# 8 Month old stud colt- Halter Breaking



## WhattaTroublemaker (Aug 13, 2013)

Okay, I'm going to help you as much as I can through the computer since I completely understand not being able to afford a trainer. I say get physical. When you say you're not experienced - please explain further. Do you know enough not to get killed? Do you have a barn? make a "shoot" or just herd him into a narrow space (a V) with the help of a friend, where his front legs can't get you. stand on something and quickly halter him and let him go. You WILL need a small space to halter him. Otherwise he's just going to play games. He'll get kicks eventually of coming to see then running away, which could - from my experience- lead to playful kicking out. It's hard to teach respect with no ability to muscle them around. Ask for help, talk to older people who've had horses about quick efficient ways to halter. There's no use beating around the bush with "gentling techniques", at 8 months old he needs respect and the basics ASAP. If you have a barn you can always just put him in there, sling the halter over your arms and work on letting you touch him all over, grabbing his poll, moving and suppling his face, dropping his head to hand pressure, leave the halter at your shoulder for a few days and then start rubbing with it. I prefer not to take days on something that should have been done yesterday. 

Once you have him haltered tie him to a GOOD sturdy pole, with a GOOD thick rope or chain. Leave him be for a few days and be his lifeline. He will need you for food, water, everything. Use this time to work on leading and picking up feet in a very confined space like a barn free of distractions. Make him back up, back, back, back across the whole barn and be SUPER firm and clear on what is respectful and what is not. 

I was in the same situation as you a year ago, buddy dropped this wild colt in my barn and said "I wouldn't go in there for a few days, let him settle down." I strapped on my helmet and went to see him anyway. He was nine months old and never handled. Very mistrusting of people. He immediately jumped over the panel coral I had him in in the barn and cut himself quite badly, so I was faced with two options: Either fight with a fence jumper and rig up the barn to work as a free stall, or teach him something THAT day and tie him. The latter seemed the better option, I could check his feet, dress his wounds. I tied him twice and he pulled the rings out of the wall. This was a mistake, I should have realized before, but I then fixed a chain to the support beam of the barn, and tied him so he WASN'T getting away. He pulled and fell and flopped around, it was a really worrying sight I admit, but the best way to teach them is to let them teach themselves. I stayed near in case any complications came up but eventually he gave up against this horrible straight tall monster who refused to let him out of it's grip. Let me tell you, a beam is a lot stronger than I ever will be so I let it do the work. 

I immediately went to work gentling him, but you don't have to do that, I assume. I picked his feet up over and over, threw ropes at him, slapped the ground, jumped around, yelled, and then let him explore the barn supervised for a bit, spending some quality time with him. I fed him, watered him, and tied him for the night. Within three days I could pick all four feet, he tied well, and was starting to lead. He also yielded his hind quarters thanks to my trusty dressage whip. I gave him a lot to learn in a few days, but it was a very SOLID start on the basics he needed months ago. I'm here to help you through this, is you encounter any serious problems please feel free to PM me!


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## gssw5 (Jul 30, 2013)

Not to sound harsh but the way I see it you should sell him. Young horses need to be trained, and generally the one who is training needs to have experience or the guidance of someone who is experienced giving hands on help. 

If your hell bent on keeping him then I suggest you first educate yourself on horse training using positive reinforcement. It is less stressful on the horse and safer for you since a lot of work is done at liberty, your not trying to force anything and getting yourself into bad situations you cannot get out of easily.

I have started horses using negative reinforcement and positive reinforcement, I much prefer positive reinforcement for the untouched horses, who have no handling. When we adopted our most recent BLM mustang he was wild out of the pens, we started him using positive reinforcement. Within a week he was haltering himself, and happy to be with us. Whereas the previous BLM mare after two weeks we ended up roping her and putting the halter on her, it was a lot more work and more dangerous as we were working with ropes which just adds another element.

Since your colt already follows you around, if you just change the way your trying to get the halter on him, he will be haltering himself in no time.

Here is a link to some videos that go through food manners, the first time touching a mustang, and some other good information on positive reinforcement.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUPascJP2bfl1i862ixdQ3A


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## gssw5 (Jul 30, 2013)

WhattaTroublemaker said:


> Okay, I'm going to help you as much as I can through the computer since I completely understand not being able to afford a trainer. I say get physical. When you say you're not experienced - please explain further. Do you know enough not to get killed? Do you have a barn? make a "shoot" or just herd him into a narrow space (a V) with the help of a friend, where his front legs can't get you. stand on something and quickly halter him and let him go. You WILL need a small space to halter him. Otherwise he's just going to play games. He'll get kicks eventually of coming to see then running away, which could - from my experience- lead to playful kicking out. It's hard to teach respect with no ability to muscle them around. Ask for help, talk to older people who've had horses about quick efficient ways to halter. There's no use beating around the bush with "gentling techniques", at 8 months old he needs respect and the basics ASAP. If you have a barn you can always just put him in there, sling the halter over your arms and work on letting you touch him all over, grabbing his poll, moving and suppling his face, dropping his head to hand pressure, leave the halter at your shoulder for a few days and then start rubbing with it. I prefer not to take days on something that should have been done yesterday.
> 
> Once you have him haltered tie him to a GOOD sturdy pole, with a GOOD thick rope or chain. Leave him be for a few days and be his lifeline. He will need you for food, water, everything. Use this time to work on leading and picking up feet in a very confined space like a barn free of distractions. Make him back up, back, back, back across the whole barn and be SUPER firm and clear on what is respectful and what is not.
> 
> ...


I am sorry but what you have described sounds barbaric, and dangerous. Taking an untrained horse of any age snubbing it to a pole is a good way to get somebody killed, provided that they even get the halter on the horse and then wrestle it to a place to snub it. I feel sorry for your horses.

There is no rush to teach this horse anything it has already been 8 months another few taking things slow will not do any harm. Following your advice however will leave permanent scars. People adopt wild mustangs all the time, horses of all ages and gentle them gently. Age has nothing to do with it. 

This colt is already farther along then a wild horse, he follows the OP around, why damage that relationship. I am not a tree hugger by any means, sometimes you just have to get the job done but this is not one of those times. As the supposedly higher evolved species we should be treating horses in such barbaric ways as described above.

OP please look into using positive reinforcement, it is based on learning theory and has years of scientific research and backing it. And it is safe for the horse.


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## WhattaTroublemaker (Aug 13, 2013)

gssw5 said:


> I am sorry but what you have described sounds barbaric, and dangerous. Taking an untrained horse of any age snubbing it to a pole is a good way to get somebody killed, provided that they even get the halter on the horse and then wrestle it to a place to snub it. I feel sorry for your horses.
> 
> There is no rush to teach this horse anything it has already been 8 months another few taking things slow will not do any harm. Following your advice however will leave permanent scars. People adopt wild mustangs all the time, horses of all ages and gentle them gently. Age has nothing to do with it.
> 
> ...


Please don't feel sorry for my horses... It was what needed to be done. I had no time, no space. He's not dangerous in any way, and after this episode I never had a problem with him at all. He's the best horse I've ever handled. He's not afraid of anything, has the utmost confidence in me, and he learned quick. It's not as if I tied him and let him fight for his life. If he showed any signs of pain I'd have cut the tie. He was frightened, but he thought about it after awhile, and he quickly realized that when he released the pressure so did it. After this I never had any problems with him, we do do positive reinforcement, but I had absolutely no time to beat around the bush to teach him his basics. They had to be done and done then. But to say you feel sorry for my horses when you really have no idea what goes on, is a bit much. Three out of five are pasture puffs that the kids play with, and two are my working horses who don't work harder than lazy rides in the round pen and road walks, and this said colt does liberty work, voice cues, flexing, yielding to pressure, driving and tricks until he is old enough to actually ride.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

There are much better ways of getting an un handled young horse halter broke, and i have done so with quite a few as I also bought some PMU colts as gelding prospects, along with the horses we raised
Those PMU colts were totally un handled, at age 7 to 8 months old.
You need some sort of safe stall, then just let that young horse stettle in for a few days. 
I would then get a halter on that young horse, and leave a drag rope attached.
Several times a day, I would pick up the end of that rope, gently work my way up to that young horse and start having him accept being touched. Next, I un tracked that young horse sideways, and got them leading around that stall, both ways.
Within that week, I would be leading that young horse up and down the barn isle. I would also get his immunization up to date, and make an appt with the vet, about a month after last shot
During this time. also handled feet, but I NEVER tie a horse solid until he is 100% good on giving to pressure
iT is one thing to tie a horse up to a' patience pole', that has learned to halter pull, and quite another to do that with a horse that has absolutely no idea how to give to pressure
I agree completely on not just snubbing up any horse, that is not even halter broke. We left that kind of' bronc busting' behind, I hope!


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

WhattaTroublemaker said:


> Okay, I'm going to help you as much as I can through the computer since I completely understand not being able to afford a trainer. I say get physical. When you say you're not experienced - please explain further. Do you know enough not to get killed? Do you have a barn? make a "shoot" or just herd him into a narrow space (a V) with the help of a friend, where his front legs can't get you. stand on something and quickly halter him and let him go. You WILL need a small space to halter him. Otherwise he's just going to play games. He'll get kicks eventually of coming to see then running away, which could - from my experience- lead to playful kicking out. It's hard to teach respect with no ability to muscle them around. Ask for help, talk to older people who've had horses about quick efficient ways to halter. There's no use beating around the bush with "gentling techniques", at 8 months old he needs respect and the basics ASAP. If you have a barn you can always just put him in there, sling the halter over your arms and work on letting you touch him all over, grabbing his poll, moving and suppling his face, dropping his head to hand pressure, leave the halter at your shoulder for a few days and then start rubbing with it. I prefer not to take days on something that should have been done yesterday.
> 
> Once you have him haltered tie him to a GOOD sturdy pole, with a GOOD thick rope or chain. Leave him be for a few days and be his lifeline. He will need you for food, water, everything. Use this time to work on leading and picking up feet in a very confined space like a barn free of distractions. Make him back up, back, back, back across the whole barn and be SUPER firm and clear on what is respectful and what is not.
> 
> ...


This sounds pretty extreme and someone not knowing what to do could get hurt along with the foal getting hurt. I would want him halter and broke to lead before tying him up. This is traumatic and dangerous. Many a young horse has broken their neck this way. Rope injuries, you nema it lots to go wrong. OP PLease do not do this.


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## MomH (Sep 27, 2015)

This is something that I have done frequently with even older, full grown horses. The smaller they are, the easier it is. And, I do it with out snubbing them to a pole or leaving a drag line on them. You're half way there. :wink:

Do you know how to properly tie a rope halter? Do you have a rope halter that will fit him, or does someone you know maybe have one you can borrow? Do you have a safe stall where you can safely move around with him? He is too young for round pen work, so don't worry about that.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

the drag rope is only left on is a stall, for a few days. Does not even have to be along rope, just long enough that you can catch that horse easily, until he is good at coming up to you.
Rope halters are too harsh for a young un halter broke horse< JMO. A plain nylon halter in adequate for a horse this age


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## MomH (Sep 27, 2015)

Smilie said:


> the drag rope is only left on is a stall, for a few days. Does not even have to be along rope, just long enough that you can catch that horse easily, until he is good at coming up to you.
> Rope halters are too harsh for a young un halter broke horse< JMO. A plain nylon halter in adequate for a horse this age


Under 3 months, I'd agree. At 8 months, not necessarily. And you don't use it the way you would for an older horse. It's a training tool. I find a rope halter easier to handle, although I have used a nylon or leather halter. I just prefer a rope halter for one that is being difficult to get haltered. Once the colt is excepting the haltering, then you can put the nylon or leather on if you wish. Personally, I prefer to not have a horse haltered unless it's being handled.

And I've seen people leave a drag rope on 24/7 in pasture. :sad:


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

MomH said:


> Under 3 months, I'd agree. At 8 months, not necessarily. And you don't use it the way you would for an older horse. It's a training tool. I find a rope halter easier to handle, although I have used a nylon or leather halter. I just prefer a rope halter for one that is being difficult to get haltered. Once the colt is excepting the haltering, then you can put the nylon or leather on if you wish. Personally, I prefer to not have a horse haltered unless it's being handled.
> 
> And I've seen people leave a drag rope on 24/7 in pasture. :sad:


Well, I.m not about to go into great detail again, far as I halter broke many foals over the years ( 5 to 7 a year ), both those I handled and showed in weanling futurities, and those I bought, completely un handled, except to say I never advocated leaving a drag rope or a halter on ANY horse out in pasture
Of course, we all have our preferences, and I very seldom if ever use a rope halter
First, there is not one show class where you show a young horse with a rope halter. I also would never tie a horse up with a rope halter, over night on a trail ride
Once I had that young horse sort of halter broke, he was first turned out into a safe corral during the day, with ahlter left on. I then haltered him with a second halter, bringing him in at night. Once that was very solid, I went for the 'real thing', turning that young horse out in both that corral ant the stall with nothing.
ONLY when he was solid with this, was he turned out in my weanling over winter pasture, with nothing on, and only haltered and brought in for things like De-worming, foot trimming and learning to tie
I equate a rope halter as an alternative to a stud shank, adding that little extra control. Since I showed many of our young horses, only made sense to get the used to a stud shank and plain halter, versus a rope halter
Not saying this is the only way, but just my reason for steering away from rope halters, which are very popular in NH programs

Just a few show pics of young horses, and the way they are shown at halter. Once a horse understands a chain shank, he also gets instant reward, giving, and learns to keep slack,in the lead shank, so that stud shank works a lot like spurs-only coming into play if light request alone is ignored





filly we sold to the Czech Republic



Of course, that chain shank, unlike a rope halter, is never introduced until that horse understands how to give to pressure

This early education, carries over to adult hood


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## MomH (Sep 27, 2015)

Smilie said:


> Well, I.m not about to go into great detail again, far as I halter broke many foals over the years ( 5 to 7 a year ), both those I handled and showed in weanling futurities, and those I bought, completely un handled, except to say I never advocated leaving a drag rope or a halter on ANY horse out in pasture


That is good that you know what you are doing.  Sadly, I have witnessed the opposite, as I'm sure you have over the years as well. The horse I am working with right now had a chain used on him by a person who did not know what she was doing. He is doing well now. 
I don't have a problem so much with the chain in the hands of someone who has been taught the PROPER way to use it. Just like with spurs, they can be a very useful communication tool, but in the wrong hands (or feet) they can do some real damage. 

Yes, a rope halter can do damage as well. Which is why I NEVER leave one on a horse when I am not working with it. And I think a rope halter is bit more forgiving in inexperienced hands. Also, the rope halter was in use LONG before "NH" became the "in" thing. :wink:


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

The problem with the OP seems to be actually getting the halter on the foal!

I would get a stirrup leather or a strong belt and see if I could get this around the neck quite high up so at least you have something to hang on with. 

It is best if you can have a confined area. 

Many young horses are disconcerted when the halter touches their whiskers so, if in a confined area you can get a halter on around his neck with the noseband undone and then do the noseband up. 

Once you have a halter on him you can then get a second halter and practise getting it on and off with the original in place.

*It is vitally important that the halter is adjusted so it fits correctly. *


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

MomH said:


> That is good that you know what you are doing.  Sadly, I have witnessed the opposite, as I'm sure you have over the years as well. The horse I am working with right now had a chain used on him by a person who did not know what she was doing. He is doing well now.
> I don't have a problem so much with the chain in the hands of someone who has been taught the PROPER way to use it. Just like with spurs, they can be a very useful communication tool, but in the wrong hands (or feet) they can do some real damage.
> 
> Yes, a rope halter can do damage as well. Which is why I NEVER leave one on a horse when I am not working with it. And I think a rope halter is bit more forgiving in inexperienced hands. Also, the rope halter was in use LONG before "NH" became the "in" thing. :wink:


Agree that a chain shaNK, as well as spurs or any tack, for that matter, can be mis used
Go to any tack store, and a person with no business doing so , can buy an advanced curb , or even a Spade bit, and use it on a horse not ready to be ridden in even a mild curb.
THose 'Be Nice halters, per Pat Parelli, are in reality an adaptation of the nerve line
Blocker tie rings really do not teach a horse to accept being tied solid, JMO
I have no use for mechanical hackamores, although they can be used correctly in some things, like jumping, trail riding
Thus, you can eliminate almost any tack, if used incorrectly by people that have no business using it
The onus is on people to become educated in correct application


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Yes, we missed that point, Foxhunter-getting that halter on!
On one hard to halter, I have been known to drape a lasso around the neck, in a stall, as no way am I a roper, so just getting that loop over that horse has to be a drape sort of thing!
I then work my way up quickly, get a halter on, and loosen that lariat
It is a matter of 'getting er done', so you can start that halter breaking

Like you, I use that second halter, leaving that first one on, in a safe place, adjusted correctly, making sure that young horse accepts being haltered, until I go 'for broke', trusting that horse and leaving halter off


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

Mark Rashid, in one of hos books gives a wonderful description of altering an older foal for the first time. He managed to get his arms around its neck whilst someone was to put the halter on - the foal took off around the small paddock with him hanging on. He said the fact the ground was frozen helped him solve alongside the foal which after a couple of laps gave up.

After WW2 an instructor of mine and her father had many horses so six, seven or eight years that had never been touched. They were driven to an enclosed area like a stable and Viv said she often had to climb along a beam to get a rope around a horse's neck so they could halter it. 

Life eased for them when her father brought home a Shire mare, Dolly, that had pulled a coal cart through London and helped clear many a building after the blitz. They rigged her harness so they could attach the horse to her. 

She knew two words, walk on and whoa. No horse could shift her and her steady temperament was also calming for the horse. 

Viv would be on Dolly whilst leading the youngster and would go across onto the youngster and back again onto Dolly. She said the initial time taken to get the horses use to being handled was cut by at least a half its Dollys help.

Her father was tough yet she said when Dolly's time came he sobbed and sobbed at sending her over th bridge.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Heard of donkeys being used to halter break young horses. Guess a draft would work also
I'm kinda past the age of getting my arms around a colt, and being dragging along, until a halter CAN BE PUT ON!
Left that for younger people years ago!
There are many ways of getting the job done, while staying safe and avoiding injury to that young horse, but unfortunately, some skills are needed through experience, and which the OP lacks
What i do wish to point out, I have never had a young horse suffer any lasting trauma, by getting that halter on, asp , with whatever it took, and then to start education that young horse.
All of my horses turned out the same, whether they were foals handled and halter broke shortly after birth and shown in foal futurities, or un handled colts at 7 months or more, or even yearlings, where I got them haltered, by whatever it took, in order to start their education.
Only difference being of course, those I showed as young horses, got used to the show scene, being bathed, being clipped, before I had to introduce them to those things once under saddle, which did mkae those first shows under saddle 'easier'


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## MomH (Sep 27, 2015)

Similar to the belt, or what have you, I take the rope end (part that goes over the poll) in my right hand and stand at the horse's left shoulder. I have the halter draped so the nose is in proper orientation to the head. Working my way, staying with the horse as it moves, I hang the halter from my hand to the right side of the neck. Here, I can use the halter in the same fashion as the strap previously mentioned. If the horse is excepting, I can move the nose band into position and slip it over the nose and tie if I want to. A lot of how I perform each step depends on the horse. Once haltered with the rope halter, I have more control and if desired I can put a different style halter on and remove the rope halter. I am usually doing more work with the horse, though, to get it to where it will accept being haltered. By using the rope halter, I have less equipment. No ropes, no straps, and no extra hands. Just me, the horse, and the rope halter. Worked for me with young ones and older ones that have never been handled.


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## Levimom (Oct 9, 2015)

I would agree that manhandling a young horse whose already afraid of humans can be counter-productive....However, if you don't have a handle on this guy soon then you are only reinforcing his negative feelings regarding humans and halters. Sometimes we have to exhibit some tough love with our horses as we might with our children. 

At our barn we pet our babies while slipping the halter on. Sometimes this is not possible so we box them in and get the halter on. I personally would leave the halter on (make sure it fits snug so he can't get a foot caught in it), and every time you interact with him place another halter over the first one to get him used to the process. He's just a baby and repetitive tasks will alleviate his fears.

Tying him before he has any concept of yielding to pressure is just a recipe for disaster. If you are anywhere around Spokane Washington I will come help you for free.

Having a young horse is fun but a lot of responsibility. Read everything you can and continue to ask questions. That's how any of us on here have learned.


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## palogal (May 30, 2008)

Can you get a rope around his neck so you have some control to rub the halter on his neck? If not, that's what I would do first. Really work on approaching him and getting a rope around his neck, maybe even leading him around with it a little. Then work on the halter.

If you can't do that, you may have to find someone to rope him for you so you can get the halter on him.

It's pretty urgent at this point. At that age, colts are very accident prone, he may need to be treated or vetted if he was to hurt himself. If you can't catch him, that's a big problem.

Good luck.


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## dressagebelle (May 13, 2009)

Another option depending on his temperament, give him some sedative in his food, then wait until it takes affect, then just go in slow, start petting him, and then get the halter around his neck, and slowly work it up his neck and then over his nose. That's what we had to do with a yearling TB filly at a barn I worked at a few years ago. After we were able to get the halter back on (she'd had one on previously, but it'd never actually been used to catch her or lead her, it was just on her), she was actually pretty easy to work with. She let me catch her with no problems, though petting her and grooming her took a little bit of time, a lot of patience, and moving slowly, but she learned how much she liked it. She was also fairly easy to teach to lead surprisingly. 

A little back story on her, apparently the previous (horrible) barn manager hated her, and hated her mom, so she took it out on the baby, no idea how long it'd been going on, as the owner was dealing with some big health issues, but finally one day she and her daughter went out to the barn and saw the barn manager smacking the poor girl with the handle of the muck rake for no reason, the filly was trying to stay out of her way as the girl was cleaning the stall, but she still decided the filly was doing something wrong. So the poor filly was terrified of people, any fast or sudden movements would send her into a panic, and she had a halter on, but you couldn't even get close enough to potentially grab the halter. She had gotten the halter caught on the stall shortly after I got there, so I had to take it off knowing there was no way I'd get it back on anytime soon. We waited until she was at least approaching me, and letting me stroke her face and not panicking when I entered the stall before the owner decided to try sedating her to get the halter back on, so I could start working more with her.


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## FrostedLilly (Nov 4, 2012)

I will caveat this first that I am not a trainer, but I did halter train my filly last year with the help of a friend. She isn't a trainer, but has grown up with horses her entire life and has experience with halter training and just that extra set of hands really made things easier. Do you have anyone who can help you? It doesn't have to be a trainer, but maybe someone who knows their way around horses a bit?

At this age, he is pretty strong, heavy and has been able to do what he pleases thus far in his life. Depending on his personality, he might not be too fond of having his human now put weird things on his head and ask him to submit to pressure, especially if he's got more of a dominant personality. 

Try not to feel too rushed. Yes, he does need to be halter trained soon, but setting an arbitrary deadline for him will also get you into trouble. Tell yourself that it does need to happen, but be patient and know that it will happen when it will happen. Horses don't work on our linear system of time and if you set yourself a deadline, you may feel anxious or rushed, which will cause him to be anxious as well. 

You've gotten a lot of good advice here. Best of luck to you!


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## palogal (May 30, 2008)

Tranqs are not training and I would never tranq a baby unless he was being stitched up or something. Just my .02 of course.


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## enh817 (Jun 1, 2012)

As some of you know, I am a huge fan of teaching a horse to face up and come to me for release. We have had in depth discussions on other threads, about how this can be done incorrectly, very easily by someone who is not well educated on the method. But used correctly, it is an invaluable tool.
I can have a horse hooked on me and following me anywhere I go (essentially leading, with nothing on their face), in one session. Once I get that, I have no problems slipping a halter on their head, and teaching them to give to the pressure from it is a breeze. I view it as getting their mind broke to lead first, rather than their face.

I have had quite a bit of experience halter breaking other ways -- letting them drag a leadrope, snubbing them up to another horse or a solid object, man handling them and basically making them follow the lead. Not saying these methods don't work to get a horse halter broke. They do, but I am always looking for the safest, least eventful (while still being effective) way to get something accomplished. I have found that all of these methods are more stressful (for the horse and myself) and take longer, than if I just get them to want to stay with me in the first place. Halter breaking is typically a horse's first 'training' experience and can set the stage for how the horse/trainer relationship will be, from then on out. I want a horse to view me as a place to find release, so anytime something bothers or scares them, they aren't trying to leave me. I want them to feel safe with me, so that they don't ever feel the need to take control in any situation, and they feel comfortable leaving all decision making up to me. I need them to feel confident that I am capable of keeping them out of danger. It's the reason I am able to get on a colt and ride (usually with no hint of any fireworks), on day 1, regardless of their previous handling or lack there of. 
I consider this one of, if not the, most important tool in my proverbial 'tool box.' When you've got a horse's mind trained to where they want to be with you, and given the choice, will not choose to leave, it's amazing how much easier everything else is. 

I know this doesn't really help the OP, as it is not possible to learn all the nuances involved in teaching a horse to face up and hook onto you, without hands on learning under the watch of someone experienced in the method. But I just wanted to throw another perspective into the mix


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