Catching Your Equine

(Page 19) Is your equine hard to catch and halter easily? Does he snatch the oats reward from your hand and bolt away? Feed only grass hay in the mornings and your oats mix at night. Routinely “imprint” (touch him all over from front to back, and then from back to front) during his breakfast (photo #1). Include touching his eyes, ears and nostrils and offer the oats reward only when he stays calm for several lessons (photo #2). He will be grateful for the oats reward since all he gets is grass hay in the mornings and will be more apt to comply with your approach. For several more lessons, just carry the halter with you. Before putting on the halter, position your equine with his rear to a wall or fence and keep him from moving forward by putting your hip in front of his shoulder (Photo #3). If he allows it, you can put it part way on and then take it off immediately, then leave him (photo #4).

When he stays calm, and doesn’t pull away from you, you can go ahead and put it on. Hold the halter in your left hand and reach over his neck to grab the crown strap. This way, your arms will loop around his neck to give you more leverage to hold him if he moves away from you (photo #5). Give him his oats reward AFTER the halter is in place. Knowing how and when to dispense the oats reward is crucial to success. The habits you practice today become the foundation for your relationship going forward. Learn how to break lessons down into their smallest steps to gain complete compliance and minimize resistance. Always keep good manners in mind for the best and safest interaction with your equine companion. Learn more in the various sections under TRAINING at www.luckythreeranch.com . If you don’t find the answer to your questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at meredith@luckythreeranch.com and I would be happy to send you more free details about our program.