Introducing Foals to In-hand Work, with Armin Arnoldt

Your new foal has arrived, has been fitted with his pint-size leather halter, and is ready to take his first steps alongside a handler. Armin Arnoldt offers tried-and-true tips for teaching babies to lead.

HOW SOON SHOULD YOU BEGIN LEADING LESSONS?

You can start pretty much as soon as they are born. When turning the mare in and out of the paddock is a good start, because it is a daily occurrence and the foal will follow. Even without leading him, the foal will get the idea of going forward.

WHAT DO EARLY LESSONS ENTAIL?

Start in the stall; you can use a very long lead rope like a sling around the butt. (I prefer to use a single long lead rope, rather than two ropes; if the foal jumps around, it’s safer to deal with just one rope.) Stand with your chest facing the side of the horse, left hand at the halter and the right holding the loop around their butt. Apply little nudges with the right hand on the loop to move them forward from behind, not by pulling on their head.

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WHAT ABOUT PROGRESSIVE LESSONS?

After weaning is when we really work on the leading lessons. You should be at their shoulder, not five feet in front of them pulling; then you may become a play toy. The only time you should be standing in front facing your foal is while showing it to a judge, inspector or buyer. Shoulder-to-shoulder is the rule. Ideally, have a second person behind you to urge the foal forward.

You can use a little whip to tap with a light touch on the hock or bum. Use your voice – “walk” – reinforce it with a light tug of the rope and/or a tap on the bum. To “halt,” use the voice cue with a bit of pressure on the lead rope, and raise your left hand in front of the foal, creating a visual wall.

Do walk-halt transitions; voice-tug-tap; five to seven steps, and then halt; voice-pressure-hand. Progress to walk-trot transitions; again, use your voice (‘trot!’), stay at the shoulder and have someone behind you to reinforce if necessary. Always practice turning right; it’s too easy to turn left by pulling the foal around you.

HOW LONG SHOULD LESSONS BE?

With any youngster up to a year old, keep lessons to 10-15 minutes at a time. If you have a frustrating session, some people say, “I can’t leave it on a bad note.” Maybe sometimes you should! Foals can have bad days; put them away for a few hours and get back at it when everyone has calmed down. If you have a good session – they did whatever you said for five minutes without pulling or running you over – put them away.

HOW AGGRESSIVE SHOULD YOU BE?

The big deal is consistency and firmness – when you give a command, it should be precise, clear, and not up to discussion. Otherwise, you reinforce by blocking with your left hand, or a tug on the halter. You can use a hunter bat or even a dressage whip to hold in front – it becomes an extension of your hand to create a visual barrier and brings their focus back.

HOW DO YOU REWARD?

A pat or praise is a nice reward. They know when they’ve done something well. Some people carry treats; I think they’re distracting and then they’re always looking for treats.

WHAT ABOUT AT INSPECTIONS OR SHOWS?

At most North American or European inspections you will be asked to show your youngster at a trot on a triangle, and always clockwise. To make the corners of the triangle, use your right hand to hold the rein and with the left hand raise it up to guide them around the corner; it really stabilizes them and keeps them more balanced. If the young ones are a bit more rambunctious, you may have to use a little chain, which is a helpful tool – or a dangerous one if used badly. This is not something you pull out at a show for the first time; this is something you train at home.

WHY START SO YOUNG?

Everything we do with the little guys – haltering, leading, tying, blanketing – is for down the road to make things easier for the owner or rider. Learning to move from behind prepares them for riding – a horse going forward probably won’t buck; it’s the horse that sucks back that does all kinds of funny things. Two- and three-year-olds get muscled up and they know that you can’t hold them. That’s where all that training you did at two or three months come back into play.

Dreamscape Farm in Langley, BC, is owned and managed by Armin and Jennifer Arnoldt. It is the home of over a dozen licensed Westfalian, Oldenburg, Hanoverian and Dutch Warmblood stallions, including Freestyle, Farscape DSF and Banderas. Visit their website at www.dreamscapefarm.com.