Tips for Preparing a New Foal for Training

Just as trainers have to get to know a new foal, so too does the foal have to get to know, and trust, its trainer. How the trainer starts the relationship with a new foal is important in achieving success with your horse. Renowned horse trainer and clinician Ellen Ofstad provides tips on how best to prepare your foal for a life with humans and training.

1. Training commences under the guise of petting. The new foal doesn’t even know it is being trained! Learn how Ellen Ofstad starts training a foal.

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2. The new foal needs to get used to being around humans. Here, Ellen Ofstad demonstrates her “secret weapon” that most foals enjoy: being scratched.

3. Foals become very attached to their parents, perhaps to the detriment of their relationship with people. In this video, Ellen Ofstad shows that a foal can become a bit shy around people if it is left too much with its parents.

4. Training a foal using food rewards is an important aspect of its training. In this video, Ellen Ofstad gives her foal his first own bucket which allows her to further handle the foal and prepare it for a halter.

5. Yes, your foal will need to be trailered at some point. Here, Ellen Offstad shows her system for loading a foal on a trailer.

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