This message is from: sini seppala <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Timid? Is there such a thing as a timid Fjord foal? :-) those foals were probably not Fjords. Anyway, I meant to say they were equally unwilling and inexperienced when it came to cooperating with humans. > If it is not done correctly it CAN cause behavior problems > later so unless you know what you are doing and take the time and care to > do it right it its best not to try to "imprint". Yes, certainly true. However, it often seems imprint training is somewhat mystified and a dead-serious business - as if there's only one way to handle a foal and if you don't follow the program you're both lost for ever. A foal is still a horse and we all know what we want to do with horses and what we'd like them to be like. When you keep that in mind you'll know what you want the foal to get used to. So IMO you *can* do the handling and training according to what feels right and sensible for you and the particular foal although 'it's in the book' that you have to do this exercise 50 times or that this exercise will have to be done before this one. I think there are only three things you need to keep in mind to do it right: > Maybe you think it's cute when he rears up to > play with you at a day old, but if you incourage this you are teaching him > to buck and rear with you! Yes - it's not a good idea to let him do anything which he will not be allowed to do later in his life. The other thing is that when doing imprint training exercises, it's always necessary to hold the foal UNTIL he relaxes. That's how he'll learn that unclear situations can be solved by relaxing. If you let him get up and go earlier he'll only learn that they can be solved by fighting. I find this the only risk there is. And then it's wise not to desensitize the areas which should remain sensitive (like flanks so that he'll react to leg yields easily when ridden). Obviously it's a safe route to follow the 'instructions'. So it's very much to recommend. I just think it's not the only way to go. Karen's idea to tie a youngster on the arena fence to watch the other horses sounds nice. We have had them in the pasture nearby to watch but they would obviously concentrate even better if they were standing still. Best wishes, Sini. http://www.saunalahti.fi/~partoy/Juhola6.html
