Customer Reviews

Imprint Training of the Newborn Foal: A Swift, Effective Method for Permanently Shaping a Horse's Lifetime Behavior

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I bought this book by Robert M. Miller with my very first
miniature horse foal, and it WORKS!!!!
I imprint trained him at birth and some the next day and
everything I did, helped that horse just like he said it would.
His personality is beautiful, he learned the desired responses
well and I know its because of the imprint training.It does not
take much time or effort on your part. I bought a foal that was
not imprint trained and the difference between the two horses
later on is UNBELIEVEABLE. The imprint trained horse is
friendly, obedient, and unafraid of anything ,thanks to this
book. TO me it was well worth the money I paid for it.I expect
2 more foals this year and already have my book ready to
do everything he suggests, I know it will make my life easier
when that little foal becomes a weanling thru full-grown.
For me, it was especially helpful because of my inexperience
with horses but this book would work just as well with the
experienced. It does shape the horses behaviors for LIFE.

I bought this book before the birth of my first foal. I thought I had a very good understanding of everything contained in the book. But be forewarned. This is not a something that someone can do alone. You need at least one other experienced horse person to help you. This is an absolute necessity!

My sister and I have always wanted to raise foals that weren't like your typical horses, our first foals we did lots to the minute they were born, like touching there ears, everything we could think of that we didn't want them to have issues with-and they're great, but still horses. I came across this book and LOVED IT! Our next years foals were thoroughly imprinted at birth and WOW! Even better than last years foals and we taught them so many more difficult things at birth-like working off their hind-quarters, it's amazing how effective it is. I have bought un-impinted foals in the past, and by a year you have a kicking biteing, don't touch me there yearling to spent hours patiently working with. No my babies come running to me and lick me to death and nothing fazes them!
Painted Blessings Ranch~Bringing out the best in Black and White paint horses.

This is a very good instructional book and a must read for anyone expecting a foal anytime soon. There are plenty of pictures showing how to do what he suggests and he goes over many of the principles of good horse training methods and practices that relate to a new foal. He goes on in later chapters to state how horses learn, about sensitizing them and desensitizing them, and using higher techniques to refine what you've taught once they get a little older. He has plenty to say on teaching the baby and has several good techniques. Of course, it has a chapter or two dealing with imprinting. You can't get tell too much on imprinting, because there just isn't that much to tell. Imprinting is basically being there within the first hour of the horse's birth and doing all of the things you would do with an adult horse; such as sticking your fingers down in his ears and mouth, running your hands all over, manipulating the feet, running the back of a blade less set of clippers all over it anywhere you may clip in the future, and anything else you can think of. These things, when done within an hour or two of birth are retained and make the foal less likely to be scared of them in the future. It also makes them see you in the same light they see their mother and while they aren't going to cling to you as much, they will be much more trusting and easy to handle and more accepting of new things in the future. I have seen horses raised not using this method and I've got a 3.5 month old colt that I used this on and I can tell that mine is much easier to train and handle and I believe that imprinting is a good part of that as well as both his parents being pretty smart and easy to train. He is very accepting of things similar to what I did when he was born and only slightly less accepting of other new things. He goes on to fill the rest of the book with how to continue and reinforce the imprinting and how to start your foal's training the right way. He teaches simple methods to prepare your horse for it's future. He teaches things, like how to get it to lead, give to pressure, and stand tied along with many other things. It's a must if you're having a foal anytime soon and a good read if you're just a horse person who like to know everything about them.

Clear, step by step. Covering all the basics of imprinting & then moving on to first day training techniques that make all the difference for the foal's interaction with human handlers in later days & years to come. Even I can do this, though I am fairly new to horses & especially foaling. Certainly this is a 2 person job, but with an assistant, it goes very smoothly if you have a halter-broke, calm mare. The difference in the foals is really amazing! I see this applying to other animals as well. This is a real gem of a book!

This is a pretty good book for those who have never imprinted a foal before. There are tons of pictures and he outlines everything step by step. It's a bit dated, especially with the photos, but overall it's worth the money.

This book is so full of amazing information. Having worked with trainers that do imprinting but I wanted to be sure I do it all correctly on my own. The book is a STEP by STEP process and I cannot wait!!

Robert M. Miller is a Veterinarian who has developed an entirely new way to train horses. Much of what he teaches flys in the face of "conventional wisdom" and is truly revolutionary. He shows step by step how to train a newborn foal for the optimum results. I first heard of Dr. Miller when his system was praised by the owner of Buckeye St. Pat, the female trotter of the year in 2009 and 2010. Dr. Miller also goes into detail on why his system works, and how using it during the first days of the animal's life will produce a healthier, happier adult horse. The first few hours of a newborn foals life are crucial to the development of the horse, and Dr. Miller shows you how to make the most of those hours. I highly recommend this book to anyone who works with horses, and especially to anyone who is involved in breeding horses. It also makes great reading for those who just want to understand the mind of the horse.

What a fabulous help this book is in beginning the training of young foals - highly recommended!

Super book. Loved it. Will use over & over again. Great ideas & thoughts in book.A must for any library.....