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Post by nrly on Aug 21, 2011 19:41:54 GMT -5
two things happened this week, we took nugget off of mom,she lost way to much weight, due to him still nursing, and the heat here. So we separated them on Friday. I feel so bad for Stormy and her weight loss.
2nd-Nugget was halter broke today, we waited a bit to long for this i am afraid to say. But he was and is halter broke for the most part, we know we will have fights to come for a while...but once he realized corner meant breathing, out of corner meant running, he calmed down and allowed Doreen work with the halter,and we will work with him again Tuesday.I am not allowed to do anything right now. I am facing total knee replacement surgery next month...I have it all on video. Doreen and Jim were awesome, and so was nugget(towards the end)
Now i was wondering if anyone else has had issues with halters, if they happened to delay it like we did, that will not happen again.
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Post by Michelle Clarke on Aug 21, 2011 21:32:53 GMT -5
Nola...there is only a rare occasion when we put a halter on a foal under a year old. We use a neck rope on them until then (one that does not tighten) and the halter is no big deal once they learn to yield and follow the neck rope. This way there is no pressure on the poll and they don't feel trapped; don't try to flip over and learn to give hindquarters very quickly.
Then I progress to a rope halter with the neck rope still on and run through the bottom of the halter until they get used to light pressure on the nose. I don't want them to experience any panic. Even before they get the neck rope, I can trim feet, deworm, etc. all without restraint anyway so the neck rope or halter at some point is just a natural progression - it is not a new idea.
I am fixing to work with Troy, who is almost six months old now - I'll get video and pictures.
Mind you - this is just the way I do it - no judgement passed on anyone elses' methods.
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Post by DianneC on Aug 22, 2011 0:05:23 GMT -5
Haltering was the hardest thing in the world to learn for me on my first foals. I had to learn clicker training for Cedar to get her to accept a bridle, once I learn it I used for foals and love it. They don't care about treats but they love being scratched. The halter is introduced slowly, first by touching it, As long as their nose is where I want it they are being scratched, if they move their nose away the scratching stops. Then I ask to have their nose through one of the larger openings, then dangling beneath their chin, then finally on. Many, many little steps with a click of the tongue to mark the correct moment of what I want - holding still, and a minute of great scratches in their favorite place, but not too long - just when they are getting into it I stop and ask again. Once the halter is something they look forward to I start applying a very light feel to the cheek piece, they will usually go away the first time and I go with them trying to keep the same feel, no more and not any less. They will usually stop for an instant and I click in that second and release and scratch. The next time they will think about it and try something different. The moment they move their head toward the pressure or even think about it I'll click and reward the try. Rio was the smartest, it only took three tries and he was moving his feet toward me. Only when they are very soft and following the feel on the halter will I use a lead rope, and then only in a small area in case they get loose and are scared by the lead rope chasing them. That's a good way to have a foal go through a fence and get hurt. With the lead rope you are having a conversation, asking the question "can you move your feet?" by applying a very light feel of pressure. The instant they move a tiny bit toward you release, click and scratch. Then you ask again, and when they make the right response you give a little release as if to say YES! that's the right answer, and then pick up the feel again as if to ask "can you move them a little more?"
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Post by sbutter on Aug 22, 2011 0:27:00 GMT -5
For TBs we have to start pretty young. We don't like to force anything on them, so we do things in little increments over several days or more depending on the horse. We start teaching them how to lead as soon as we need to take them anywhere (pasture to pasture or other farms, etc). At first the foal handler just controls the speed so the baby isn't racing around everywhere, but stays content following mom. We never haul on the butt rope and drag the baby. The butt rope is just to encourage the baby to move its feet if the baby gets "stuck." The butt rope is used less and less until we don't need it at all to lead. For our babies this happens before weaning. Once they are weaned, we don't ask them to do anything for a couple of days since they are frustrated and they aren't in a positive frame of mind. Each baby is different and we take the little steps that are needed. We keep the first lessons very short. Some babies (at least some TBs) have a hard time retaining lessons, so we handle them several times a day, but no more than 5 minutes each time. We do everything we can to keep the lessons positive and establish trust. All our babies can load up into the trailer, wash rack, lead, handle feet, etc before they are turned out to pasture as weanlings. When we introduce the trailer, we never let them walk into it on the first day. Some of them want to storm their way in and then panic while they are inside. We will ask them to walk up the ramp and then back down it several times so they know they can retreat safely if they don't feel comfortable. Some babies are too scared to go within 3' of the ramp, so we work where they are comfortable and slowly go from there each day. Short, positive lessons are key.
For an older foal, we would handle it more like Dianne just posted. You don't want the baby to panic. Forcing things just get you into more trouble and issues later on.
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Post by fantasykiger on Aug 22, 2011 11:29:21 GMT -5
I am an earlier starter with the halter only because I have put it off the past and it just takes longer as I don't force anything and I don't rush, all good things come to those that wait. I don't let babies run much. I use that good ol' curiousity to my advantage they always come back.
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Post by nrly on Aug 22, 2011 12:28:38 GMT -5
yes we did do the rope around the neck first, after he allowed us to even get close with it. i have had problems with him letting me get any rope around his neck since he was born. it is done, now we keep working with him and the halter...i did learn allot..and i will keep learning to make it easier the next time.
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Post by angelsdream on Aug 22, 2011 13:04:39 GMT -5
I put a foal halter on my babies and let them get used to the feel of the halter first without the lead line - they work it out on there own but I dont really start teaching them to lead til 4 or 5 months old, just enough to where you can lead them with mom and not have them running free. Everyone has there own way, do what's best for you  |
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Post by gotkiger on Aug 22, 2011 16:11:50 GMT -5
I haltered Frodo at three days old. Now i can lead him anywhere with Dollie. But living near a busy road and having to take them from pasture to corral i didnt have an option when he started to have an opinion of where he wanted to go. The qtr horse filly that was born a few weeks later has never had anything done to her. She is now 4 months and flighty as all get out like her mama. I am using a neck rope and getting her use to the halter rubbing all over her body. She flips out at the sound of the jingling buckle. Of these two methods i have to say i prefer getting them use to it from the first week. imo.
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Post by nrly on Aug 24, 2011 20:30:53 GMT -5
Nugget can now lead, not perfect yet,but Doreen held the lead rope with just 2 fingers after a 30 min. session,and only his second. Now I watch, but can not do, I am having total knee replacement surgery soon, so the work needed to be done has been done by her and my husband Jim. We do work with him 3 times a week, 30 mins. is all. I am impressed with how smart he is, this breed is awesome.
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Post by Michelle Clarke on Aug 24, 2011 20:57:42 GMT -5
That's so great Nola! They learn so quickly...another reason I never fret about having to hurry up and do things with them as they try hard and figure things out so well. Glad you are having so much fun with your Kigers!
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Post by nrly on Aug 25, 2011 14:29:43 GMT -5
yes I am. and they do learn quickly. I have video of each session then burn onto a dvd.
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Post by fantasykiger on Aug 25, 2011 15:08:36 GMT -5
it will be great to watch the videos and watch them later and see how he learned along the way I like video it has been a great tool for me. So glad to that you can be there to watch the work done with your boy. |
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Post by nrly on Sept 1, 2011 2:14:06 GMT -5
we haven't done much since it has been way to hot, even the nights are not cooling down much. today was 112 degrees, man am so looking forward to cooler summers...Snowflake here we come, soon.
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Post by Michelle Clarke on Sept 1, 2011 6:40:03 GMT -5
I'm with you Nola...been in the triple digits here for over 70 days - not used to it. It has gotten up to 109 some days, been 105/6 here the last week. Relief is coming...
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Post by nrly on Sept 7, 2011 11:42:58 GMT -5
Nugget was wormed last night, and what a sweet boy. while the others were so stiff lipped. cracked me up. even his mom didn't like it.
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