| At
Hilldale Farm our foals are raised outdoors from
birth until they begin training at age two. We
believe that growing up outside, and in company
with other youngsters, is best for developing
trainable athletes. We know this system is more
economical than attempting to raise horses indoors.
We also realize that a certain amount of handling
will make these youngsters easier to train, and
safer to work with when they require doctoring.
Although I believe imprinting foals at
birth can be very beneficial, we seldom have time
to imprint a foal. Our foals do learn to be restrained
for having their navel dipped on day one. Later,
they are held for deworming, immunizations and
doctoring. These procedures are almost always
done in a "foal cage" positioned beside
their mother in the breeding stocks. Even though
they become friendly, this will be all the handling
they will have had prior to weaning.
Most of our foals are six months old or
older at weaning time. Since we creep feed the
foals, and supplement the mare's pasture with
a 16% protein concentrate throughout lactation,
there is no hurry to wean. This is purely intentional
since we feel that foals develop better in the
social environment of the mare and foal herd.
At weaning time most of our foals will
weigh 600 pounds or more. They are strong and
pretty independent. On weaning day they will go
to the breeding room, enter the foal cage beside
their mother, and we will slip on a halter with
a drag rope. The foal then follows its dam to
a 12' x 24' stall. It will be soon be joined by
one or two other foals, so they will have company
while they lament the disappearance of mama.
Actual halter breaking is Day One of our
three-day program. At Hilldale Farm, we "donkey
break" all our foals. This has been our method
of choice for years and so far, we haven't experienced
a single injury. We like the results and love
the savings of time and human labor.
Our necking donkey, Jack, is a gelded male
donkey that weighs about 800 pounds. We bring
Jack to the indoor arena, attach the neck rope
and then go for the foal. We basically drive the
foal down the barn aisle, but I have a hold on
the lead rope. Two people can usually make the
connection, but a third comes in handy to get
the foal close enough to Jack to snap the lead
rope already attached to Jack's neck rope to the
foals halter. Once attached to the 18 inch lead,
the pair are simply herded to the nearest paddock.
Scientific neglect is now the order of
the day. We go back to riding horses, but are
able to observe the lesson. Occasionally a foal
will get a foreleg over the lead rope and will
need assistance. Usually, we just observe with
amusement how an impatient and sometimes angry
foal learns to accept "donkey tenacity."
Jack understands his job. He will stand
patiently during his students first tantrums,
and then soften up the foal by turning in both
directions. When Jack is ready to travel to the
hay rack or water tank, he will go there regardless.
He will show more patience than the most famous
and expensive human round pen clinician, but there
are limits. If the student gets too rambunctious,
Jack will provide discipline with a little kick.
Because they are tied so close, he will only hit
him with his hocks, but he will make his point.
Watching this process is not only entertaining,
but kind of an I.Q. test for the foals. I've learned
not to be too concerned about how much they fight
at first, but rather to evaluate the foal by how
soon I see slack in the rope. The best ones seem
to figure it out within ten minutes.
We actually leave the foal and the donkey
together for about half a day. When I approach
the pair, I can tell real quickly if it's time
to lead the foal back to the barn. When I release
the snap from the neck rope, the foal is usually
reluctant to leave the donkey. I've learned not
to pull, but rather get the foal beside me from
the start. I give a verbal "cluck" and
then tap the foal with the lead rope with my left
hand, beside my body, to get it started forward.
Using the fence as needed, most lead back to the
barn with little or no resistance. The "First
Day" always ends on a happy note. The foal
is glad to be back in the barn, and happy to be
patted and handled by the person who brought him
back to his new home. If space is available the
foal will be placed in an individual stall at
this time, ending the "buddy system."
On Day Two, the weanling learns to stand
tied. Near our arena stand a couple of trees.
Over a limb of each tree a big truck inner tube
has been tied with a strong lead rope attached.
Each foal is led to the tying tree and left to
figure things out. These trees are close to our
round pen and the hot walker, so there are other
horses close. We are able to observe the weanling
frequently, but try not to get involved until
he is standing quietly. We try not to interfere
with a tantrum. Since the lead rope is equipped
with a swivel snap, he can't get tangled up. Now
and then, in a bad tantrum, the weanling will
pull back so vigorously that he will sit down
and then roll over on his side unable to get up.
In this case we assist the foal in getting back
on its feet and then ignore him. I always have
a sharp knife handy in case I need to cut the
rope.After the foal has stood quietly for an hour
of two, I will approach the foal and begin petting
its head and neck. When it relaxes I will often
give a handful of alfalfa as a reward.
The tree lesson usually lasts for about
four hours. When the foal has been approached
several times it will allow us to touch more of
its body and will be standing quietly most of
the time. Almost all will lead very readily when
they are finally returned to their stall.
In the fall of 2001 we decided to add a
third day to the program. Day Three consists of
a round pen lesson, almost identical to the first
lesson we give our two year olds in preparation
for their first ride. I was a little apprehensive
about this undertaking , wondering how much could
be accomplished in the round pen with the short
attention span I expected of a newly weaned, six
month old foal.
I expected the first filly chosen for this
lesson to be difficult. Rondalena Chex had taken
the weaning process hard. She was so mad when
her mother was removed that she tried to climb
the walls. Next, she took her temper out on her
companion foal, biting and kicking with such anger
that she had to be kept in solitary.
In her Day One lesson, Rondalena battled
hard for a few minutes and then gave in to Jack.
She was much the same on Day Two, fighting being
tied for a while and then accepting the tree.
I expected Day Three to be a challenge.
I decided to approach the Day Three lesson
with Rondalena exactly as if she were and older
horse. I led her to the center of the round pen,
petted her until she relaxed, and then removed
the halter. As soon as she moved away, I began
pressuring her to keep moving in the round pen
by body language alone. With this young filly,
I found that I had to use a longe whip to keep
her moving and to keep her focused on me. Whenever
she looked over the fence or whinnied for other
horses, I increased the pressure to keep moving.
If she tried to reverse in the round pen I made
her return to the original direction.
Much sooner than I expected, Rondalena
began asking permission to approach me. She asked
by turning her head toward me, lowering her neck,
and then by licking her lips. These signals almost
always tell me that a horse is ready to face-up.
When I released the go forward pressure by turning
my shoulders sideways and taking a step backwards
Rondalena stopped and walked toward me. I rubbed
her between the eyes and she stood quietly. Within
minutes she allowed me to rub her all over, to
walk around her with my hands on her croup, and
even to rub the insides of her ears.
When I picked up a forefoot, the filly
allowed me to hold her foot for a moment but moved
away when I sat it down. Immediately, I picked
up the whip and aggressively asked her to "go
away". Within just a few trips she was almost
begging to approach me. This time, she allowed
me to handle all four feet without resistance.
Rondalena had accepted the entire lesson within
30 minutes, and had responded as well as I could
have hoped - even comparing her to two year olds.
I was convinced that Day Three should be a part
of the weaning time education for all our foals.
In the next few days I took seven more
weanlings to the round pen and all seven passed
the test. Most of the colts had a stronger tendency
to call for horses outside the round pen, and
had to be chased a little harder. All were facing
up and standing quietly for handling within 30
minutes.
We were so pleased with the Day Three results
that we wished all of our 2001 foals had been
give the same opportunity. I even brought a couple
of the previously weaned foals back in that had
not been given the same opportunity. On the next
two occasions that all 20 head were caught for
deworming and immunizations, the three-day group
were definitely easier to handle. The "three-day"
plan will be a part of our weaning routine for
all foals next fall.
Charlie Hutton
Hilldale Farm |
