AboutLisa Lee Expertise Questions on basic training, fire safety with all types of animals, transportation questions, Fire Code requirements for buildings (NYS
).
Experience Over 20 years experience in the horse industry, from working on farms to owning and breeding my own horses. Have been involved with Code Enforcement and NFPA Standard development for the past 5 years. I am also involved in the Fire Service, both volunter and professionally, for a total of 17 years.
Organizations NFPA
Education/Credentials Multiple National Certifications in the Fire Service, including Fire Service Instructor, and I am curently close to the completion of my AS in Fire Science Technology.
Expert: Lisa Lee Date: 7/18/2008 Subject: haltering a foal
Question I have a 2 month old foal that I was haltering for a few days when she was first born, but now she won't have any part of it. Everytime I go around her with the halter and lead line she just keeps moving away. Someone tried to catch her to no avail. I don't know if I should wait and just keep brushing her and touching her and not try the halter for a while. I was leading her and even had her backing for me. Someone suggested putting a long line around her neck (in a small closed round pen) and letting her see again that she can't get loose. I don't know about that, can you give me any advice?
Answer Hi - what you need to do is get the halter on her and keep it on her until you can catch her without any problems.
What I had to do with my foal was actually squeeze him into a corner, get a lead rope around his neck (to help control him)and then get the halter on him. I then left it on until he would be eadily caught - of course changing hte halter if need be to make sure it didn't get too tight.
You need to be ready to take some time doing this, so you don't unduly stress the foal or mare out.
When you have the foal where you youcan get your hands on it, put the lead rope around the neck to help control it.......with one hand over the neck holding the poll (head) strap, the other holding the halter near the buckle, slowly pull the nose piece over the nose of the foal. Be prepared to duck and/avoid the head if the foal throws it around - but the important thing is to get the nose in the noseband. Control the nose, control the horse.....
Once you get the nose in, carefully buckle the headstall - oh, and make sure you have a lead rope on first!
One thing you can do to help the foal get used to haltering without being afraid of losing the foal (it getting lose with no halter) - use a bigger halter and just practice haltering OVER the other one.....
You really need to get her used to being haltered before she gets too much bigger or you will just have a harder time. I would make a catch lead on the halter - make sure there is no loop in it! to make it easier to catch the foal. Do NOT take the halter off though.
