastic bag. Introduce massager. Haltering Day 2.
Day 4 (6:52)
Guiding. More plastic bag desensitization.
Day 5 (12:05)
Haltering. Guiding Stage 1-3 with halter on. Introduce savvy string.
Day 6 (4:31)
Haltering – waiting to settle/relax at each step.
Day 7 (12:22)
Guiding with halter on – using body to turn and shape the foal. How to get forward movement unlocked.
Day 8 (16:58)
First day with lead line on halter. Guiding Stage 3 – getting the forward movement unlocked. Redirect focus when trying to go back to dam.
Day 9 (15:21)
Start slight pressure on the lead/halter while Guiding. Backing up off chest (lays down at one point). Hind Quarter yield off steady pressure intro. Forequarter Yield off steady pressure intro. Foals eating poop (its normal).
Day 10 (12:30)
Leading with the halter. Introduce stick and string.
Day 11 (16:49)
Bigger halter adjust size as foal grows. Leading with halter. Reviewing yields.
Day 12 (10:33)
Leading. Reviewing Yields. Importance of settling within the maneuver. Giving them something to do if they need to move. Rubbing legs.
Day 13 (16:06)
Leading (troubleshoot lack of forward movement, when to use a butt rope). Importance of not getting stuck in “that’s good enough” stage. Importance of “first step proper”. Desensitization with rope. Troubleshoot rushing back to dam.
Day 14 (12:32)
Haltering. Leading. Hoof Handling (Day 1). Yielding (Back Up from Chest and halter, when to increase expectations).
Day 15 (16:37)
Haltering. Leading (troubleshoot sticky feet, and why NOT to pull forward, when to add energy behind the tail, troubleshoot getting stuck in the back up). Importance of rubbing and scratching during breaks. Hoof Handling (Day 2, working to hold for 5 seconds).
Day 16 (8:05)
Desensitization with massager. Get used to sound first then run all over.
Day 17 (14:02)
Haltering. Leading – outside circles, inside circles, unlock shoulder to unlock feet. Back up of chest. Back up off halter – downwards feel helps them think head down. FQ yields. HQ yields. Desensitization with rope- repeat more in areas where they react/move.
Day 18 (14:38)
Haltering. Leading- correcting head tossing. Backing up – looking for more flow in the feet, add rhythm if sticky. HQ yields. FQ yields. Pick up feet, hold for 10 seconds, pick up feet without supporting chest. Lower head off halter – hold and wait if you meet resistance. Desensitization with rope.
Day 19 (25:48)
Haltering. Leading- follow the feel, tagging from behind to help motivate the feet. Back up – reinforce with rhythm when stuck, looking for flow. HQ yield- increase flow, don’t allow brace. FQ yield. Pick up feet – hold for 20 seconds. Desensitization with rope. Return to mom – make sure they don’t rush, turn away then try again when they focus with you sticking to mom just means they get to work longer.
Day 20 (14:11)
First session outside. Haltering. Leading – add extra pressure to help keep momentum going. Back up. HQ yield. FQ yield – hold to help step across instead of forwards. Pick up hooves, 20 second hold. Desensitization with rope
Day 21 (7:47)
Leading, ensure following a feel nicely. Walk over poles. Walk around pylon. Looking to maintain pace and path around the obstacles.
Day 22 (10:38)
Haltering. Leading – outside and inside turns, follow a feel. Tying day 1 – loop lead through, finding relaxation in the proper spot. Move their feet forwards/backwards if want to paw or fidget. Only take off the wall when settled.
Day 23 (13:48)
Haltering. Leading, follow a feel, add pressure to help get flow in the feet. Back up, looks for lightness and flow. HQ yield. FQ yield, release for desired behaviour not if there is an undesired element (ie head toss). Pick up feet 20 seconds.
Day 24 (28:38)
Leading – pokey day, go up your phases of pressure to get the foal to match your pace. Back up nice and light, head down, (hard time on right side tap chest to drive back if feet are stuck), don’t quit until you have the lightness back. Yields – how to progress your buttons as your foal gets better, sticky and leaning on the right, add rhythm to get them off the lean. Un- haltering – guiding work without the halter if they go to leave/pull towards mom after the halter is off.
Day 25 (13:50)
Haltering. Leading – different figures and patterns, starting the serpentine/weave. Back up – flow in the feet, much improved on the right, gets sticky when we try later in the session. Yields – looking for flow, lightness and no lean. Starting to combined leading and yields.
Day 26 (17:31)
Haltering. Leading – inside and outside circles, figure 8s. NEW EXERCISE – FOLLOW A FEEL – follow the feel of rope around the body, turn and face (harder time on right side). Backing up – easier time off halter compares to chest. Yields – only use direct pressure on halter/body if needed, always looking to increase quality. Always take time to scratch itchy spots.
Day 27 (24:33)
Leading – tosses head when gets distracted, look for relaxation in the exercise before moving on or asking more, get more random if they are anticipating you. Follow a feel towards with front end – even with new exercises only release with relaxation. Importance of isolating the body parts. Getting sticky at mom, keep working until focus is back with you. Never go further until they are settled in the task you are working on.
Day 28 (17:11)
New exercise: HQ yield driving pressure – dull on left compared to right. Un haltering – if can’t stay with you halter goes back on and back to work!
Day 29 (12:57)
Leading – keep forwards pressure on halter if they are lagging and add pressure from behind. HQ yield – steady pressure, driving pressure. Follow a feel behind. Desensitization with rope.
Day 30 (17:05)
Haltering, Leading (Inside Turns, Outside Turns), Backing (Chest Pressure, Halter Pressure), FQ Yields (Steady Pressure), HQ Yields (Steady Pressure), Lifting Feet, Follow The Feel (Hip Rope), HQ Yields (Driving Pressure), Desensitization.