Re: leadin calf?
« Reply #3 on: May 29, 2009, 01:32:49 PM » Reply with quote
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Quote from: knabe on May 29, 2009, 01:23:01 PM
you skipped a few steps on breaking a calf. what you are explaining is one of the first symptoms to deal with when breaking calves before moving on to the other steps. the calf kept trying methods to get his way rather than be allowed to explore it with a longer rope in a small pen and to let the lead go and not meet resistance when his head is down. now you are trying to solve it by holding his head up. he will not forget and will always have the "look" to escape.
much better to have them not meet resistance when they put their head down. just let the rope go when they do it, keeping hold of the end till they act normal. get them to take their outside rear foot and move it backwards as you sort of walk in a tighter circle. this is what animals do to each other to get dominance, especially herding animals.
think of the inside rear leg continually stepping across the outside rear leg as always in gear. as soon as that outside rear leg lifts up and steps back, he is either in neutral or reverse. pet him. do this over and over on both sides.
once you learn this, it makes everything so much easier and really takes no time at all.
Knabe -- this is really good stuff. I understand you saying that when the steer roots down to get his leverage, let him do it and use a long enough rope that when he is done, nothing happens - he is still on the rope with the kid on the other end. The next part is where I am unclear. When you talk about walking in a tighter circle, are you talking a clock-wise circle pushing away from the person doing the leading? Basically pushing the steer into the circle until he steps back with the outside rear leg?
