I recently adopted a Sulfur Mustang mare from the BLM. I know how to train horses on ground work and in the saddle. I'm just kind of confused on how to get her haltered for the first time. I've tried to sit near and in her pen and she won't come up to me. I've, also, tried to use another horse to gentle her. Does ANYONE have any suggestions on what to do other than hiring someone? She is about 2 years old and around 14 or 15 hands.
Sulfur Spanish Mustang
- Thread starter Valentine
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fenceman
Well-known member
We've had a couple of those little blm adopt a horses over the years. For the most part smart good little horses once you get past the never been handled part. You gotta start somewhere.
She ain't gonna just walk up and stick her head in the halter.
I d get her in the round pen and rope her. Work her on the rope like you would a halter. The round pen gives you the ability to do this.
Work her to a good foam and a low head. Then start rewarding good with very short periods of rest. Bad= back to work.
I'm no pro , but that's what I would do.
She ain't gonna just walk up and stick her head in the halter.
I d get her in the round pen and rope her. Work her on the rope like you would a halter. The round pen gives you the ability to do this.
Work her to a good foam and a low head. Then start rewarding good with very short periods of rest. Bad= back to work.
I'm no pro , but that's what I would do.
ropinranger
Well-known member
I'll second what fenceman said!! The only other thing I'll add is that you can't put a lot of pressure on them. You have to use less than you would a normal domestic colt...they will sure try to climb the pen on you if put too much pressure on them.
Once you get them moving off, no matter which direction or speed, relax and let them find a place to stop. Don't get after them once they are moving.
Once you get them moving off, no matter which direction or speed, relax and let them find a place to stop. Don't get after them once they are moving.
M-5
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I've haltered alot of horses by running them down the cattle chute alley. It needs to be solid sides and tall. I've also put them in stalls and shorten it with a panel so it can't turn around . roping will work Also.
I know my suggestion is not the advice you want and you're not going to like it, however, it might keep you in one piece.Valentine":cdzg3ej4 said:
Send her to someone.
We halter break foals every year and everyone is right on the thread so far, roping a colt thats been raised on the ranch and been to the pens, around people etc., to put a halter on it when one knows what they are doing is about the most anti-climactic thing around the vast majority of time.
Swap said colt out for a Mustang 2 year old (my gut tells me she's 3 or 4) that stays on the opposite end of the corral, has no prior ground work and a person with a novice skill set and the dynamics change drastically.
I think you're heart is in the right place and I hope you end this journey with a real nice using mare but it doesn't sound to me like this process is for you on your own.
In my experience, people who legitimately "know how to train horses on ground work and in the saddle" have a pretty good grasp on how to halter a horse for the first time without turning to the internet for advice.
All could go very well without incident, the problem is it might not. The horses' limited experience with people and confinement and contact coupled with your limited experience with this sort of thing might produce a wreck, that if you're honest with yourself, you might not be equipped to handle.
Good luck and be safe.
Ol' 243
Well-known member
^^^^^^^ what he said.
How tall is the pen you are going to work this filly, and can you get away from her if she goes postal? I agree, that fooling with a mustang requires plenty of skill. If I was going to halter her, I'd run her down my cattle chute. If I thought she could handle the pressure, I might stretch her. It's doubtful she could though.
OK I have been working with horses for over a decade so I know this may sound strange, but I always handle horses like the indians used. I've learned how to from a lady who is a native american and she learned from her 'tribe' as she called them. I have been looking up different ways to train and handle horses recently.
Muddy
Well-known member
My uncle had two adopted mustangs, you gonna run them in the cattle alley to put the halter on them and starts to praying they're not gonna fight back. Don't do it alone.
wonder how this ended up? 20 years ago when I adopted one, they haltered her as they loaded her in my trailer. but yeah, I would probably throw a rope or if she settled down in a few days to where I could put her in a tight spot and start petting her head with out an explosion I would work to try putting a halter on through the fence - especially if she is comfortable standing in that tight spot with another gentle horse.
littletom
Well-known member
In college we did a 10 week internships at horse farms, ranches all over the country. My room mate did his in Nevada, they caught mustangs started them and sold them. Where he was they put them in round pen roped them snubbed to post saddled up. You know the drill. He could tell some stories from the wrecks. Be safe!
