Need help from the experts, Questions????

[misty'smom]

I have had my minis for 10 days now and they are doing great! They both are very calm and sweet. I have been handling them daily as in touching head, ears, belly, rump, legs etc and picking up each hoof everyday. I have tried to pick out their hooves but they seem to be a little scared and don't like it just yet.....how often do you all clean out their hooves, is it daily like the big guys?? They have had their hooves trimmed twice when they were at the breeders.

They are used to wearing halters, I take them off when they come in for the night and put them back on before I turn them out in the morning. But leading them is another story......I try everyday with a lead line to walk with them but they dig those back feet in and will only budge maybe a step or two!!!! They maybe sweet but stubborn!! Any suggestions from the pros????

They stay out in our small field most of the day and seem to love it! There is a mixture of clover, grass and some weeds which they seem to enjoy eating well not the weeds mostly clover! I do see them taking breaks from eating to run and play and even resting standing or laying down. They were in a large pasture at the breeder 24/7. How do you know if they are eating too much?? There is hay in their stall (stall door open all day) but they have not eaten any hay. I feed them the same as the breeder did.....1 cup textured grain in the morning and 2 cups in the evening. I guess I am paranoid from all that I have read about minis overeating, getting colic and possibly foundering. Advice needed????

I will take all the suggestions and advice you all have to offer...............Thanks in advance!!!!!!!!!

 

[disneyhorse]

I clean out hooves daily. In the summer when it's dry their feet stay clean but I check for stones.

I wouldn't leave them unattended with halters on.

Leading... Check out some natural horsemanship stuff. It's not them, it's you and what you are doing.

Otherwise it sounds like you are on the right path!

 

[chandab]

I worry less about babies overeating, getting colic or possibly foundering; since they are growing, pretty much all their feed goes to growth, so less likely to cause negative issues.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

My weanling's are out of good grass 24/7 I never worry about that, not with foals. I agree about the halters PLEASE do not ever leave a horse of any kind unattended with a halter on- even if you are watching and they are loose- one could put a foot through the others noseband in a moment and you would have a train wreck- rust me I am speaking form experience!! As to leading- do you tie them up at all? If they have not been tied up they will not have learned to "give" to pressure- although I tend to do the tying up last of all- when they are actually halter trained, it sounds as if this step may have been left out of their training. Obviously you cannot just tie them up, you need to wrap the lead round a stout post and hold the end so you are in charge, and you need to be there to reassure them, too. If one is eating quietly and you tie the other one, that is a good way to start, I find. Otherwise you seem to be well on track- what percentage is the feed, though as it does nto seem much to be feeding a weanling...

 

[targetsmom]

I agree with the not leaving halters on unless attended, and I will go one step further. I once turned a mini out for "a minute" with his halter on and right before my eyes he got hung up on a fence panel and it was all I could do to get him free without both of us getting badly hurt. If you need to leave a halter on, buy a breakaway one with a "fuse". We have a hard- to- catch mare that wears one of these and when the fuse broke we replaced it with a piece of ribbon, which is still there.

Ours are all trained to lead before we tie them and usually by the time they lead well, tying is easy, starting with wrapping the rope, and of course, being right there. Don't get in a pulling contest with them - turn the head and try a different direction is one thing to try. Or lead them someplace they want to go - like out to their pasture.

In terms of feed, that does not sound like enough feed/protein for a weanling unless you are feeding a ration balancer with super high protein content. Growing babies need LOTS of protein, 14% or more TOTAL protein in the diet and now that they are not getting mother's milk they need to get this (usually) from grain. Please read what I wrote about weanlings either on the 4-H section of our website (link below), or do a search on this forum on "weanlings". Our weanlings are getting between 8-11 cups of grain a day, depending on their weight, and that includes some 25% protein Calf Manna to boost the protein level. If you do increase their grain, it needs to be done gradually, over 10 days or so.

 

[disneyhorse]

To lead: pull just enough to provide pressure and then wait for the horse to come forward just a little to relieve pressure. Never pull hard enough for them to try to pull back (the more you pull the more the response to pull back). Use as much patience as needed. If you feel the horse is really fighting, try walking in a zigzag as pulling the horse to the side a little bit will "unlock" them from pulling straight back.

 

[LAminiatures]

Most young horses don't like the idea but they will come around quickly if you do it daily. My babies will get their feet picked up and let down every time I go into the barn. I will pick up each foot and let it back down with a rub or scratch between each foot when they are good. I ignore the poor reaction and move to the next foot. It's ok to clean them but I like to get them comfortable with picking up each foot before I pick them out. I think until they learn the balance thing they get a bit scared. They may try some funny business and pull the leg away or try and lay down. Always be sure to have a halter and lead rope on to also enforce whoa.

So much fun training the young ones. Have fun.

 

[Magic Marker Minis]

I use a butt rope to teach them to lead... It's best you don't pull on their heads/necks. I usually have an extra long lead on their halter. I loop the end around their butt, cross it over their back and around to their halter. I hold the end of the rope across my front in my left hand and hold the lead where it crosses over their back in my right hand. I I'm facing the same way they are. I start to walk, and if they don't immediately follow I 'encourage' them with my hand that is on the cross over their back by gently pulling forward... They usually immediately walk forward because of the pressure across their buttocks (remember to release the pressure as soon as the young horse walks forward)... I've always done this with big horse foals and it works even better with little horse foals/young ones... If you also say 'walk' at the same time, you'll be teaching them the voice command as well.

If you Google "using a butt rope to teach a horse to lead" you'll find some websites that show you with pics how to do this. I just googled and found Cherry Hill and Pat Elder sites showing you how to do this.

Kari

 

[Miniv]

Lead from the shoulder.....

Give them a tug, let them launch forward, and then stay on their shoulder. They'll stop. Step back beside them and give them another tug. They'll launch forward again and you stay on their shoulder. It takes about a couple of days for about 10 minutes max each time and they should be figuring it out...... All about "pressure and release".

Oh, and if they launch and rear up and act silly, let them. Just keep your hand on the lead and don't pull or yank. When they come down on all four feet, just move into position at their shoulder and continue.

 

[Charlotte]

For some suggestions on leading and tie training a miniature foal go to our web site and to the 'Links' page. There are articles there which may be of help to you.

 

[misty'smom]

Thank you for all the GREAT advice and tips! I will try those training ideas this afternoon when I work with them.

As to feeding we have a co-op here where I live, they make their own grain and many people with horses get their feed there. I asked for a texture feed because that is what the breeder uses. They suggested what they call Pace-Maker 130, it has 13% crude protein and 3.0% crude fat, minerals, vitamins, potassium, calcium, lysin, magnesium, it is a sweet feed. The breeder was giving them 1 cup in the morning 2 cups in the evening. Each week as they get older (5&6months) should I be increasing the amount?? Also the co-op has a feed 160 that has 16% protein but higher fat at 6.0% should I switch to this next time?

 

[hoofhearted]

I use 'butt rope' when I am alone with them..otherwise my granddaughters are happy to give a helpful shove on the rear as I pull gently yet firmly from the front. Pressure should be behind the ears, not yanking on their head/neck, or they will naturally resist. After a few lessons, no problems! Keep lessons short, and end on a happy note. Reward good behavior with a pat, and a kind word or two..never punish, especially around the head. (It's hard to overcome natural reaction when they baby nip..they have to know that you won't allow it. Holler and stomp is better.)

Some use a surcingle to help keep the butt rope in place..I believe there is a halter training kit on Ozark's site.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I would be inclined to change to the next percentage "up" - but you must do it very slowly so I would advise you to get another bag while you still have quite a lot left and mix them in together. My weaned foals are getting 6-8 cups of grain a day each and are looking well on it- it seems a lot perhaps , and they are getting beet pulp and grass nuts as well as the grain and also grass hay chaff, but I was always told that what you put into a horse in it's first year you get back for the rest of it's life, so my foals are rarely without feed in front of them, as well as being on grass 24/7 with a run in.

A lot of people here do not like sweet feed as it uses molasses in quite high quantities as a preservative, I have mixed feelings on the matter- I use a mix but I make it myself and it has no molasses at all, since this is not practical really with just two foals I think I would be looking to see what sort of pellet feed you can get as pellets do have molasses but a great deal less is needed and the feed is cooked and easily digested...