# Halter Training an unsocialized horse



## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Can you catch and hold him with ANYTHING? I've seen out of control stallions go through auctions before and nobody can catch them. _(The auction handlers use cattle prods on them.)_
I think you've got quite a job here. Here's a suggestion that is based on a farm that used to breed Welsh Mountain ponies and would show them under harness. The yearlings would be turned out together. They ALL had a very stout halter with a lead permanently attached, that would _just reach the ground._ They would teach themselves to not panic bc every time the yearling stepped on the rope he would "snag" himself. It really helped them to not panic when tied, but no human had to risk injury during the process. I think they were left with these on for a good week--usually during the dry part of the summer. By the end of the week a handler could catch them, tie them, and start training.
Honestly, if you don't train him to this it's possible that he'll be dog food in the near future bc NOBODY wants to deal with a 4yo or older that is wild. =/


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

I'm not sure I'm understanding all this. He is a gelding, which means he was caught at some point, but he is going to be the daddy to 4 foals. Can you explain that to me?


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## Sheepdog (Sep 25, 2011)

Hi guys, maybe I should clarify a few points. Iridehorses - He was gelded in January of this year, but round about this time last year while I was still under the mistaken impression that Mr Mischief did not have the neccesary equipment to get a mare pregnant he got a little naughty with a few of my mares. One foaled week before last, three more are due any day. Sure he was kinda caught to be gelded, but to use my vets' words we held a rodeo to do it. He was chased into a crush so the vet could administer the sedatives, and into that crush he did not go easily, Then he proceeded to fight us every way he could, rearing up and almost breaking the vets arm to avoid the needle among other tricks. We then let him out so he could calm down and the sedative take effect. He was despite being doped very resistant to having the anaesthtetic administered. When he eventually did succomb and the vet could get the job done he came back round in record time. Unfortunately it was geld him now or seperate him from the herd which would have driven him mad. This is why I'm reluctant to maybe put him in a crush again so we could like Corporal suggested put a halter and rope on him. although I might try that when I've gotten him to accept a halter. I know of a lady trainer in our vicinity who puts a halter on her foals then attaches the lead rope of said halter to the donkeys' halter and sending them out to graze for a day. When they come in tonight that foal leads easily. Aince I don't have a dondey like that I'll just let him drag the rope, his paddock is right on front of my house. so I can easily see if he gets himself into a tight spot.


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

Honestly, I think it sounds like you're in over your head... and it may be best to consult a professional to help you get him under some semblance of control.

Does this horse have any trust in humans? Will he allow you to walk up and touch him? If not, you should keep him in a small paddock and take responsibility for feeding him and mucking out his area daily. You'll have to desensitize him to touch and work up to getting a halter on him.

Take a look at this video for a preview of some of the work you'll need to do. This trainer is shown working with wild mustangs. I would also advise that you consider buying this trainer's DVDs (or someone similar) as a resource. Even if you don't buy her DVDs, you should check out her other videos.


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## Sheepdog (Sep 25, 2011)

Eolith
I'm definately a little deeper in the muck with this horse than I wish I was. Normally i would send him away to be trianed, but the lady first of all asks a small fortune - R1500 plus 10 bales of lucern per horse and I'm bankrupt right now. Also the lady doesn't start or tame a horse she breaks them. She starts all the horses in a jointed pelham on a curb rein. I have a person who claims to know what he's doing willing to buy him, but would prefer him halter tame. He will not allow anybody to approach nearer than about one to two metres from him if he"s at liberty. He normally lives out in the veld with the rest of my about ten strong herd. His father was the same way, I did "join up" with him when he was about Mischiefs age and it worked well enough, after that I could catch him. I eventually sold him to somebody else cause we never could get any further than halter tame. He seemed genuinely scared of a saddle and would kick anybody foolish enough to try and touch his legs/ belly. Mischief was never supposed to become a dad. up unitill about two months ago `i fully believed I had gelded him in time to prevent "rouge genes" from continuing to exist. All the best laid plans of mice and men...


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## Sheepdog (Sep 25, 2011)

I forgot to ask the name of the trainer in the video, my connection is too slow, I will have to wait till I go to town next week and have a faster connection to watch the video. I did buy myself CA's Colt starting series though. He is one of the few trainers whose dvd's are readily available for sale here in SA.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I loved that video! Is that what you are using with your BLM mustang, Eolith?


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## eventerjumpergirl (May 6, 2011)

Hey, 
So..umm, my two geldings I recieved had similar issues. One I did not keep after he finally tried to strike at my head after 3 months of work and him making it very clear he did not want people around. And of course, at my age, he is above my skill level and I dont want to get hurt. So he's back in pasture. Anyways, the other one has taken me 3 months and gone from wild, jumping fences to avoid people and kicking to semi quiet but hot, being ridden and even knows how to bow. So its not impossible. But if you do not have experience, I would suggest getting a trainer..which is not likely as trainers wont take a problem like that. I would suggest somehow getting him into a paddock or a pen and roundpenning the crap out of him for a week. If you dont know how to round pen, I can make you a video likely and explain it to you. But be aware that you need to be extremely quick with your timing and able to move fast. 

Where are you located?


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

tinyliny said:


> I loved that video! Is that what you are using with your BLM mustang, Eolith?


Yep tinyliny, the techniques in the video are a lot of what I did initially with my little wild one. He's such a good boy he doesn't need any tricks to be touched or caught any more though!  Just today I went out and put a halter on him and led him around like an old pro. We're currently working on desensitizing his legs as prep for picking up and handling his hooves... he's going to need them trimmed soon so it's the priority right now.

Sheepdog, the trainer's name is Kitty Lauman... she's based in Oregon state in the US. I didn't realize that you weren't in the US; that might make it tricky to get this trainer's DVDs or anything.


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## AmazinCaucasian (Dec 10, 2010)

Eolith said:


> Preview of From Wild to Willing.wmv - YouTube


I rest my case


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

AmazinCaucasian said:


> I rest my case


I'm sorry... what case is being rested?


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

I have been watching horse roping videos on You Tube all day, so I say..rope him!!! lol

Ok but seriously that lady in the video above that bends down in front of that paint horse to touch his nose is someday going to her head pawed.


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

Did you watch the video, or are you making that assessment solely from the picture?


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Eolith said:


> Did you watch the video, or are you making that assessment solely from the picture?



Oh I watched the video. I have started enough desert horses, and that makes me nervous when they get bowed up in the neck and look at you like that.

I am not ragging all that video, like starting one in a square pen, I actually like it better than a round pen sometimes. And I have haltered horses in a chute before too.


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## ButtInTheDirt (Jan 16, 2011)

Keep him in a smaller paddock and bring hay and water to him every day. Just give him a bucket of water and refill it every few hours. If he gets used to you bringing the food and water he might be more inclined to let you halter him. But it won't just happen over night. If you want to tame him you will have to put in weeks of dedication!


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## xxBarry Godden (Jul 17, 2009)

Sheepdog - it seems you are in a pickle. 
No money, but lots of horses, several unbroken. Combined with being short on expertise you present a real conundrum as to what to do about your spirited 4 yo alpha male gelding which earlier as a 3 yo stallion inseminated 4 mares. Not surprisingly, you can’t catch the horse. So you ask for help over the Internet. 
Oh My, Lady, if only it were that easy.

*Firstly you need to bring this thread to the attention of Kevinhorses & Smrobs*. Listen to what they have to say. They know about horses from the Western perspective.

In a separate post I’ll finish off and post an idea as to how we in the UK might tackle your problem.
Most of we Brits can’t use a rope and invariably those stallions not kept for breeding are castrated at a young age. It occurs to me that you want to close the stable door, after the horse has bolted through the door you left open,


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Eolith said:


> Did you watch the video, or are you making that assessment solely from the picture?



I didn't mean to offend you about the video you posted last night. I do have an issue with inexperienced people taking advice from videos posted on YouTube. A lot of videos posted on there have bad advice. (I think that is what Amazin' was getting to)

Like I said before, that gal made me nervous getting in front of a horse like that. That is just as bad as standing directly behind one. Even someone on this thread said she got pawed at. If you want one to reach out and smell you like she was, stand to one side. Have you noticed when horses introduce themselves to each other for the first time they will stand shoulder to shoulder and bend there heads down and back to smell the other, usually not directly in front. Because when one squeals they paw at each other.

Running them into chute, like she showed, I think would be the safest option. If the OP could find a trainer that wanted to deal with this horse and had a chute would be ideal. Run the horse loose up into a trailer, haul over there, get him in a chute, work on getting him haltered and let him drag a lead rope for a couple of weeks. 

I just really hate to see someone get hurt...


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