Halter Breaking the Foal

When exercises 1 & 2 have been successfully completed, which may take a few days (you should not work with the foal for long periods of time as this can stress it) begin to pull gently on the lead rope to try to get the foal to step forward. It is easiest to pull gently to one side or the other, just a little, not a sharp turn. This reminds the foal of the first exercise. It is a good idea to review the first exercise a couple of times immediately prior to this one. If the foal resists, stop and redo exercise one. If the foal takes even one tiny step, stop and praise it lavishly and give it a generous scratch. (Foals are VERY itchy! Rubbing or gently scratching the foal on it's withers is a good spot. This is the area where the mare nuzzles the foal to reassure it.) Then do it again, and again. Praise the foal for any movement in the right direction...that is taking a step. If the foal resists, do not praise or scratch, just stop, try again. If the foal pulls back, refer to exercise two.

Soon your foal will be taking several steps forward. Praise it each time. This is how you gently train a foal with out gimmicks, ropes and force. We do not believe in forcing an animal to do something it does not understand. Keep in mind that this animal has never had anything but free choice. It is a hard lesson for a foal to learn that it must do what it's human master wants. Remember when you realized you couldn't do everything you wanted to?

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