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  Discussion on Introducing Weanling to Electric Fencing
Author Message
Member:
gillef

Posted on Tuesday, Oct 14, 2008 - 9:12 am:

Help please.
My weanling Quarter Horse filly arrived on sunday.She really needs to learn about electric fencing so she can be turned out.I have never had any problems with adult horses adjusting but will the same approaches described in other posts under this topic be suitable for one so young. I don't want to traumatise her -or me!!!
I was thinking the short piece across the door may be a good introduction. I have found out that her breeder has had her penned inside since weaning so she is looking at the outdoors with excitement and longing. She has already shown she has no qualms about going straight through un-energised tape!
Member:
imogen

Posted on Tuesday, Oct 14, 2008 - 3:54 pm:

Put her with another horse preferably a nice old mare or gelding. The other horse will teach her way better than you can...

Imogen
Member:
36541

Posted on Tuesday, Oct 14, 2008 - 4:20 pm:

Put her in a pasture with perimeter she already knows like wood or metal gates, then divide it in half with whatever electric product you are going to use. Don't use her stall as the space is too small and may lead her to be frightened at the gate, even months from now. Once you have your setup and know she is contained by the outside boundary for sure, look away if you must as she teaches herself!
Member:
scooter

Posted on Tuesday, Oct 14, 2008 - 4:55 pm:

I'm with Stacy, that's how we teach the calves and the horses when they were young. Make sure your perimeter fencing is safe and secure. The sad thing about it is they HAVE to get shocked once or twice to know what it's all about.

I remember when I turned Hank out when he was still very young (about 2 weeks I think) He followed mother out the gate...electric fence was on the right Blocking another pasture, Pasture was to the left, mother and other horses turned left....Hank looked at the electric fence and JUMPED it!!! Then he was stuck on the other side, the other horses didn't care and kept going, he was too frantic for me to help him, so I just sat and watched to see how it would unfold.

He finally decided he was going to jump back out, unfortunately he didn't jump high enough this time, the wire caught his leg and he took off running, fence zapping him all the while. It broke loose of the wire it was attached to(I didn't have it tight for just this reason). It finally let loose of his leg (no harm done not even a tiny cut.) He has NEVER touched a hotwire again, he won't even touch one that isn't hot!
Member:
gillef

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 15, 2008 - 4:47 pm:

Many thanks for your thoughts everyone. I did have my reservations about the door thing. That is the trouble with any kind of Aversion Therapy or negative reinforcement. it is very powerful and you don't always know what the lesson is that is learned. Unfortunately part of the perimeter is only tape/rope (electrified). The outermost fence around the property is 5 foot high ranchboard but but that includes the house,garden greenhouse etc.
I only have 1 other horse, an older mare, to turn her out with and she is shod at the moment and not being as welcoming as I would like yet!
I have had 2 equine disasters already this year so am feeling very wary at the moment.
Now I am thinking about taping off a smallish (not big enough for her to raise full gallop)area outside the stable and energising it then let her loose in it after leading her around it all with the mare inside the stable right next to it so they are close. If she learns about the tape this way then I can make it larger and larger over the days in the hope that she will "keep her cool". Have I missed something dumb in this as a plan?
Member:
36541

Posted on Thursday, Oct 16, 2008 - 6:41 am:

sounds like a a plan. I'd also leave a halter on with a short bit of lead that just touches the ground when the colt is standing relaxed. I have done this with all my babies, only when they are supervised of course, and it makes them easier to catch as well a teaching them not to panic when they step on a lead or the reins later in life.
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