Halter breaking

[Nick_G]

hello im a FFA student and i recently got a steer.It isnt too hard to get the halter on him but once i tie im to a pole he starts jumping and gets caught in stuff, he basicly freaks out. is this normal?

 

[justme]

Pretty much.  Now you just need to spend alot of time with him.  My kids brush brush brush to gain his trust.

 

[knabe]

i halter break them first before tying them up.  they seem to freak out less.

since flight is one of their first defenses, of course they freak out when "chained" for the first time or even few times.

that's why i teach them "release" first.  if you just tie them up and let them tug, they pull too long for my taste and the understanding and trust takes too long leading to a little bit of resistant/resent attitude.  they get sore, and seem remember the soreness and can get real touchy around their head.  it's also why i scratch underneath their halter behind their ears.  you see them scratching there when you take their halters off.

I've about ready to tie mine up after 2 weeks of halter breaking.  already, they are licking on my legs when i'm brushing other ones.

 

[Bulldaddy]

It is normal for them freak out at first and pull on the halter.  I usually let them pull for an hour or so and then start working on them with a show stick.  Standing in front of them I like to  rub both sides of the tail head and then under the belly.  I repeat this every hour or so until they stop switching the tail.  After they settle down some you can start using a brush but the show stick keeps you at a safe distance during that initial break in.

 

[GoWyo]

We do not put on a halter until they are gentle first, then do not tie until they give to pressure -- i.e., they are starting to lead.  Tying them up when all their life they have been able to move around would be like rolling a person up in a carpet -- just a little claustrophobic panic attack maybe?

 

[Bulldaddy]

I agree that they need to be gentle to start with.  Never heard of anyone trying to lead a calf before they have been tied awhile.  Must be little rascals.  Wouldn't work with my 600 to 700 hundred pound weanlings.

 

[SlickTxMaine]

Nick,  my son usually lets his steer drag a lead rope for a few days, when he steps on the rope, he learns to stop, and he gets used to the pressure.  After that, he starts picking up the lead rope and getting him to give to pressure, and will also tie him up at this point.  Good luck, and don't get hurt!

 

[GoWyo]

We use a small pen to work them with a show stick and gradually get them to stand still for combing and brushing and try to get them dog gentle first.  Then, halter is no big deal, but work on the pressure and release just like horses.  If they are leading first before being tied, they are less likely to learn to pull back hard.  It doesn't work on all calves, but we try this first.  Some calves are just more flighty and have to be run through the squeeze chute or mashed with a gate to get a halter on and then do the lead rope drag, fight and tie up routine.  However, I still try to not tie until they learn to give to pressure first.  If I had to break a whole bunch of them, then maybe it would be a different story, but for a couple head, we try to put the time into them and take it slow.

 

[LT]

I agree with Knabe and the others about the pressure and release.  That is why we use breaking halters with the ring so that the rope and tighten and loosen as they start to learn to follow along.  They get the idea much quicker. 

Good luck and go slow.  Sounds like you are headed in the right direction and that you have a lot of people giving you some good advice. (clapping)

 

[Nick_G]

Thank you all for the advice. this is my first steer so the help is greatly appreciated. I know its going to take time, and patience. Thank you for helping me get started, I'm sure i will be coming back here more than a few times looking for advice

 

[CM Cattle]

Nick,   my son usually lets his steer drag a lead rope for a few days, when he steps on the rope, he learns to stop, and he gets used to the pressure.  After that, he starts picking up the lead rope and getting him to give to pressure, and will also tie him up at this point.  Good luck, and don't get hurt!

Thats the way I do it.