trying to get steer to hold his head up

I have a really nice steer for my fair when I am setting him up he will hold his head just about perfect but when  I walk him he tries so hard to put his head down lower it not down to the ground just not show level or he will try to nod his head downward. I tie his head up for an hour each day any helpful suggestions.

A clip on nose lead might help - just have him get used to it while you tie him up with no pressure on it.  (Of course never leave a calf unattended while tie up)

work from where he puts his head down and get him to move his head up a tiny bit at a time.


more of a cooperative effort than a bicep building effort.


i guess some people like it, but a animal that has their head weirdly too high is annoying looking. makes them walk funny as well.

I used a Johnson halter on my steer with a chain. The Johnson halter is basically a horse halter with a throat latch and I know Weaver makes them. It worked pretty well with my steer and then he would ignore it, so I picked up a pronged lead. That fixed my problems. Also try your hardest not to let him put his down (obviously) or else he will get comfortable with it and start getting away that is at least what happened with my steer.

I had a steer that would do this. I worked with him everyday. I started using a show halter with him. Every time he kept his head up I would reward him with releasing pressure. When he dropped his head I would apply pressure again until he kept his head up. It takes a lot of work but overtime they get it through their head that if I act right the halter isn't as tight. Hope this helps. 

Couple things we do to help this:
We tie our calves with their head high for 4-5 hours a day. You have to work them up to this - but at a show I want them to be able to stand in a grooming chute for an hour, in class for 30-40 minutes, and the final drive for 30-40 minutes. If they are not used ot standing in the correct position for an extended amount of time - you will see that they get tried of standing fairly quickly.
Secondly, wehn we have a 'dead head' - we use a pronged show halter from Sullivans or Weaver - do what was suggested before, - while leading and setting up durring practice, jack their head up, then when they get to where you want - release pressure a little, the prongs will be uncomfortable to them, and they may fight it a litte at first - don't give up.
Cyfarmer