Difficult animals to break in?

[aussie_cowgirl]

So I was reminiscing about a little Hereford steer we used to have and were breaking in who would not walk. Poly pipe didn't work. Tractor didn't work and we finally and reluctantly got the cattle prod. Turns out the little guy liked it. He'd get zapped, walk a few metres and turn around to wait for his next zapp. Messed up yeah? He did come good though and went to the show.

So what have been your strange or difficult experiences breaking in show cattle?

 

[Australian]

I've had Brahmans at times lead well but come to loading onto the truck and they lie down on the loading ramp. I just take their halter off they then walked onto the truck and I put the halter back on.I've had them lie down in the judging ring especially if the judge is taking too long to make a decision.
Colin

 

[showing71]

I have had calves that won't walk on the halter period. They would just fall down and then lay there, no matter what I did to try and get them up, until I took the halter off and then they would get up and walk off. The most difficult one we have ever broke was a Kadabra heifer who would take off running as soon as we put the halter on her. We tried tying her to the 4 wheeler once. My dad was walking along side of her and my sister was driving, and the heifer took off, jumped over the 4 wheeler and got the rope wrapped around my sister's leg. My sister still had an indentation from it. After that, she was lead by the tractor and walked smoothly. But whenever we tried walking her by hand she would put her head down and run. We showed her, and oddly she was perfectly fine in the ring, but had 2 breaking halters on her outside the ring. She is still in the herd, and she is the only high headed animal we have, but she throws a good calf, so she'll be there until she doesn't anymore.

 

[Keren]

So far I've never had one that I couldnt break.

There has been difficult ones that I look back fondly on, though

I always had a couple each year than needed the tractor.

Some memorable guys were:

Butterscotch - tiny ABC steer only came up to my waist (and I'm only 150cm) but man, was he aggro. Used to charge like all get out. Got one girl down on the concrete and layed into her, I've never run so fast nor hit a steer so hard with a shovel in the head. She was alright.

Vyindo - big ol shorthorn steer who learned that he was heavier than us - and of course learned he could get away. Unfortunately the first time he tried it, the person leading him let go. Bull ring and tractor fixed him.

Bronco - was so so so so scared when I first got him that he would actually stand there and shake if I came near him. He was a tiny little Limo x Shaver steer and he always was a bit fiery, never really bombproof. I loved that steer to bits, he was a ripper. He was the one who got a pitchfork stuck through his leg at the show :frowns:

Timmy - limo x mg steer - never had a problem with him till I got to canberra show, we had a judge who likes to comment as he is judging the class, well everytime he commented, the microphone would crackle and timmy would take off like lightening. I never did let go of him but he must have taken off 5 or 6 times between the steer judging and the handlers class. Worked out well for handlers, I won champ with him, but not so good in the steer judging, the judge almost placed him but then decided not too in case he cut dark. He didnt.

Gretel - mg heifer - hardest thing was getting her from the paddock into the yards to work on her - she knew what we were doing and would go and stand in the middle of the dam so we couldnt get her

Probably the most memorable was Snowball - black angus steer. He's the only animal I thought I might never be able to break. But I got there in the end. He was nasty - he'd bite, kick, charge and bolt. Nothing spectacular about this story, just nothing would work. Tractor didnt work. Hackamore didnt work. Bull ring didnt work. Nothing worked. I only got him broken in about 2 weeks before Sydney. For some reason, one day something just clicked and he was perfect. Go figure

I generally have animals that bolt, never really got one with a persistant handbrake. Well, except one. Nepal was a mg steer and I think he was a little retarded. He didnt seem to have any pain sensation. And he had one helluva handbrake. Nothing worked to get him to move forward - twisting the tail, hitting with various objects, electric prod, tractor, nothing. He just stood there. I even tried pulling him forward by a bull ring. Nothing doing, but boy it was surprising how elongated a steers nose can get lol. Again with this guy, one day something just clicked and he walked normally.

I miss my steers :heart: