Help! Halter breaking!

[Moonlightrider]

Okay, we have a five-month-old filly at my barn. Unfourtuntely, she hasn't had any training. She's been spoiled rotten - petted by everyone who comes around. My friends and I worked with her a little. We taught her that bitting is bad, to pick up her feet (she taught herself when we tried to get her used to having her feet handled), and we handled her head so she wouldn't end up head shy.

But she's had no training. She's never been haltered until today (with lots of patience, every snap undone, singing lullabies, and a little grain, we haltered her); she's never learned to lead, stand still for brushing, and she's only been in a stall twice since she was a week old. So can anyone give me some advice?

PLEASE!!! She's a Arab/SB cross, and she already carries her head at the same height as mine - 5'. We've had major problems with trainers and I think people have been waiting until we got one who would stay to do anything with her. So help me!

[Showjumper]

Make friends with her before you try and bring her around to what you want her to do. Bond with her, use Join-Up or something, to teach her that you're the alpha mare. Allow her to follow you around without any sort of restraint or lead. Gradually place a headcollar on her, and let her follow you around with it on (without a lead rope though). Once she sees that the headcollar isn't going to hurt her, attach a rope, and place the rope around her neck - still don't hold it. Make sure it won't fall off and tangle her up. Once she's completely comfortable with these events, hold the end of the rope, and walk around like you were doing before. Chances are she won't mind this leading at all. Gradually shorten up the lead rope until the rope is the normal leading length.

Make sure you always chat to her, praise her when she does something right. Don't use food as a treat too regularly or she may start biting again. Pat her and talk to her, let her see that you mean her no harm and that you're her friend.

Good Luck!! :D

I wish I could help with her! :cool:

[Moonlightrider]

Thanks... we were doing most of what you said. I've played with her since she was two days old, so she knew me and the other girls helping me... she follows us around almost TOO much - she tried to follow us out of the pasture, and succeded, once!

We use grain when we do something really big - when we first haltered her, etc, but for everything else we don't. She's been doing better about biting, so it seems to work.

Anyway, thanx for the advice!

[belle]

At the stud where I have worked for 6 years, the foals are never handled until they are at least 1 year old. The horse that I own was never led until she was 2 years old, and she is now 4 and perfect to lead. Put a headcollar and rope on her and have her lead behind another horse, gradually learning her to lead behind. Hope this helps.