Questionhi i have a 6 month old colt foal named tom cruise he is leading o.k but how do i get him to lift his feet and stand straight for the judge when i show him
AnswerHi Connie-
Thanks for the question. Basically, training is just taking things a step at a time, repeating steps, rewarding the correct behavior and so on. Just as you taught Tom Cruise to lead, you should approach the next steps slowly and with great patience. Six months is pretty young to expect much from him, nor usually do the judges in the "baby classes." That being said, you should work frequently with him so that he is used to your handling him. Run your hands down his legs and just rest them there until he lets you do it without pulling away, then try lifting his feet and holding them (your farrier will appreciate this!) and so on. Keep the sessions short and always end on a good note- when he has done something right. Use lots of praise. A really good book (and I got a lovely note from the author for recommending it!) is The Book of Miniature Horses by Donna Campbell Smith. She talks about trainig and what is expected for the different classes. Lots of patience and consistency and you'll be fine! Hope this helps, Toni
