Instructions
Establish a sense of trust with the foal. This will take time and patience. Once the foal is weaned from its dam, this is a great time to begin establishing a friendship, as the foal will be lonely and curious, and want to bond with you.
Teach the horse gently to have a halter worn. Do this after teaching him how wonderful it is to be scratched and loved by people. Do not allow him to bite or nip. If you have taken enough time in creating a relationship with the foal, haltering him should not be a problem.
Insist on the foal respecting you as the alpha horse. Do not allow him to bite, paw or crowd you. Use your body language and voice to discipline him, but be sure to praise as well as correct.
Teach him that you may touch him anywhere. As the alpha horse, you insist on his respect, but as the human master, you may reward him with your fingers in ways that no other horse could. Leave no spot unexplored--from feet to genitals, make sure you can touch him everywhere.
Never teach a weanling horse "tricks," such as "shaking hands," or allow him to rear, strike or otherwise "play" with you. It may be cute at this age, but it will be deadly when he weighs five times what you do.
How to Handle a Weanling Foal
Raising a foal to be a good horse and a proper citizen can be difficult. It is important to start the horse correctly and bring him along in slow but steady steps. This article will give you some tips on how to handle a weanling foal.