Buckaroo Texan Blog

 The following tells about a session with a yearling filly getting haltered.  Each colt can be handled differently and should be handled as the situation presents itself.  You will be able to pick up ideas on halter training your baby!

I am looking forward to seeing Sassafras today.  I have 3 horses I need to work with tied up in the round pen, near her pen.  I will go work with her first while the others wait for me.

 I take my bucket of brushes, rope and a halter with long soft lead and head over to her pen.  She sees me coming and nickers.  That’s a good sign.   I open her gate to let her into the small pen where I have set down the brush bucket and laid down my ropes.   She comes right in, this is where she gets fed so it is a comfortable place for her.  

She starts walking the pen and I don’t waste time, I pick up my rope and at the first opportunity, I throw a side arm loop on her.  She wheels away but the rope stays on,  it is not on her neck, and with a flip of the rope the wrong way, it comes off.  No worries, I just recoil calmly and throw a side arm loop again as she comes by me, left to right.  It settles nicely over her neck, she bolts to the other side of the pen, and then as I apply a little pressure, she stops and faces me.

Now she is ready for the fun stuff.  No getting sweaty today.  She remembers, hey that person turned out to be good yesterday!!   I approach and start to rub her, she stays put and really lets down.  I rub her face, put the coil over her face,  rub some more, block as she attempts  to pull her head away a time or two. She settles and stays with me.  Great she is ready for the halter!  I  back away from her, let out a couple of coils and reach for the halter on the fence.  She actually takes a step with me.    I reward her big time.  I go slow here.  Let her sniff the  halter and rub it on her neck first, then alternate rubbing  with  my hand then the halter and still holding the coils of my rope in the left hand.  I slip the halter on with no fuss and no resistance from her.  No big deal she says as she  licks and chews.  I clip the lead rope on and slide the coil of rope over her head and off.   I spend a few moments just rubbing her all over again.  

I brought some worm paste with me and I don’t waste time,  I handle her mouth some more and in goes the wormer, no big deal.  She said it did taste funny, but she forgave me  as I keep rubbing and making a big fuss over her.  I step back and get a brush and get to work.  Its’ a sea of horse  hair flying around in the wind, and she says it does feel so good!!!

I brush a few strokes and encourage her to move a  step my way.  Then I switch sides and encourage her to move towards me again.  In a few moments we have a pile of horsehair on the ground and she is moving a few steps at a time towards me.  She will give her head to either side with a hint of suggestion from the rope.  The rope touching her hindquarters is now getting some meaning to step over with her front and step under with her hind, on around towards me for a rub.   As I work round her with the brush, I pick up each leg a couple of times after rubbing it. 

Well done,  I end this session with her wanting more rubbing.  I take off the halter  and walk off.  I open the gate and she comes right through with a confident aire.  She looks my way with pride.   She knows she did good.   I smile and think “we are on our way, baby.!”

  My training is in the Buckaroo Way and I offer consultation services to those who believe in partnership of horse and rider. 
 Honoring the horse and horsemanship through the western buckaroo way- Jeannie