Yearling with halter trouble...

[EllenAspen]

OK...our yearling...actually will be one in June...has been haltered since his first week. Is haltered and groomed every day...feet picked out...out to field with his pasture buddies. About 5 days ago he started being difficult to halter. My groom can't halter him at all. I can do it in his stall by going slow...scratching behind his neck, etc.

The groom has given up trying to halter him in the field at the end of the day and just waves a feed scoop at him until he runs and gets in his stall.


Today...I am home and said...no, he needs to be haltered and walked to the barn like the rest of the horses...I can't get him haltered. As soon as I start to slip the head piece over he lifts his head up... shakes me off and runs off. This is new behavior.

The other horses are all put up...so, he isn't happy to be in the paddock all by himself...

Any suggestions...

[Kinsella]

I am very interested in any advice you get as I am having the same problem - though I leave the (leather) halter on when he's turned out. And interestingly in my case, with 2 coming yearlings, it is the colt that is being difficult, though he had more handling than the filly as a youngster...

[MagicRoseFarm]

My guess is this is caused by whatever methods your groom has been using.
Put a very old weak decrepit leather halter on him, and leave it on in the field,, give him time to forget, and ONLY YOU go at it when u have time to be constructive.

[Daydream Believer]

Do you slip it over his ears or open the buckle and go behind his ears with the crownpiece? If you pull it over his ears and that is how it sounds, he seems like he might be afraid you will pinch his ears. Perhaps your groom accidentally pinched his ears and now he's wary?

Try opening the halter and putting it on that way or I'd do as Magic Rose suggested and just leave a halter on him for a while. Another thing you can do is wrap the lead rope around his neck first so you have something to hang on to if he gets a bit feisty.

[Kinsella]

With mine it is a buckle only halter, so it has never been slipped over his ears. Really good point though!

What I *think* is happening (and I work really hard to try to avoid it now) is that the guard hairs (aka hairy yak face) under his jaw are getting pulled and he doesn't like it. There had been someone else working with him and I discovered that they are not quite as patient as I am with him, but once the damage is done... So now I'm the only one that messes with him (for the time being), and I do loop the lead over his neck first so I can hang on to him. I take my time and make sure to rub his ears and face and he is starting to get better, but it's still a slow process... Best of luck to you EllenAspen - I totally feel your pain!!

[Cindy's Warmbloods]

What I would do is leave a halter (breakable) on him and when you go to catch him snap a lead on it. Then proceed to ignore that halter/lead and rehalter him with another halter/lead like normal. If he pulls away you still "got him" and he will learn pulling away does not work. Then lots of patience/praise from there. Maybe just hold the noseband up and then lower it again 10 or 15 times. Then just put the nose part on and take it off the same amount of times and just build on it slowly. Go further each time after as many repititions as it takes until he is comfortable.

[kookicat]

With mine it is a buckle only halter, so it has never been slipped over his ears. Really good point though!

What I *think* is happening (and I work really hard to try to avoid it now) is that the guard hairs (aka hairy yak face) under his jaw are getting pulled and he doesn't like it. There had been someone else working with him and I discovered that they are not quite as patient as I am with him, but once the damage is done... So now I'm the only one that messes with him (for the time being), and I do loop the lead over his neck first so I can hang on to him. I take my time and make sure to rub his ears and face and he is starting to get better, but it's still a slow process... Best of luck to you EllenAspen - I totally feel your pain!!

If you really think that's the problem, why not trim his chin hairs? You wouldn't be adding to his problem by catching them, and it's an easy fix.

[Edgewood]

I have had several yearlings over the years all of a sudden get "shy" about having the halter put on. I do suggest that once you get a leather halter on, you leave it on in the pasture till they are over the shyness. However, I will take it off in the stall and practice lots of halter on halter off in the stall with lots of treats as reward for good behavior.

But to get it on the first time.

Do you have a run in shed that you and the groom can herd him into (have a bucket of grain), if so that would be easier. Have a 2nd lead rope ready so that first you put that around his neck to hold him. The groom can hold the food bucket and keep the yearling occupied and in the are. I usually go slow so that it is a good experience.

If no run in shed, then do the same in the corner of the field.

I do think that it is the fussiness around the ears causing an issue with some yearlings (especially with the halters that slip over the ears). It may also be the chin hairs. Some just get this way. Mine have usually been colts that get like this. :lol: Good luck. I know that it is frustrating when they all of sudden start this behavior!~

[not again]

You could try substituting a good thought for a bad thought: When we have a youngster that gets "independent" I grab the grain bucket and let them catch a snack. Lots if ear rubbing, neck massage and basic loving on a little one can help turn around a bad thought. Just a thought.......

[Blue Yonder]

It's not really the season for ticks, but any chance some hardy bugger could have made its way in your little guy's ear? One of my very agreeable boys turned highly NOT agreeable to being haltered when a tick found its way there.

[EllenAspen]

Thanks for the reply all...had a go round with the boy yesterday. Finally got it on...didn't want him to win.

This morning much easier...

We don't have any ticks around here so don't think that is the problem.

I think he is just going through the terrible two's...

[Kinsella]

If you really think that's the problem, why not trim his chin hairs? You wouldn't be adding to his problem by catching them, and it's an easy fix.

That is actually what is on the agenda for today! (I just came up with that theory yesterday after going through another haltering round with him...)