First, horses are a precocial species. Unlike humans, dogs, even rats, born blind and helpless, horses are literally born to run. After 11 months in-utero, they must suddenly stand, nurse and imprint on their mother to survive. Their brain is a blank slate for several hours, they must absorb much of their information from the environment in that short window.

And this is where the fun begins! Dr. Robert Miller was a pioneer of Imprinting in horses…other leaders in the field were folks like Konrad Lorenz and his geese. Before that, most breeders were told to leave the mom and baby alone after birth, that “interfering” would destroy their relationship. I’ve foaled out and imprinted approximately 40 foals here, often alone, and many more when I helped/apprenticed with Sue Burkman. The better I imprinted, the better the baby, and as an adult in any discipline!

  There are several practices that I follow here at Laughing Dog Ranch that I’d like to share with you.

So how to do it? First, read all the material you can on imprinting. You’ve got 11 long months to prepare! If your baby will be born at a foaling facility, make sure that they agree to let you participate in the birth. Many of us use electronic Foal Alerts and cameras to better predict the blessed event, so stay nearby and wait for the call!

One of the most useful things about (most) mares is that when they’re getting close, they get an oxytocin rush and become unusually docile. I try to get a good splash of amniotic fluid on me so I smell like the baby. The mares enjoy my helpful vibe/presence as I dry the foal and make sure nostrils are cleared, etc. I will give pain relief to the mare, worm her with Ivermectin and serve a lovely warm mash to her while the foal is gaining strength. Now it’s time for Imprinting!

With baby on the ground next to its mom, I place a halter and blanket on them. Out come the clippers—we run the body of the clippers all over, face, legs, ears until there is no response to the noise or the sensation. Next, I grab a hoof pick and tap each baby hoof until there is no reaction. We handle their nostrils, ears, gums until there is acceptance of those feelings. THE MOST IMPORTANT thing is to NOT QUIT until the baby is calm, otherwise you will teach it to resist! I usually do all these things before they nurse and while we are drying them off… as long as you get it done in the first few hours.

When I first started doing imprinting in the early 90’s I made a big, phat boo-boo…

After the nursing relationship is established (not always easy with a maiden mare) and the baby is sleepy and full, we begin to introduce anything and everything the foal will be exposed to as they grow…our horse-broke dogs come in, I’ll throw down corn for the chickens and invite friends and kids over in the hours after birth. Radio on, party at my place. Needless to say, my mares are broke to this before hand…they love people, too! I have had a few clients’ recip mares (mares leased as broodmares), come here from more industrial farms. I take a month and become besties with them so they’ll understand my role as their advocate. Always pay attention to the temperament of a broodmare…we had one here who was so “foal-proud” we couldn’t get near her or the baby. She’d body-block us and hide her foal…the baby was so fearful of people that we had to build a separate little corral just to touch or medicate her. Getting them in or out of anywhere took three of us…no fun!

By late morning the vet has come, and if all checks out we begin to teach the foal to lead around in the stall. I do enjoy the use of a butt-rope to gently encourage forward movement. I use a poky-finger to teach them to scoot over and back-up…and I chew up carrots to rub on their gums for good behavior. Then we get out the tarps and have them walk across them…I especially like the shiny aluminum foil type tarps after they’re feeling bolder. Balloons and bikes are introduced gently, never in a scary way… It’s fun to see their investigative behavior expand with confidence. By day three we know how to lead across a platform, a beach towel, and get hosed down in cross-ties. The platform crossing preps them for trailer loading with mom…LOTS of carrots for both. Always reward the try! And NEVER quit until you get the exact behavior you expect.

The contentious question of carrots! It divides people faster than almost any other topic.

Caveat: When I first started doing imprinting in the early 90’s I made a big, phat boo-boo. I didn’t discipline for bad behavior! I had a bold stud colt with a docile older mom, and he turned into a tyrant! He became pushy as well as brave, and his domineering attitude persisted throughout his career. The carrot and the stick are equally important! And that gets me to another very important caveat: Always remember that HORSES ARE inherently dangerous! Especially stud colts! They’re programmed via TEST-osterone to push every limit! I taught my horse-girls to never take their eyes off a stud colt! We still laugh about the time Becky was playing with one of our most docile colts, trusting him implicitly, and he bit the bling on her butt! She disciplined him accordingly, and neither one made the same mistake again! Discipline is required for crowding, unrequested nuzzling (they’re trying to get to 3rd base, believe me) or “turning bottoms” to you. And by discipline I mean a harsh “NO” and a pop on the mouth or swift jerk on halter! They must walk in the plane of your shoulder, always. Use a loose lead when good and harsh pop when they try to pass or back up. Always have a good mare handler with you who listens to your needs when leading!

My time here at Laughing Dog Ranch with my horses has provided me with a profound appreciation of trust at its most basic…Build that. You and your horses will be glad, forever!

Oh, one more thing! The contentious question of carrots! It divides people faster than almost any other topic. And not without reason! IMHO, doling out treats liberally without asking for a behavior is a great way to reinforce biting, crowding and other unwanted and dangerous habits. I ALWAYS use food rewards as a training tool, e.g., we step foot in trailer, we get a cookie. I teach them to come when called and to stand by the mounting block with treats…the timing has to be perfect or can inadvertently reward another untargeted action. And if they get pushy, they get popped in the mouth…especially the stud colts. Be fast and fair and clear — the treat is your idea, not theirs! If your timing is bad, you’re better off NOT using food.

Typically, by the time the Laughing Dog crop is weaned, they’re all good citizens! Some, at 2 ½ when we begin groundwork, are “born-broke,” They see us as allies and benevolent alphas…we do fun and interesting things together as a team. People see me on the trail, bareback and halter and lead rope and ask, “What do you do if they take-off?”  I ‘splain that I’m their safety, so why would they run away? Where would they go? This pays off for the rest of their lives!

My time here at Laughing Dog Ranch with my horses has provided me with a profound appreciation of trust at its most basic…Build that. You and your horses will be glad, forever!

Foaling season at Laughing Dog Ranch.

Another multi-National Champion delivered by the Laughing Dog team. Miss Congeniality LD +++// (Con Caletto x Swan Song DDA). Miss Congeniality is now showing Dressage Prix St George, but was National Champion Half-Arabian Jumper, too.

Learning how to cross bridges.

We expose the foals to children, chickens dogs, music, whatever...

Above and below, then and now, Multi-National Champion Dressage and Over Fences, Syriusly Celestial LD++// (Celestin x Syriana VS).

The joy of a healthy foal.

Above and below, then and now, multi-National Champion Lil Miss Perfect LD++++// (Goldhills Most Wanted x Aiming For Perfection).

Mary Anne’s Welsh pony/Arab cross, True Blue Odie LD, by the Welsh stallion Goldhills Love the Blues and out of HS Magical Miss by High Sign+. “Hes prepping for stardom over fences and dressage," she says.