How to Imprint Train a Newborn Foal

Imprint training for newborn foals has made a big impact on how some people train horses. Imprint training a foal allows the horse to become familiar with humans and being worked with before there are any issues arise to instill fear or distrust in the horse. Imprint trained horses are easier to train later in life. Here's how to imprint train a horse.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Enter the foal's stall or pen immediately after it is born. Begin by gently touching and rubbing the foal's body with your hands. Touch his mouth, nose, face, ears, neck, shoulders, stomach, back, hindquarters and legs. This allows the foal to bond with you along with his mother. He looks at you as an equal rather than a predator, which is the natural reaction to humans.
2. Pick up the foals hooves, rub a soft brush over his body and teach him to yield to pressure. Push gently on his shoulder until he moves over. Do this on the hindquarters also. Horses naturally push back against pressure so teaching a foal to yield is a huge jump on later training. This is best done after he is standing on his own, probably the day after birth.
3. Put a halter and lead rope on the foal and lead him around by placing a soft rope around his hindquarters to gently urge him along if he doesn't want to move forward. Teaching a foal to lead from the second day of his life makes later training much easier and faster.
4. Touch the foal on every body part and in areas that you are going to work with later. Rub his ears so he doesn't become head-shy like many horses, pull gently on his tail and mane so he won't panic later when knots are pulled out with a comb and pick up each hoof and hold it as if you are trimming them. This is a great help to farriers later.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't go into the stall or enclosure with a foal if the mare is mean or ill-tempered. This can be dangerous to anyone entering the area. Make sure the mare is gentle and willing to allow you near the foal. Do Not attempt to lead a newborn without the rope around the hindquarters as pressure on the head can damage the neck.