need help with THICK HEADED steer

[Timber1]

My sons steer will NOT WALK. When we put the halter on and try to lead him he just digs in his front feet and locks up. We tied him to our last years show heifer and he follows her like a shadow, no pulling or fighting. But as soon as we grab the rope he Will lock up. Finally last night he moved. But the only way is if I let him up against the gate panels and we go counter-clockwise. He will stop but if we "poke" him in the tailhead with a show stick he will move again. As soon as we try and go the right direction he locks up. Should we continue going the wrong direction and hope he comes around or should we try something else? Trying to be patient but I don't know how much more I have left. Looking forward to hearing everyone's thoughts.
  And thanks on the watered suggestions, looks like I need to find a ritchie dealer.

 

[iowabeef]

Leave him tied to a donkey for 24 hours and your should be in business....

 

[slackfarm]

I personally love the donkey method he will pull the donk for about two hours tops then the donkey will show him whose boss

 

[BadgerFan]

I personally love the donkey method he will pull the donk for about two hours tops then the donkey will show him whose boss

where do you buy a good breaking donkey?  I had a great one when I was a young showman, came from Colorado.  After he died, I tried two others and they were worthless.

 

[The Show]

I had a heifer like that once, and we fixed it with a hot shot. I got on the halter and dad was behind her with a hot shot. You could pop her and she would take a step but then want to stop again. Every time she even thought about locking up she got popped. We did this for about 30 minutes for two days and never had a problem with her again.

 

[zak]

I had a calf that was so lazy that he didn't want to leave the barn. He would lock up and not take a step. I used a hot shot on him and he will take a couple quick steps and stop again(really did no good for the situation). I just said when we take him to the county fair he is either going to walk or he just won't get shown(he was only 4 months old at the time). He walked with no problems at the county fair. I think since he didn't know where his home was(the barn) he had no problem walking.


Maybe try loading him up on the trailer and take him somewhere he hasn't been and see how he does.



Zak

 

[WhoaFlicka]

i agree with the show sometimes you just need to zing them with the hot shot its worked for me

 

[furinsilex]

get ya a good pointed comb every time he stops give him a good poke with it

 

[iowabeef]

Have also had good luck with the Hot shot.....Have someone follow right behing when walking the calf...each time they look to be stopping give a zing.  It will take 3 or 4 times doing this and you will be set

 

[simmyman67]

Just get a MEAN donkey. Doesn't matter where they come from. My grandpa uses donkeys to break bulls and stud horses and they work!

 

[Bradenh]

i always loved the hot shot and tractor! never go wrong with that combination

 

[vc]

Tie him all day, then try to lead him to water if he won't walk tie him back up and wait a little longer and try again, he needs to know the water is there and he needs to want it. We some times just tie them for a week and make them lead to their water  and their feed, if they won't lead they miss out. Once they figure out that if they lead they get want they want, they start leading. If that doesn't work try the other methods suggested above.
You might try doing a search Knabe has posted several times on here how do break them to walk.

 

[brs5]

what we used to do is tie the calf to the back of a hydrolic trailer (pig mover) or a 3-point blade all the way up and pull them around with someone holding the rope so that the  calf still thinks hes pulled by the person.

 

[Timber1]

Thanks for all of the feedback. Does anyone know the cost of a donkey, lease or for purchase. In ohio.

 

[OH Breeder]

Thanks for all of the feedback. Does anyone know the cost of a donkey, lease or for purchase. In ohio.

Depending on where you are in Ohio....I had a neighbor I was talking to causally. I said I had a steer that was a night mare. He said well bring him over and I will put him on my mule. He has team of mules and uses them to pull with. Come to find out a fairly well known club calf guy had been taking him his difficult calves for a week of training on the mule. You don't get much more stubborn than a mule.
Send me a PM, I might be able to help you out. I like the Mule or Donkey thing better than some of the other options listed. Lots safer and he won't develop some nasty habits.

 

[Cow Chaser]

It still all depends on the calf.  We had a good steer about 7 or 8 years ago that we couldn't do anything with so we put him on a donkey and he led around like a dog, and as soon as you had a person on the lead he would freeze up until he was tired of being messed with and then he would take off and it didn't matter was on the end of lead(person, truck, tractor).  Tried a bunch of different things including different people on the lead and it didn't matter so he never was shown but he sure did taste good.

 

[Timber1]

It still all depends on the calf.  We had a good steer about 7 or 8 years ago that we couldn't do anything with so we put him on a donkey and he led around like a dog, and as soon as you had a person on the lead he would freeze up until he was tired of being messed with and then he would take off and it didn't matter was on the end of lead(person, truck, tractor).  Tried a bunch of different things including different people on the lead and it didn't matter so he never was shown but he sure did taste good.

This is what I'm afraid of. We tried tying him to a heifer and he was perfect until a person took the lead then lock up city. This is not a home grown calf, we purchased him so hopefully we don't have to eat him because he would be some pretty expensive steak!

 

[rackranch]

NOSE RING !!!

 

[jok]

try pulling him behind 4 wheeler or tractor

 

[GoWyo]

Sounds like a good way to wind up underneath your 4 wheeler.  Patience and positive motivation for the animal to do the right thing will work out better in the long run.