| If you have ever tried working with an unruly, | | | | The difference in the reaction of the foal to |
| frightened, green 2-year old colt, it should be easy | | | | human presence during the first 48 hours of his |
| to understand the importance of imprinting and | | | | life and his reaction a few days later is startling. |
| training a foal at an early age. When you start to | | | | When the foal is first born, even right after he |
| gentle and desensitize an older horse with little or | | | | stands, he is curious and receptive to human |
| no prior experience with humans, the simplest | | | | contact. He allows himself to be touched all over |
| things become difficult and at times even | | | | his body and for the most part is not frightened. |
| dangerous. | | | | Since he is still small and relatively weak, he can |
| Haltering a big, 2-year old youngster or even a | | | | be held securely if and when he does get scared |
| yearling for the first time is a major production | | | | allowing for rapid desensitization. In a few days, |
| compared to haltering a young foal. Picking up the | | | | however, the foal will avoid human contact and |
| feet of an older colt for the first time can be a | | | | seek shelter behind his mother. By this time, |
| little tricky and even dangerous if you don't know | | | | instinct has already kicked in and the window of |
| what you're doing. | | | | opportunity for imprinting has closed. |
| The difficulty of handling an older colt is magnified | | | | From this point on and with the passage of time, |
| in inverse proportion to the amount of contact | | | | gentling and desensitizing a horse becomes more |
| with humans and training the horse had as a | | | | difficult and complicated. A three to four month |
| young foal. In other words, the more time you | | | | old foal is a strong little creature. He has no desire |
| spend with a young foal, the easier that animal will | | | | to be haltered or handled. |
| be to train when the time comes for more | | | | Now instead of spending a few hours with a |
| advance groundwork and finally riding. | | | | newborn foal which produced a colt that enjoys |
| The goal of natural horsemanship is to establish a | | | | human contact, you are now faced with the |
| relationship with your horse based on trust. The | | | | prospect of a much longer process of |
| horse must know that he is safe with his handler, | | | | desensitization and getting the older colt used to |
| that whatever his handler does with him, he is not | | | | human contact. |
| going to be hurt. That relationship is best begun at | | | | Obviously, most horses are gentled, desensitized |
| an early age. In fact, the earlier you begin the | | | | and trained at an older age. It's not often that |
| process, the better. | | | | circumstances allow for a newborn foal to be |
| The survival in the wild of a grazing, prey animal is | | | | imprinted and desensitized. However, the |
| dependent upon the speed with which a new-born | | | | advantages are so overwhelming that it is |
| baby can stand up, nurse and be able to move | | | | something to be sought after and arranged if at |
| off with the herd. A buffalo, for example, gets | | | | all possible. |
| that accomplished in as little as a half hour. A | | | | The ideal time for this contact is immediately |
| horse takes longer but the process is quick and | | | | following birth even before the foal has stood for |
| necessarily so. The sooner a grazing animal is able | | | | the first time. You must be very aware and |
| to move off with the herd, the less vulnerable he | | | | respectful of the dam's protective nature and if |
| is to predators. | | | | possible this first contact should be done with a |
| The learning process for these animals is | | | | helper present who can tend to the dam and |
| accelerated as well. Within two to three days the | | | | calm her if necessary. |
| young foal essentially becomes a horse in its | | | | It is best to kneel beside the newborn foal and |
| behavior. He has learned from his mother the | | | | cradle his head in the crook of your arm while |
| caution, fear of the unknown and flight responses | | | | you touch and pet him all over his body beginning |
| that for centuries have guaranteed the survival of | | | | with his head, ears and mouth. Initially, keep the |
| the horse as a species. | | | | training and desensitizing sessions short and don't |
| However, there is a window of opportunity | | | | interrupt the natural feeding cycle of the foal. |
| immediate following birth and for the first couple | | | | After a few sessions the foal will readily accept |
| of days when the foal is not afraid of humans | | | | human contact and even approach you on his |
| and will absorb your desensitization lessons like a | | | | own when you enter his living space. Imprinting is |
| sponge. A foal develops very rapidly. When he is | | | | a very rewarding process and something that will |
| first born, he does not have an instinctive fear of | | | | change completely your relationship with your |
| humans. | | | | horse. |
| His nature and survival instincts will kick in within a | | | | The time that you spend with the foal |
| few days as he learns from his mother and other | | | | desensitizing him to your touch and to other |
| members of the herd. But for the first few days, | | | | stimuli that he will experience at a later age |
| you have the opportunity to establish trust with | | | | continues to pay dividends for a lengthy period. |
| the young foal and to desensitize him during a | | | | The desensitizing exercises should be regularly |
| period of his life when he does not have the | | | | reinforced to ensure a compliant and cooperative |
| instinctive fear of humans that an older horse has | | | | subject when more serious training begins. |
| acquired. | | | | |