Bracing

My lambs brace well when near a solid object but out in the open they step sideways. Any tips on how to get them to brace right out? ???

I put mine on the stand and back them off...mine brace SUPER hard. You can do it on a trailer or something else that is atleast a foot or so off the ground. 

lol thanks Ill try it, hopefully their smart enough to not fall off ;D

Try backing them down a hill.  You may need some help until they learn to back strait and brace against you.

PaFFA Proud said:

hopefully their smart enough to not fall off ;D

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that is the point-you make them step off a couple times(keep their heads up so they don't touch ground) then they will realize there isn't any ground in reach and will lean on you so they dont fall off

When do  you start training  them to brace?  How far out from the show??  Thanks!

We always pinched them when we got ready to push them back into something. That way, when the judge came up, you pinched them and they thought something else was coming. Brace tight, tight.

My first show is June 10th and I started mid April but not super hard my lambs still aren't good bracers off the stand but I am only doing doing it once a weeek or so, I am going to start getting them hard on it this weekend

like anything else it takes practice. just put your knee into them, they will eventually figure it out

showchick said:

like anything else it takes practice. just put your knee into them, they will eventually figure it out

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not all of them, some are knuckle heads

SlickTxMaine said:

When do  you start training  them to brace?  How far out from the show??  Thanks!

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the earlier the better.. no use in wasting time

PaFFA Proud said:

My lambs brace well when near a solid object but out in the open they step sideways. Any tips on how to get them to brace right out? ???

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many different techinques.. you can do the backing off the trimming stands idea, but there are a bunch of others that have been used.  the trailor works about the best b/c you actually have room to move around, but the trimming stand works better in that they can't side step.

I know that somebody will jump on me, but we have made an electric fence 'chute' to brace them in.  step to the side.. zap, breaks them pretty quick of that habit. 

If you also have somebody walk up behind the lamb, and hit the 'brace' button in their head at the same time, then you can 'mendell's law' teach them to brace when somebody walks up behind them-- like a judge in the ring.  This keeps the lamb's from tiring out in the ring due to 'bracing' (actually pushing) for an entire profile shot while in class. 

Backing them off the stand always ended up in frustrated people, screaming, cussing, scared to death sheep, etc. We like to cue ours by pulling on the chest floor. Not necessarily lifting them up, but just shifting that weight back. When they try to quit you, have someone ready with a hot shot. Works wonders.

If you also have somebody walk up behind the lamb, and hit the 'brace' button in their head at the same time, then you can 'mendell's law' teach them to brace when somebody walks up behind them-- like a judge in the ring.  This keeps the lamb's from tiring out in the ring due to 'bracing' (actually pushing) for an entire profile shot while in class. 
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Explain please??

SlickTxMaine said:

If you also have somebody walk up behind the lamb, and hit the 'brace' button in their head at the same time, then you can 'mendell's law' teach them to brace when somebody walks up behind them-- like a judge in the ring.  This keeps the lamb's from tiring out in the ring due to 'bracing' (actually pushing) for an entire profile shot while in class. 

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Explain please??
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just b/c a lamb is in the brace position, does not mean it needs to 'push' the entire time.  bracing is used to tense the topline muscles and hind quarters, for a firm 'hold', when the judge comes to handle the lamb. 

Quite often, I have seen lambs that actually roach their tops when braced, due to the muscles flexing, or for whatever reason; and in most of these cases when the lamb is shown on the side profile view-- it actually does not need to be 'braced', and by 'bracing' it- you do more harm than good in terms of a final placing... 

I see quite a few inexperienced show'rs who want that lamb to brace during the entire 20 min class.  Eventually that lamb will tire-- especially with the inexperienced show'rs; which also goes hand in hand with less time spent with the lamb; and less of a quality of a lamb. 

The good showman (and girls) I know train the lamb to brace (much harder) when somebody walks up behind the lamb. 

It may not be Mendell, actually I dont think it is, but it's the guy who taught the dogs to saliva on the ring of the bell, which means food..  Whoever he was... it's been a long time since middle school science.

in this case, it's the uproaching of a person, which tells the lamb to 'push', not the knee... 

with my good lamb i have to be on his right side or he will back away so try differnt sides