Horse Training Success

Tanx so much for the training tips competition it was a great idea. I really enjoyed it a lot!!!

I just wanted to tell you all about how I got my foal to accept his halter without any fuss. First I had watched a friend of mine take her mare and foal into a round corral then rope the foal. She let the poor thing run in mindless circles all the while another friend of hers held a very worried mare. After the poor foal was just too tired to run she then tried to slip the halter on to it. That was another fight. In the end she got the halter on but not before she scared the life out of the foal. I found this to be mean and cruel. I on the other had just started taking the halter out with me every time I went out to my mare and her foal. As I went about my business of feeding and cleaning, I kept the halter with me. My foal Kenny became curious of the thing hanginf on my arm and he began to investigate it. I allowed him to smell it and yes even taste it.Soon I was touching him with it first on his back then his legs and every where. One day I slipped it over his nose as he stuck his nose out to it, let him feel it around his nose then I took it off. Over the next few days I began to just drap it up around his neck and ears and would end the "lesson with it over his nose. By the end of that week I would put it on him let him feel the pressure of it done up by me just holding the buckle together. Then I would take it off. Not long after that I just walked up to him and put it on him. Because I never scared him with it and he had become desenitized to it over a period of 3 weeks, It never bothered him to have it on. You must remember Kenny was a week old when I started this and at one month old he was accepting it. I strongly believe especially with foals you must take it one step at a time. Their attention spans are so short that it is best to take time with them. Kenny like his mother will come to me when I have their halters and Kenny has started to put his nose into now...

My two mares are from the BLM,ie: Wild Mustangs. they came w/ halters on,but they wore them out after 5 months. I was able to put one on the Bay as she is more tame than the Sorrel,who has no halter on her now. Every time I try to slip a rope around her neck as she eats, she pulls away. I can't lasoo her,[not good enough]. I hold the halter out an she will come to take a carrot,but always pulls away when I move. I will try to throw it over her back w/ the lead attached as you decribe an see if that works. Thank, RAY

Anonymous Anonymous said... My two mares are from the BLM,ie: Wild Mustangs. they came w/ halters on,but they wore them out after 5 months...

Once you get the new halters on you should start by teaching these horses to be tied up. I suggest using the "Aussie Tie-Ring". The fact that these horses wore halters for five months is a bit disturbing; that said, it's time that these horses learned to be handled safely and the best place to start is learning to be tied up. Get the tie-ring, get a video, Phil Tragear may have one, I know Clint Anderson does and get these horses used to being tied up so you can start to put a handle on them... PS I have several BLM horse and my favorite ranch horse is a Mustang... that horse is so smart he could deal cards but they are wild as he-- when you get them home the first time and learning to be tied up is the first thing to do for your safety and theirs.

Gene
Buffalo Wyoming

I too enjoyed this competition and congratulate the winner!