training a4 mounth old colt [haft tenn walker- racking]

Question
how hard is it to wean &train a 4 mounth coatand where 2 start

Answer
Hi,
       If you can hold off weaning the foal until it is 6 months of age I would. The baby still needs it's mom's milk. Weaned or unweaned you can still train the foal. The safest and most secure method is to place one arm around his chest below his neck and one hand on the underside of the base of the tail as close to his body as you can place it. Make sure you touch him all over both sides. If the foal does not know how to wear a halter then you need to begin with that. Introduce the halter and slowly rub it on the foal. When he is used to it then put the halter over his nose. If he does not pull back then put the crown strap over his ears and buckle it, If he is resistant to any of this then just do one step at a time until he accepts it. When he accepts the halter it is time to teach him to lead. The best way is to lead his mother and have another person attach a lead line to him and allow him to follow. If you are unable to do this put the lead line on the foal and apply a bit of pressure. When the foal takes a few steps then praise him. Do this for about 15 minutes a day, twice a day. You can also use the butt rope.  Put the rope around his butt and above his hocks. Apply pressure and when he moves forward then release the pressure and praise him. You will also want to teach him to pick up his feet. Run your hand down his leg and apply pressure and when he lifts it hold it for a few seconds and praise him. Keep repeating this until he holds the feet up for several minutes. You should also teach him to load. If you have a trailer the best way is to feed him in the trailer. He will associate the trailer with good things. If you do not have a trailer that you can leave with him then first teach him to move forward. When he does that then lead him in the direction of the trailer. Give him small taps with the whip to move him forward. Again make sure you praise him. Pick up one foot and put it in the trailer, most likely he will pull the foot back. Put it back on and praise him. After he keeps one foot in the trailer put the other foot in and repeat the above. You might also want to use a bucket of grain to convince him to go in.

To wean a foal you first want to make sure he is in a secure pen or stall that he can not get injured to. If he can see his mother that is even better. There are two ways to wean, abrupt weaning where you remove the foal from the mare cold turkey or gradual weaning which I prefer. With gradual weaning, that is the one where you seperate the dam and foal completely, but placing them in adjacent stalls or pens so that the foal cannot feed, but he can see and talk to his mother.

Good Luck.

Lisa