I have a Purebred Brahman Heifer that is 10 months old. She is the sweetest thing out there, but she will not walk when i pull on her lead line. If i'm walking around in the pen she will follow me around the whole thing, but again as soon as i pull on the line she's done and stands like a rock. The only way she'll walk with it is if i take her out in the big area and when i do that she gets super jumpy and acts like she is going to take off(which she will if i don't stop her). I will be showing her in January 2012. I have tried treats, putting my hip in her side, pulling, everything. When she gets excited i can make her stop and calm down, so anything please help. Again.-If you have any ideas please let me know! For a little bit more information im 14, and i'm a skinny chick; Its hard for me to move her now because she's gotten much bigger! (: Thank You!
Leading.
- Thread starter Agitup08
- Start date
kenny thomas
Well-known member
You may have told the reason. If your skinny (stay that way) she knows you are not strong enough or heavy enough to make her move. Have you tried letting a big guy lead her? We have had to hook them to a donkey or a tractor to get them to lead. They just have to realize you are in control.
James T
Well-known member
Are you attaching the lead to her when you arrive or has she been trained to have a lead on her all the time already? If not, try attaching a 5 foot, medium weight, lead to her and leaving it on her 24/7. Let her get used to the lead on her own first. Give it a few days and try again.
Mid South Guy
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2011
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I had one once that did just as you describe. I broke her by tying her to a truck, then having another person drive slowly while I walked in front of her with hand on lead rope as if I was leading her. When she would balk and lockup I just let the truck pull her and she soon gave up and realized she could not out pull me. Never had any more problems. A word of caution. Just make sure you are ALWAYS in a position that you can escape if she lunges or jumps forward. You do not ever want to let her to be able to pin you against the truck. Having a third person walking behind for safety and assistance would be advisable.
Farmerjon
Well-known member
As long as your area won't snag the lead rope, yes leave it drag, it will teach her to "give" to the rope. When my daughters were first in 4H they were little squirts. We kept their 4H steers in milking stanchions to eliminate to much or to little rope when tied for the night. So we walked their calves each night behind a wagon pulled by the tractor. They sat in the wagon and held another rope snapped on their calves halter and talked to their calves and made them step up and such. The nightly sessions did many things, we as a family had a lot of time to talk, the calves got exercised and the girls spent quality time with them.
novatech
Well-known member
Brahmans are all about fear. For some reason she fears she will be hurt. You must convince her there is no reason to fear the process and their is a reward for good behavior. With the halter on her just stand without trying to lead. When she takes even one step reward her with a scratch and verbal approval. Take her off of food and water. Let her walk to it with you holding the lead rope. The only time she gets it is when you go with her to it. When you do try and lead do not pull to go forward but turn her to the side as if you want her to turn around. If she takes even one step then reward her with the scratch and praise. Do not do this for long periods. Keep the lessons short and sweet. Leave the rope on 24/7, if you do this make sure there is no bruising associated with the halter, you do not want pain or discomfort associated with the process. She needs to learn it will not hurt her. The next step in the training is to use a long lead rope in a pen where you can stand in the middle. Let her stand at the out side with you in the middle. When she moves forward or even turn toward you reward her.
Training Brahman is much like how we would raise a child. Your parents could beat you or drag you into submission or they could convince you that what you have to do is a good thing. Children are much more likely to do thinks right in the long run to acquire their parents praise than getting yelled at all the time. That just makes them want to avoid the parents all together. Brahman are no different.
A very good article no matter the breed;
http://brahmanjournal.com/brahman/?p=3415
Training Brahman is much like how we would raise a child. Your parents could beat you or drag you into submission or they could convince you that what you have to do is a good thing. Children are much more likely to do thinks right in the long run to acquire their parents praise than getting yelled at all the time. That just makes them want to avoid the parents all together. Brahman are no different.
A very good article no matter the breed;
http://brahmanjournal.com/brahman/?p=3415
With balky oxen training calves, I looped a loop of rope over their rump and down to the hocks and let it just lay their, when they balked I would give it a gentle pull while releasing the pull on the lead.
Farmerjon
Well-known member
The other thing to do, tie her. Have water within eyesight. Untie and let her go to the water yet thinking you are leading her. Doing this a few times a day and taking different routes to the water and back to the tie area will train her with little to no fighting on your part. It is all about making what you want to happen be the easiest thing for her to do.
Farmerjon
Well-known member
Agitup08, we used to raise and sell draft ponies. We have a chicken coop that is 30X200'. When we weaned the foals we would tie them in tie stalls in the "pony" barn. Two days or so we would put a light driving harness on them during the day. Within a couple of days when we unsnapped them and said back, they knew to back out of the stall. They knew they were going to water at the other end of the barn. Once done drinking they knew that there was grain in their stalls so they wanted to go back. Using these incentives we started "driving" them using long lines on their halters. Eventually (usually less than two weeks) we could line drive these weanlings from their stalls and back. Then we would open the barn and drive around the barn to get to the other end. Within days they enjoyed getting out and getting exercised and being driven. We always got good money for these weanlings when people would stop to see them and then we would line drive them out of the barn wearing a driving harness. Utilize their stomach and brain. Make what you want them to do to be easier than what they want to do, or in other terms, make them think they are doing what they want but are actually doing what you want them to do.
lavacarancher
Well-known member
Farmerjon":10kj0rvg said:
Agit/farmerjon, I don't mean for this to be condescending but if you tie her make sure the knot in the rope won't tighten up around her neck. Use a "horse knot" (Bolin) so that when she pulls against it the knot won't slip and start to choke her. Please excuse my butting in.
Farmerjon
Well-known member
lavacarancher":27bdknhr said:
No problem here. I didn't even think to add that. Actually we didn't use neck ropes. But on my horse I tie a repair link into the rope for a permanent fix. But yes, if you use a neck rope, make sure it can't slip if and when they pull back.
Not butting in lavacarancher, it is a public forum and any help is welcomed I am sure.
What we did with horses that were pullers was put a rope around their withers and chest with a bicycle innertube tied to it and and loop in the rope then the rope through the halter ring and snugged there then tied them up. When they owuld pull back the inner tube would pull tight and they would be squeezed around the chest and would give to the tension on that. As stupid as horses are they caught on to that pretty quick.Farmerjon":3mgpo2tq said:
