Post by mkgbuegel on Jan 15, 2007 2:01:05 GMT -5
There are of course many ways to halter train a young horse. Over the years I have come up with a method that is a combination of styles, and its worked well for me. Its very non invasive, non threatening, and the lessons stick.
This is assuming the horse can & somewhat enjoys being touched. If the horse doesn't yet allow you to touch them, then you need to go back and spend some time hanging out in the paddock and getting the horse comfortable with you. I don't begin halter training until the horse accepts me standing next to them comfortably.
Use a rope halter, the very light weight & flexible kind. It easier to maneuver and easier for a young or worried horse to accept.
1. I usually start by placing the halter inside their feed bin or near their hay, so they can get used to it. Leave it in there at least a day or two, or longer.
2. Next I start rubbing the halter on him/her, everywhere he/she will accept it, until the horse is comfortable being touched everywhere with the halter and finishing with rubbing his/her head. When you are done, give the horse a cookie and leave the paddock. ( allot of controversy about clicker training and rewards, but personally I have found a combination of the 2 to have a complimentary effect when ever I am working with resistant or untrained/young horses). The more days in a row you can do this the better.
3. Next step after rubbing his/her head gently (standing on the side of the horses body, not in front of him/her) place the nose band of the halter over the nose of the horse and then take it back off the horses nose. Do it several times, If the horse is comfortable with this step, then leave the nose band over the nose and slip the head piece (long loose end) over the head behind the ears. So that the halter looks normal placed on the head but is not secured yet. Leave the halter sitting there on the horse and walk away. Let the horse think about it. Go back, give the horse a cookie or scratch and carefully slip the halter off.
4. Once the horse will allow the halter to be placed around his/her nose and over the head (behind the ears) with no fuss, you can secure it. Its important here that you work quickly, gently & firm. (if you don't usually use rope halters then practice tying the halter knot so you will be good at it when you need to secure it on the horses head. ) Most important part of this step is to be one step ahead of the horse, if you feel the horse is going to try and run off, evade the halter, anything of that nature, stop tyeing and go back to rubbing the horses body. Don't give the horse the opportunity to slip back. Give them every opportunity to do the right thing.
5. After you are able to get the halter on and tied the first time, I give a cookie and walk away, maybe go outside of the paddock (don't leave the horse alone with the halter on) hang around for a bit. Then go back in give the horse a rub and take the halter off.
Its best if you can put the halter on the horse a few times a week after this last step (Daily is ideal), it will just set in concrete the training you have already done.
Timing & feel are really important when working with horses. Its the difference between a lesson learned and a lesson in frustration for both you and the horse. Unfortunately I can't really explain timing and feel, it would be easier if I could.
Break things down into little steps. One lesson at a time.
This is assuming the horse can & somewhat enjoys being touched. If the horse doesn't yet allow you to touch them, then you need to go back and spend some time hanging out in the paddock and getting the horse comfortable with you. I don't begin halter training until the horse accepts me standing next to them comfortably.
Use a rope halter, the very light weight & flexible kind. It easier to maneuver and easier for a young or worried horse to accept.
1. I usually start by placing the halter inside their feed bin or near their hay, so they can get used to it. Leave it in there at least a day or two, or longer.
2. Next I start rubbing the halter on him/her, everywhere he/she will accept it, until the horse is comfortable being touched everywhere with the halter and finishing with rubbing his/her head. When you are done, give the horse a cookie and leave the paddock. ( allot of controversy about clicker training and rewards, but personally I have found a combination of the 2 to have a complimentary effect when ever I am working with resistant or untrained/young horses). The more days in a row you can do this the better.
3. Next step after rubbing his/her head gently (standing on the side of the horses body, not in front of him/her) place the nose band of the halter over the nose of the horse and then take it back off the horses nose. Do it several times, If the horse is comfortable with this step, then leave the nose band over the nose and slip the head piece (long loose end) over the head behind the ears. So that the halter looks normal placed on the head but is not secured yet. Leave the halter sitting there on the horse and walk away. Let the horse think about it. Go back, give the horse a cookie or scratch and carefully slip the halter off.
4. Once the horse will allow the halter to be placed around his/her nose and over the head (behind the ears) with no fuss, you can secure it. Its important here that you work quickly, gently & firm. (if you don't usually use rope halters then practice tying the halter knot so you will be good at it when you need to secure it on the horses head. ) Most important part of this step is to be one step ahead of the horse, if you feel the horse is going to try and run off, evade the halter, anything of that nature, stop tyeing and go back to rubbing the horses body. Don't give the horse the opportunity to slip back. Give them every opportunity to do the right thing.
5. After you are able to get the halter on and tied the first time, I give a cookie and walk away, maybe go outside of the paddock (don't leave the horse alone with the halter on) hang around for a bit. Then go back in give the horse a rub and take the halter off.
Its best if you can put the halter on the horse a few times a week after this last step (Daily is ideal), it will just set in concrete the training you have already done.
Timing & feel are really important when working with horses. Its the difference between a lesson learned and a lesson in frustration for both you and the horse. Unfortunately I can't really explain timing and feel, it would be easier if I could.
Break things down into little steps. One lesson at a time.
