Halter breaking a 2YO

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Cowboy15

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Hello Everyone
I was wonting some advise about Halter breaking my 2 year old horse she is a small horse.
Any advise apprieciated!
Thanks Sam
 
I am no expert but this is how I did it with one of mine. The horse was gentle enough to let me touch her. Every day at feeding I would bring the halter and lead rope out and hang it by the feed bunk. When she got used to that I started using it to rub on her with. All around the neck, face etc. She finally tolerated and even begin to enjoy it. After a few days she let me slip it over her head and back off without buckling it. I repeated this over and over with lots of praise when she stood still. Finally I was able to put it on and off at will. Leading was a different matter. I tied an old inner tube to a tree then tied the lead rope to the other side of the inner tube and then put the halter on. She of course pulled and pulled but got nowhere. After she fought it for awhile she allowed me to undo the lead rope from the tube and she followed me around like a puppy. Then it was just a matter of working on her leading manners etc. The inner tube has enough give to keep them from hurting themselves and they wear themselves out pulling against it. I made sure that every time she got the halter put on it was a good experience. Lots of petting, brushing and horsey treats. Now she equates the halter with good things and comes running when she sees it in my hand. She will even poke her head into it when I hold it open.
 
I apperiecate the advise i will try that. But would you use serveral inner tubes or just one? Do i leave her tied up until she repects the rope?
Thanks Sam
 
I used a tractor inner tube. Thick and strong. I did leave her tied up for some time after she quit fighting the rope. I am not saying that what I did was the best way but it worked for me. Make sure that if you try this method that the tree or postthat you tie the inner tube to is by itself and in the shade. The horse can hurt itself by hitting any other trees or objects and can overheat in the sun. When my horse quit struggling I brought it a bucket of water and some hay.
 
Oh boy, I bet there are as many ways to do this as there are cowboys.

Will she lead on a rope at all? If so I would get her used to a cowboy halter first. That is where you have the rope around her neck and then throw a loop through that and around her nose. The nose loop is much easier to get on then a halter is and it will teach her to respect it. Make sure you have a long enough lead rope so that if she bolts you can turn her nose and stop her. I would use at least a 15 foot lead.

Another thing I would do first is to teach her to drop her head down. Put your hand on top of her head between her ears and put and keep slight pressure there till she gives the least little amount. As soon as she gives release the pressure right away. Keep this up till you can just lay you hand on her head and she will drop it. This will make a lot of things easier in the future for you.

Depending on how wild she is Hoss had some good ideas also.
 
Cowboy15":3ffijwx6 said:
She has not been on a halter or had a rope on her.
Thanks Sam

Do you have a round pen? If so, ease the rope around her neck while rubbing her and talking in a quiet low tone. Once you get the rope around her neck, throw a loop through it and get this loop around her nose. Ease back away from her a couple feet and be prepared to keep her nose turned to you with the rope (gloves help a lot here). If she bolts you should be able to keep her spinning in a circle till she stops. Just let her move till she decides to stop. Ease up to her, rub her, and talk easy to her. Keep this up till she quits the bolting. At least that is how I would start one. This can be done in an open area also but make sure the area is fenced in case she gets away. I think you will find this is the fastest way too. Well, you could bring her to me too. :D
 
I do not have a round pen but i have a cattle pen that i just put panels up in the corners. Let me make sure i have the halter thing down. so the loop that i slide over her neck it is seperate from the loop i put on her nose?
Thanks Sam
 
I call it a cowboy halter. It is all from one piece of rope. Tie one end of the rope around her neck make sure it is not a slip knot! Once it is tied around her neck, push the rope up through the loop around her neck while holding the end of the rope. Basically you will push a loop up through the loop on her neck forming a nose band.

Another way to descibe it is, make the loop around her neck, once this is done take the free end of the rope you just tied around her neck through the loop around her neck, take the free end around her nose and then back through the loop on her neck again.

Here, I found a link. http://www.cowboyshowcase.com/cowboy_training_halter.htm
 
Thank yall both for the advise i very much appriecated! i think i will try the cowboy halter first and see how well that works.
Thanks Sam
 
Flaboy,
I am just trying to get her used to me and gain some more confidence before i go to trying to halter break her she will come up to me with feed and eat out of the bucket but she will not let pet her without feed.
thats all i have acomplished.
Sam
 
It's too bad yo don't have a round pen. Things would much faster and easier for you. In the round pen you don't have to catch her. You can work her and gain respect and soon she would just approach you.

My 3YO when I started him would only meet me half way in the pen but I can live with that.
 
Yeah that is what i have been told she is doing okay has came a long way. She likes to bite me.
sam
 

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