[MyBabyTex]

So I don't know who remembers about my horse despising halters being on him.

Well I worked him in the round pen with a stunning new baby blue halter I bought (looks SOOOOOO good on him)I had this idea to put the halter on my face and just lunge him and let him explore the pen and get used to it being on ME. *yeah i looked like a freak and it felt weird but whatever ! lol* so he began to approach me and sniff it after awhile when i let him loose. We continued working and he was at ease with it being there. Then I proceeded to rub it over him. Absolutely no problem. BUT I brought it near his face and he shy'd away and started pacing. So i began the routine of it being on MY face all over again *at which point someone pulled into the stable... I waved madly at them and they kinda just walked away haha* SO after about 20 mins I kinda hid the halter under my jacket and started rubbing his face and talking soothingly to him and I went to put it on and his eyes shot open and he started backing away but I got it on.

So.... It didn't go great. But it went well. I worked him yesterday on it too before riding and I got it on him but barely. He seems to be getting a bit better. I think I'm going to just casually wear it on my shoulder *or around my neck* and get him totally desensitized to it. But hes like "Alright,the halter is okay until it comes near my face" *sigh*

OH and also I found his halter and it was not broken or anything, it had just become undone.

Any ideas?

[Shotgun93]

Just keep it up. Use the approach and retreat method with it. Start rubbing it on his hind end, moving up his back and stomach, then up his neck towards his head. When you get close to his head and he starts to get worried, then right before you think he would start to get antsy, move it back towards his back and start rubbing it again. Then move back towards the head, and when he gets nervous, retreat and so on.
Just keep it up until he he gets to the point where he realizes that it's not going to get him.
When you do start to get it by his head, if he starts to move, it's really important to keep it touching him with it, until he stops. Once he finally stops moving (you might have to follow him around for quite a while), then release (stop touching him with it) and praise him.

[indiekisses985]

Was your horse abused in her last home?


Lots of hoses refuse to wear flymasks.. but I never heard of one afraid of a halter. Don't hide the halter around your horse.. make sure she sees it at all times. Think about horses in the wild.. their predators sneek up on them reallll slow then they dart. So if your horse is afraid of halters and sees you without one then one just pops up, it might freak her out a bit.

Also, you can buy a horse collors which doesn't go on the face but just behind the ears. Your horse might like it better.

Here is a picture.. try finding it on www.statelinetack.com

[KellyJean]

I have a horse collar and love it for trail riding...

but, i'd be careful of using any that weren't velcro closure for turnout. I don't know of anyone being hurt by one before, but it seems like it could be more of a risk (being that it's around the throat) than a normal halter, and horses have been tangled in those before.

Kelly

[Painted~Girl]

is it this little guy thats named TEX? if so where'd ya get him?

[MyBabyTex]

YES he was abused. We do not know how but all he seems afraid of is going into the barn (he stops for at least a minute) and his halter.


Yeah, I put the halter on my shoulder before I got him in the paddock so its always there. At least now he is letting me lead with a lead rope around his neck. He just stared at me the first few times like I was crazy.

I've never heard of a horse being afraid of a halter either! And I've heard EVERYTHING! So we will work through it. Silly horse!

I'm running out of ideas though. I'm going to see him tonight so I'll let you all know how it went tomorrow. I think repetition is the best way to solve this problem.

Yeah, Tex is my guy. He's not the horse in the pic though lol. I bought him from a lady with two other horses, she didn't have any real use for Tex. He was just doing trails.

[MyBabyTex]

Here he is!

[Painted~Girl]

OH MY GOD, haha I actually was gonna buy him.. its the same guy!
cute how do you like him>? is he doing well for you?

[MyBabyTex]

haha that is SO weird!
yeah he's great. we're doing arena work. He's never done that before so it's an experience lol. He was pretty much just used for trail riding. You missed out! What horse DID you buy?

[KZWestern]

*lol* that sounds like it would be funny! Good job though... keep at it. All I have to say is to make sure to use approach and retreat for when you rub it on his body. Slowly rub up his neck towards his head and the INSTENT he looks like he might even begin to look nervouse, rub the other direction.