I want to get a halter on my one year old foal, but have no idea where to begin.
He allows me close to him and sometimes allow me to rub him, but he is very careful and if I rub too hard or pat him he runs off.
I've been trying to work with him everyday for 5 months now, but he isnt getting tamer than that.
How do I start and what steps can I follow to get the halter on and to a point where I can lead him arround.
It is worrying that I cannot do this as there is no ways of giving him his innoculations or deworming without a halter.PLEASE HELP!
Kindest regards
I wish I could help but have no idea how to start with a young horse. I'm commenting on your post however because I think the Uni. needs videos on starting with a young horse. I have requested the videos and hope they really happen. They would really help me as I would like to do some breeding and have no experience with young horses.
I certainly hope and know someone will be able to help you :)
Hi plaas_popp,
I just returned from Monty's farm, where I did the Advanced Course. We learned to put halters on the young Mustangs ( who where introduced in the Newletter recently for fostering). We used a pen and a chute, let 2 youngsters in the pen and herded them through the chute a couple of times. Then we blocked them as they were in the chute, took all pressure away and let them come out again. In this manner they began to understand that being in the chute meant no pressure. When we were able to stop them the doors were closed and each colt was in it's own compartment of the chute. Next step was to approach and retreat as soon as the horse stopped reacting to the approach. The first touching should be done at the whithers, where horses groom each other. Always stay in contact with him until he relaxes, then immediately retreat. In this way he teaches you to go away when he relaxes. When he accepts being touched at the whithers, move towards the hindquarters, up the neck, towards the head, always rewarding by retreating when the horse relaxes. Now you can introduce the folded halter, touch and retreat, let it slide up the neck, drop all, except the part that goes over the neck, to the offside. Slowly introduce your other hand, sliding alongside the first arm, to carefully grab the buckle and close the halter around the neck. Retreat again. Now you can approach him again, open the buckle and slide the noseband around the nose, close the halter and be proud of yourself!
The chute we used kept us safe, and the horses too, no need to tell you that safety is crucial.
Now that the halter is on and fitted well, you can clip on a longline, open the door, so the horse comes out and keep hold of the line ( that's why it's important that the pen is not too big, he cannot escape further than the length of the line. Here you can start your training to lead.
Of course you don't have to do all this in one session, take your time and give the youngster time to digest his experiences.
I know this is a long story, I'm aware some things are hard to explain, but make sure that you're safe and ask a friend, who feels confortable around horses, to help you.
Let us know how you're doing!
Miriam
here I am again, you can see what the chute looks like in the video "You and your wilde horse", although the pen is much bigger there, since Monty works with the horse from the back of another horse.
Miriam
Clicker training could be another option for shaping the horse.
I think before you even get a halter on it, it would be good to be able to rub the horse up and down all over with no problems at all, then hopefully the horse will let you get a halter on him.
Yea, by the sound of things he doesnt trust you enough yet, so if you sit in the paddok and just be around him will help with his trust for you, just take a book or something out with you into the paddock and show him that you touching him and being there is not goint to hurt him.
Hope it helps
HorseCrazy