Introduced foal to bit!

[ponynut]

I know it was probably a bad thing to do but I did anyway- it felt right.

After feeding my four month old foal (now 12'2 ) I put a narrow nylon bit in her mouth just for a feel for about thirty seconds. She is used to finger or carrot bits so I tried a metal one- no problem. She was fine taking it in and letting go- we tried a few times. She was a bit pigged off as she could not eat it!
Love my filly she is so trusting and clever!

[H & Bailey]

this is fine but dont overdo it or tie it in some people frown on this but I think if you do everything when they are young and get them used to things that when it comes to breaking you have a happy and unstressed horse as they are quite used to it,My friend has a 17 month old youngster and we have let him taste a bit ,put sheets and towels, blankets ,old saddles on him,once he knows whats going on he isnt bothered a bit.He is so laid back we can do almost any thing with him,we can put our arms over his back and rub his sides etc,but he is getting bigger and bigger we hope he will stop growing up,he was supposed to be a dales x cob,but he has tons of feather and looks more like a shire x!

[larri]

I'd say it was a 'bit' young;) , but so long as there is no pressure and you're not leading her off it It shouldn't be harnful.

I got safi @18 mths and in the last year have introduced her to everything - bit, bridle, roller, crupper, side reins, you name it !!
We've made everything very slow and easy , not pressuring just letting her get the feel of things - sh'e been an absolute dream.
I think its far , far better to handle your youngster and give it a chance to get used to things rather than one day when they're three or four ganging up on them and make them cope with a saddle, bridle and rider in one session.

larri

[ponyvet]

Totally, if you can work with a foal from day one it makes a huge difference. My youngster is a star and although i haven't tried a bit i have started to vaguely teach her to lunge (she likes to spin round and round anyway!).

I think 4 months is a bit young to keep a bit in their mouth, but to get her happy with you putting it there and taking it out is fine. Well done!

The only thing i'd be worried about doing to early would be actually putting weight on their backs. I think larri, if you can put a crupper on your youngster you may as well try a saddle just for the feel of it. But definitely leave off getting on!!!!

Youngsters should be encouraged to think of learning as a game, then when it comes to trying to work them it's not such a shock. There's nothing worse than a three year old who's lived out all it's life and never been handled!

[Wally]

Pony vet, three would be a luxury, we get them having lived wild on the hill and at the age of 5 plus. Can you imagine trying to do the feet of such a horse!

Hákon was 3 and never the hand of man upon him, the vet failed him bacause she couldn't lay a hand on him to examine him. We took the risk and he turned out a good one.

At the mo I am trying to train an 8yo mare to harness. She too was hardly handled and is a bit scared. Bit by bit we are getting there, but it can be a bit daunting.

If they are handled and messed and played with as babies (sensibly, no weight bearing or intensive stuff) it makes thier working life so much less stressfull, there is no trust issue which I am faced with working with this 8yo mare.

I bought a foal at the sales because I have his full brother and he's a "sossidge". He will be kept in for a winter (at night) with the old horse to teach him the ropes and he'll learn from him, When it comes to training him he'll know it's just those silly humans with another dammned silly idea and to just join in and play along.

Sadly the horse world here is very different from that of south. Not enough is done to tame the hill ponies.

[Mossy]

Please please give me a youngster I can play with and genarally introduce to life as a game. No pressure just pony play school. a four year old who has been "backed and turned away" I. e. lived in a field, got out to lunge and have saddle, bridle, and rider on - right you are now broken let's ignore you for a year - is no joke! No pressure, no weight, and no lesson too long, just fun - take me for walks " Oh what's this, traffic OK no problem.
You are so so lucky. Keep up the good work