Listen to the children. What they say is important.

What inspired this post, was a FB reel on a young horse, she looked to be a yearling or older weaned horse and some behaviour I am very familiar with.

In human society, most adults, through history - ignore children's voices. To be seen and not heard. After all adults should know what is best for them. I see that with horses too - we don't listen to the horse, and of course that creates al sorts of negative behaviours  (that's another conversation we need to have).

We are getting better at this.

There are a fair number of people who do keep communication open between us and the horses. I know it start young, but how young?

Hours old.

Once the horse software of the foal has uploaded - that's what it reminds me of, in those first couple of hours of life, the language package is used very quickly.

Imprint training is used by some folks, and they make it work for them.

We at the farm don't have the time resources to make that a "thing". We go the traditional way of positive handling every time we engage with them and that's not a daily thing (outside of visual daily checks). The engagement we have time for, needs to be as calm as possible, balanced with being as quick as possible.

That is the challenge of larger studs. We wish we could take all the time in the world to make things positive and pleasant.

In reality, that can't happen without loads of competent and dedicated staff, loads of time ( and money to pay for them).

We do try our hardest, if we gat things wrong, we will pay for it later when the horse is harder to handle due to fear because we didn't listen to them.

yes, even experience people will make mistakes. Good people have have the skills to repair, the best we can, the issue that was created by accident.

Some of the behaviours and things foals do.

You have to laugh at their innocence. Some of the stilly things they do as a learning curve. You hope the stupid things they do, they get away with it (injury type thing), and learn a valuable lesson.

The youngster was behaving just as much as you would expect a young horse to be. The trainer was making valid point on peoples expectations of them to "know what you want". It wasn't a dig at the owner or anyone, just pointing it out. He was relaxed at the behaviour and the youngster was trying to do the right thing, in an amusing way.

Three examples I want to share on some behaviours I see with the kids at this age. All three are under 3 weeks of age.

Mr Krupt.

Out in the paddock with mum and friends, he discovered the sighter wire along the new fence does not bite! How did he discover this and what motivated him to try?

I can only guess it was the longer grass on the other side of the fence.

Now Mr Krupt, your current paddock is well covered in spring grass. I KNOW hunger is not the motivation.

Once busted, he lifted his head, looked at me and subtly moved back.

Me? no, I wasn't sticking my head through the fence. Please don't dob on me.

Good news, his mob was moved to another paddock so that one we can continue to use on our fresh babies when the can go out in the wild.

I can see, in the future, especially at a racing stable or a riding home, he will be one of those fence wreckers because he doesn't respect all fences.

Saying that, I know that part of the fence line was working. He was just smart enough to figure out, or be shown the safe way to do it.

His brother was a smarty pants too and so sweet.

Mr Magic.

Dude, I know you are stuck in a box. You were born with crooked legs. you need confining to help reduce the pressure of excessive movements, that at this stage will make the deviations worse while we support you with farrier work to better algin you legs. Or surgery will be your option (if we can avoid it).

You are so friendly. Boldly come over for attention. That's so sweet. I do engage and take this a teaching opportunity on how to safely engage with people.

I know full well, you will become a confident, cocky brat in a few more months if I'm not careful. I don't want to be mean about things, but I am aiming to establish boundaries and connection to keep everyone safe.

Neonate Zar.

Welcome little buddy! So glad to meet you at last.

First time mum and they are both going fine.

There was something I noticed about neonate behaviour, that I have defiantly seen in older foals and adults, but honestly didn't think about it in neonates. I presumed it was a learned behaviour, but it turns out it isn't .

Turning their bums to you to indicate -please leave me alone. I knew he wasn't trying to kick me, he was communicating something and I recognised it for what it was.

I understand buddy, but I need to help you with your meconium, or you will have a very uncomfortable tummy.

It really hit me the other night about this behaviour. In the mares, I see it, and listen, and approach accordingly, but a neonate under 4 hours displaying this language! It amazed me.

I am always on a learning journey with horses.

I no longer have any at home, outside of work, to engage with. My learning and refining my skills and knowledge, needs to happen at work.

My thing , since loosing my sweet mare Nilla, and needing my 'Horse Fix' from work, I became even more aware of the horses body language and communication for fear of loosing it.

I love learning more of their language so I can engage and connect the best I can in the short period I handle them on a daily basis and the larger number we have on farm.

It keeps me safer, the horse safer to be around.

Honestly its enjoyable having special chats with my ladies and I like to think they appreciate my attempts to understand them.

Most of the time, when I see them again, after the foaling season and I am back on day shifts, the difficult ladies are back being difficult, but maybe they are a little better(?), after some positive communication and connection, and hopefully teach their little ones that not all humas are arseholes.

Morale of the story - Even neonates have built-in horse words with body language. Give them some credit and not treat them as dumb idiots or defiant pigs. They too are trying to communicate with us and we need to listen to the children.