Getting headcollar on foal in field - fail! *pics*

[L34NN3]

I thought the multicoloured one would look cool on him but it's WAY too scary!! He was being a little mardy cause of the wind - not normally a problem ;)

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/l34nn3_k4ut/P1030158.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/l34nn3_k4ut/P1030159.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/l34nn3_k4ut/P1030160.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/l34nn3_k4ut/P1030156.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/l34nn3_k4ut/P1030157.jpg

And some more cutey ones :)

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/l34nn3_k4ut/P1030152.jpg

He loves bum scratches

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/l34nn3_k4ut/P1030179.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/l34nn3_k4ut/P1030182.jpg

[L34NN3]

...more

Kisses

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/l34nn3_k4ut/P1030177.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/l34nn3_k4ut/P1030175.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/l34nn3_k4ut/P1030185.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/l34nn3_k4ut/P1030186.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/l34nn3_k4ut/P1030187.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/l34nn3_k4ut/P1030188.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/l34nn3_k4ut/P1030191.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/l34nn3_k4ut/P1030204.jpg

That's all folks :)

[L34NN3]

And a few of the girlie...

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/l34nn3_k4ut/P1030167.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/l34nn3_k4ut/P1030197.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/l34nn3_k4ut/P1030200.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/l34nn3_k4ut/P1030201.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/l34nn3_k4ut/P1030202.jpg

That really is it this time :)

[Showjumper]

Aww they're gorgeous! :)

[L34NN3]

Aww they're gorgeous! :)

Thanks :) I will get that headcollar on him! People have told me to lassoo him or pen him in the corner of the field - not a chance. He will want it on the way I am doing it (though it may take a little longer...)

[s4sugar]

My foal didn't get a headcollar on until about nine weeks old but I could get him to put his nose in from birth.
I kept treating him for putting his nose in and holding a rope over his neck and shoulder. Once I could hold the rope it was easy to bring the headpiece over his poll. It would have been much easier if I'd had help.
I keep the leather one on him and practice on and off with an aerborn fieldsafe over the top in case he breaks away with it on.


Here's my foal with his leather headcollar;-

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/diademhill/DSCF1262.jpg



May I ask why you have nylon headcollars as they are not safe for leaving on? Every year foals get killed by strangulation or broken necks.
They should only be used when you are holding a leadrein.

[L34NN3]

May I ask why you have nylon headcollars as they are not safe for leaving on? Every year foals get killed by strangulation or broken necks.
They should only be used when you are holding a leadrein.

Yet again on here I am having to defend myself grrr as someone again has thought me stupid and decided to lecture me grrrrr I am not stupid and I wouldn't do anything to put my horses in danger!

They aren't fastened on the buckle, they are just looped through the fastener (I adjust them to fixed when I am handling them). They need headcollars on as the foal's mum is feral and herd leader. without the headcollars I wouldn't be able to get them in. There is nothing in the field for them to get caught on... The field is literally a field surrounded by electric tape and the water is in a round bucket.

I can get his grey headcollar on him no problem and his red one too (both almost grown out of) he just finds this coloured one very scarey ;)

I'm off for another try :)

[Milan+Merlin]

ahwwwwww :)
hes the cutest thing ever.
i LOVE the bum scratch pics :D

[Sexy Sietske]

May I ask why you have nylon headcollars as they are not safe for leaving on? Every year foals get killed by strangulation or broken necks.
They should only be used when you are holding a leadrein.

And leather ones don't always break in time!

[s4sugar]

And leather ones don't always break in time!

That is why you take a hole punch to them and weaken them further but the nylon ones don't break at all.:eek:
The best ones were the older style cottage craft with two ring options but they are no longer available.

[L34NN3]

That is why you take a hole punch to them and weaken them further but the nylon ones don't break at all.:eek:
The best ones were the older style cottage craft with two ring options but they are no longer available.

Or just not fastening them like I do :rolleyes:

[Keket]

Or just not fastening them like I do :rolleyes:

But, erm, they ARE fastened in those pictures. :confused:

[Melting Moments]

lol am I the only one whos never had a problem with putting headcoallrs on foals.

fab photos, stunning!

[Gruntfuttock]

lol am I the only one whos never had a problem with putting headcoallrs on foals.

You've obviously been lucky and always had well-handled foals! Ace87 took ages to get a headcollar on her foal, and he wasn't living virtually feral. We had a couple of very lightly-handled not-quite-yearlings at my old yard and they wouldnt have contemplated letting anyone put a headcollar on them.

[HashRouge]

But, erm, they ARE fastened in those pictures. :confused:

That's what I thought - the bay's head collar is definitely fastened.

[Kit]

ok..why cant you get a cheap fieldsafe or a cheap leather headcollar? particularly with foals involved? And even left securely through the fastenings (which they must be to stay on) they could jam so easily.
Or replace the metal with baler twine.
ETA:re there being nothing to get them caught on. A foal 'boxing' his mum could easily get a leg trapped, horses have been known to come in with feet through their headcollars.

[FayeObs]

Ive just halter broken a foal, and she took some work lol, on to the next one now and he really didnt like it, got it on though! and didnt hate us :)

will do it again tomorrow.

RE: Headcollar thing, why not get some of the velcro stuff - you know what you can stick onto things? that way, its quick and easy to get on when they're nervous (you dont have to make them stand whilst you thread it through!) and it would come undone if needed!!

PS - He is STUNNING! how big do you expect him to get ? xx

[28jen28]

nice foal he is huge. how is he breed? re headcollars had you tried the field safe ones that what i've use in the past when i've had one that had to wear a head collar whilst in the field.

[NuttySpaniel]

RE: Headcollar thing, why not get some of the velcro stuff - you know what you can stick onto things? that way, its quick and easy to get on when they're nervous (you dont have to make them stand whilst you thread it through!) and it would come undone if needed!!



Wouldn't the noise scare him though?

Stunning horses :)

[sammie_85]

My baby has never been a problem with his headcollar. Although have just changed him to his full size one and he was not too keen on the new colour and insisted on sniffing it and tasting it before letting me put it on!

[FayeObs]

Wouldn't the noise scare him though?

Stunning horses :)

No cause you'd get them used to that first? thats the way i'd do it anyway!

[Melting Moments]

You've obviously been lucky and always had well-handled foals! Ace87 took ages to get a headcollar on her foal, and he wasn't living virtually feral. We had a couple of very lightly-handled not-quite-yearlings at my old yard and they wouldnt have contemplated letting anyone put a headcollar on them.

Actually merlin was a frightened wild colt when I got him, some how manged to get a headcollar on him?:rolleyes: god knows how.

[Chunkykiwi]

Lovely pictures :)

Nylon headcollers - worst invention ever. I would honestly suggest turning out in either a leather halter, fieldsafe halter, or nothing at all.

A couple of years ago a young foal local to me broke his neck due to being turned out in an apparently "accident free" field, so it does happen.

Prevention is better than cure IMO but at the end of the day, your horses so do as you please :) They are lovely looking horses I must say :)

[Sexy Sietske]

Took 4 of us 2 hours to get Izzys headcollar on initially :rolleyes: The plan was to pin her up against Sietske but she kept on crawling under her! In the end we had 2 people hanging off her to keep her steady (no easy job!) while another slipped a headcollar on and person number 4 kindly held my very quiet mare, god bless her soul!

The other foal I had was an abolsute dream, practically halter broke herself, would pick all her feet up at 4 weeks old, would wear a rug and surcingle on her belly, showed her mum how to load... a true super star!!

Izzy however has quite some spirit and likes to make herself heard!

[Sasca]

Our first foal pippin, weaned himself at 3 weeks old! went for walks by himself up the lane, very good boy, loved his headcollar, went showing all over etc etc. Rowan this year, have been there since he was 20 mins old, now four months old and will he heck let you touch more then his nose or bum! we've had headcollars on him and he knows what to do roughly but wont let us put it on in an open space. Troika wont come anywhere near us so we're just leaving him till weaning and sorting him out then.

He's a lovely foal you've got! looks very cheeky, he'll come round easy, well done!

[Flony_Pony]

Sorry guys but I wasn't aware this was a thread on what headcollars OP should put on her foal in the field!

I think he looks dead cute! And will look like a little stud when his multicoloured one goes on him!!

[L34NN3]

Sorry guys but I wasn't aware this was a thread on what headcollars OP should put on her foal in the field!

I think he looks dead cute! And will look like a little stud when his multicoloured one goes on him!!

Thanks :) Maybe I should have worded the title as: working with foal loose in the field - putting a headcollar on.

I have been down today and tried the scary rope that I have been doing with him. I draped the rope all over his body and head and then moved it over him with a bit more momentum. Once he was OK with this again I made a rope halter and led him around for a bit. I then tried again with the headcollar and no problems :) I think it was that he had positioned himself to my offside so I had to swing the fastening strip over his head. Never thought of this at the time. Put it on from the near side and then took it off and put it on from the off side too.

No time for pics yet as I have to drive near John O Groats to try a saddle and bridle on my new loan :) :) :) Can't wait :) She's such a little star!

[L34NN3]

Lovely pictures :)

Nylon headcollers - worst invention ever. I would honestly suggest turning out in either a leather halter, fieldsafe halter, or nothing at all.

They're unfastened headcollars. If I am in the field working with them I fasten them, on leaving I undo them again. The fields are "secure" but if they were to get out onto our yard the yard doesn't yet have a gate (on order - the joys of cr*p delivery to the highlands). I would worry that if they got loose without headcollars and I wasn't there my OH would have slim to no chance of getting them back in :(

I went to see my loan mare the other day and a 5 gypsy type cobs were all over the road leading to the open moors. I managed to get hold of one (the only one with a headcollar) and led it to the nearest house - luckily the others all followed. The owner was very grateful and was a bit concerned that if the one I had caught hadn't had a headcollar she wouldn't have got them back if they ended up on the moorland :(

The one I got was lovely - dun but coloured. Seriously thought about taking him home ;)

A couple of years ago a young foal local to me broke his neck due to being turned out in an apparently "accident free" field, so it does happen.

Prevention is better than cure IMO but at the end of the day, your horses so do as you please :) They are lovely looking horses I must say :)

Just out of curiosity - how did it happen?

[Chunkykiwi]

They're unfastened headcollars. If I am in the field working with them I fasten them, on leaving I undo them again. The fields are "secure" but if they were to get out onto our yard the yard doesn't yet have a gate (on order - the joys of cr*p delivery to the highlands). I would worry that if they got loose without headcollars and I wasn't there my OH would have slim to no chance of getting them back in :(

Thanks for explaining :)
Do just bear in mind that even if the buckle is not fastened, if the halter got caught on something and the horse pulled back quickly, the buckle could actually "do up" due to the sudden pulling movement. The likliness is small but it is possible and I have seen it happen i.e. girl trying to remove halter quickly when turning out before the horse went up due to excitement. It can happen sadly.


Just out of curiosity - how did it happen?

Sadly the foal got the halter caught on fencing. It was post fencing with electric fencing running from one post to the next. The foal got caught on the post, got zapped by the fencing, panicked and resulted in breaking her neck. Passed away instantly :(

[HRax]

Wouldn't the noise scare him though?

Stunning horses :)

When mine was a foal, I used the field safe velcro fastening type, just until I got used to putting another one over the top and catching her that way. The velcro didn't scare her, I just got her using to the noise of the velcro before I put it on ;)

[L34NN3]

how big do you expect him to get ? xx

Mum is 15h and dad 14h2 so somewhere inbetween :) Perfect for a shorty of 5ft1 ;)

nice foal he is huge. how is he breed?

He's a Welsh Sec D. He's a big boned fella but shouldn't get too big...

[L34NN3]

When mine was a foal, I used the field safe velcro fastening type, just until I got used to putting another one over the top and catching her that way. The velcro didn't scare her, I just got her using to the noise of the velcro before I put it on ;)

I always worry about the velcro types - velcro is designed not to come undone if the two sides are pulled in opposite directions (only when "unpeeled"). It's very strong stuff!

Not tried baler twine - thanks Kit.

[northern_rachel]

Baler twine instead of metal rings is a brill cheap option :)
I had a fieldsafe headcollar which broke when my horse rubbed on a tree, cost a mint.

Anyway, this thread wasn't posted asking for crit on what type of headcollar is safe ;) I'm sure OP is aware, I gather she's a clued up person from previous posts.

And your fella is just lovely, if not perfect!

[L34NN3]

Just got a headcollar on him first time with no problems - it was black :eek:

Now I'm going trimming the attachments to "weaken" it and pop it back on...

There's also a shot of what happens when a foal steals your camera and goes galloping round the field :rolleyes:

[Howengold]

Aww he is sooo handsome! In fact they both are xx

[kclarke]

he's a handsome wee thing!! been liking your threads, both of your babies are lovely. i really like the headcollar he's wearing there, the black rope type, where did you get it?
x

[S.J.C]

Aww, hes beautiful!
I love foalies... :p

[L34NN3]

he's a handsome wee thing!! been liking your threads, both of your babies are lovely. i really like the headcollar he's wearing there, the black rope type, where did you get it?
x

Thanks everyone - foalies are cool!

The headcollar is from Robinsons online :) It's one of those control ones...

[L34NN3]

Well I loosened the headcollar fittings enough to make them "safe" and came down to the field this morning to a headcollarless foal - maybe I did it too much...

He now has the bright one on (after apple coercion). I ended up practicing leading him around with his forelock (I have been doing this from the start) but today used his forelock to restrict movement ;) He didn't fuss at all. He's a good boy!

And he loves his new girlfriend - he now has 2!!

[burness_21]

i know it sound mean but rocky had a head collar on on day two and had him picking up his feet on day two aswell. i turn him out with nothing on and can catch him he is know 8 weeks old and leads in front of his mother. and pickes up his feet with the farrier as well.

lovely pics:D:D

[L34NN3]

i know it sound mean but rocky had a head collar on on day two and had him picking up his feet on day two aswell. i turn him out with nothing on and can catch him he is know 8 weeks old and leads in front of his mother. and pickes up his feet with the farrier as well.

lovely pics:D:D

Yeah I can with Imperial too. He just hated the bright one. No probs today though ;)

Only prob with it is that you can't leave it undone so it has to come off... Need another one now grrr

[sarchie]

Oh Leanne! He's gorgeous!!! I love your pics! What lovely horses, and he's so talented with a camera, what a great "action shot" he took!! :D

Keep the pics coming!

How's the byre conversion going?

[L34NN3]

Thanks :) I now have a 4th :rolleyes: Only a loan until the spring though this one ;)

Conversion coming on ok. I now have my old kitchen in there as a tack and feed room. Just got to shovel out all the poo in the "stables" part. I was going to do some quick stables to start with but I think I'm just going to put a gate accross initially and have it as a loose barn. I'll sort proper stables out next year when I have saved up to do it properly :) I'm also going to put a door in one of the other barns on the field side so there will be a field shelter :)

[Howengold]

Thanks :) I now have a 4th :rolleyes: Only a loan until the spring though this one ;)

Conversion coming on ok. I now have my old kitchen in there as a tack and feed room. Just got to shovel out all the poo in the "stables" part. I was going to do some quick stables to start with but I think I'm just going to put a gate accross initially and have it as a loose barn. I'll sort proper stables out next year when I have saved up to do it properly :) I'm also going to put a door in one of the other barns on the field side so there will be a field shelter :)

I am so jealous!

[L34NN3]

I am so jealous!

I'm jealous of myself! I got offered another yesterday - we had a flat when the loan was being delivered. A nice gentleman stopped to help out and when he heard what the situation was offered me his welsh on loan :eek: Thats 3 loans offered to me when I haven't even been looking :) :) :)

I have worked my bum off for this life and I am sooooooo happy :) It is everything I have ever wanted :) I feel so happy every day and promise I will never ever take it forgranted :)

[Howengold]

I'm jealous of myself! I got offered another yesterday - we had a flat when the loan was being delivered. A nice gentleman stopped to help out and when he heard what the situation was offered me his welsh on loan :eek: Thats 3 loans offered to me when I haven't even been looking :) :) :)

I have worked my bum off for this life and I am sooooooo happy :) It is everything I have ever wanted :) I feel so happy every day and promise I will never ever take it forgranted :)

You sound like you deserve it! I love reading your threads about your horses and your barns!