How do you "set up" a horse for halter?

[longhorngal]

Hi all,

I have a mini gelding that I would love to have my kids show some day. How do I learn how to set him up? Do you position the feet with your hands over and over until he gets the idea or what?! I read somewhere before that you always start by teaching them to square up the back feet first, true?

He's a smart little guy and I know he'll catch on quick...we just need to know where to begin :bgrin .

Thanks,

Cara

 

[Sandee]

I'm sure someone will come on with a link to one of the sites that has some good instruction but I'll try. The first thing you need to do is work on whoa. Just get them to stand without moving around even for a short bit of time then work up. After they'll stand then work on the leg positions. One way is to move the legs into position and keep doing it until they get the idea but you have to have the whoa/stand still part first.

 

[Frizzle's Gal]

When I trained my mini for halter I made sure he knew what whoa ment just like Sandee said. Then I placed his feet and told him to setup which ment to put his feet like this and keep them there. After a wheil he will get what you mean and be able to do it very quickley. Hope this helps!

 

[Leeana]

I've trained all our horses to set up (exept Harley, hes still learning) or to stretch.

In my experience, its easier to teach a Shetland to stretch then a Mini to set up. Basically with teaching my shetlands to stretch, all i have to say is Stretch and give them a slight tug on the lead and they will set up (You can ask Kaykay or Fran, they were amazed lol). Training a mini to set up square is harder i beleive.

One thing you dont want to do is back your horse up to set his back feet, if you back them up there Hocks naturally turn inward, if you back them up at least take a step forward before setting up the back feet.

But you just have to move them around (you can push them with your hand) and get the back feet set up. Then i like them to take a step forward with the front feet. I think it looks nice with them stretched about 1 hoof length. Basically you just want to keep saying 'sqaure them up' untill they get all 4 feet squared up (make sure there not standing under, it looks terrible and makes them look sickle hocked). If they move a foot back them up and say 'Square them up' over and over untill they get the back feet right and then you can push there shoulder's to get there front feet set up.

Here he is just a little overstretched ..if you could get them a little less stretched then this, it would look good.

On this picture, you can tell i backed him up to set up his hind feet ..but this would be normally where you want them set up at, just dont back him up or he will toe out.

This is a shetland Stretch/set up ...this is the type i like, if your mini looks like this ...your WAY overstretched. lol

Okay, hope that helped some.

Leeana H.

 

[longhorngal]

Thanks everyone for the reply and thanks for the pictures, Leeana!

He already knows "whoa" pretty well as I've been working on training him to drive so I guess we're halfway there.

If anyone has a link to any good websites or book recommendations I would appreciate it. :bgrin

Cara

 

[nootka]

Repetition is the key. Whoa is the place to start, but when you're commanding his attention, KEEP it on YOU.

If he begins to look away from you, then remind him with a light shank or a "hey". Keep the eyes and ears tuned to you. This won't last long, but you need to keep it on YOU. The longer the better, and when you're done with your lesson, praise him duly and let him just be. I work on this maybe once a week w/my mature horses, less often if they really have it. With foals, I try to address this a few times a week once they are weaned. I don't get much if I try before weaning, so I only focus on leading and tying at that juncture.

Also when he's in the position you want, make sure you stop him from moving out. He should ONLY move from that spot if you ask him to. When he begins to lift a foot to rest or to step out, remind him to "whoa" and put him right back where he started out from, where YOU put him. He will get it, and it will likely take a long time, but keeping his attention on you and keeping him in place is pretty much all you need to worry about.

Make sure the person who will be showing him gets a chance to train with him as well, so there are no surprises come show day.

Liz M.

 

[Colagirl]

I am finding it hard to keep my horses attention and holding him still and positioning his hind legs at the same time?? Any tips on that??

 

[kaykay]

I have watched a lot of different trainers show how to do this but at the last show I watched Arlene Foulk and I have to say hers is the best. But its very hard to describe in type. Arlene said and I now very much agree that you should rarely handset the hooves as it makes for a bad habit. As said always set the back feet first by backing up. Then use pressure on the halter to get them to move their own front legs up. Its kinda a side to pressure that makes them move that leg up. Now sometimes you get a horse like crunch who once hes set will sometimes move one back leg up. For this put pressure on the opposite shoulder and they will move the opposite leg back. (dont ask me why it works but it does) a

Colagirl that is because your horse doesnt really know what whoa means. whoa means stop right now and dont move a muscle. Every horse has to know this first or you cant train the rest. Also I showed leanna this. If i woah a horse and he moves at all i IMMEDIATELY back him up quickly. Then whoa him again. If he moves IMMEDIATELY back up again. I guarantee if you are consistent and do this in about 3-4 times he/she will whoa and not move. Then you can start training them to square up. Always decide what the word is going to be and use it consistently. Such as "square" or "set' use this one word everytime and eventually the horse will do it on command.

 

[MyBarakah]

For getting a horses attention and to get that neck stretched...... What works for me and it's been very easy for me..... is I always carry little treats (the one's from Tractor Supply, the pepermint ones, they are small and round, easy to break in 1/2)......... Even my broodmares will stretch thier necks out (no halter)...... just for a treat...... But it's a great way to keep thier attention (mine love to BEG for it, by stretching that neck out!)......... My (almost) 3 month colt that I plan to show this summer... he's still with mom... just a couple days ago he learned what a treat was..... he naturally stretched that neck clear out... and with out a halter, I work on making sure he stays put, doesn't sneak a foot up to get closer for that treat.... I make him stay out of "my" space! lol! So he's learning to stretch that neck, with out really training! I think it's a Great FUN way to teach them! And they don't get a sour attitude about it either by using the treats.....!!

 

[jennykins]

hey im glad someone posted this topic!! I was about to ask about it myself...I've got a lot of great tips and know things to work on with my gelding now :aktion033: