How to Halter Break A Weanling Foal

Done properly your young foal should be leading by the halter in no time!

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Weanling foal that is eating on his/her own and has been separated from mama for a few days.
• Weanling size halter
• Lead Rope
• Soft Cotton Rope at least 6 feet in length
• soft leather or goatskin gloves
• Sturdy hitching post without rails or fence.
• A stall or small pen

1. If you haven't had much contact with the foal while he/she was with the dam, ideally you should gradually get him/her used to human touch before beginning this process. You may wish to desensitize him/her to the halter before attempting to put it on his/her head. The steps will outline this.

2. Once the foal is comfortable with your touch, especially on the head and neck, tie a small loop in the end of your lead rope and rub the foal with that loop around his/her neck. If the foal bolts off, you may need to pin him/her in the corner using your weight for leverage until he/she calms down.

3. Gently, while rubbing, place the small loop of the lead rope around his/her neck and pass the loose end through. Slowly pull the loose (hook end) through the loop to create a lasso effect, but don't tighten down too snug.

4. Lift the part around the neck until it is slightly behind the foals head, similar to a collar.

5. Make an extra loop with the loose end of the lead, and place it over his/her nose, removing it, and putting it back on until the foal stands still and stops moving. You can now leave the loop off the nose.

6. with your right hand holding the piece of the halter with the small holes that buckle shank goes in, place your hand/arm and the halter over the foals neck.

7. Continue to keep grasp of the lead rope in your left hand, and at the same time, reach under the foals neck and grasp the buckle of the halter. Now you can let go of the rope around the neck as your hands and the halter will form the lasso effect.

8. Try not to allow the foal to move forward or backwards, restrain him or her with your hands/arms and halter around the neck if necessary. Bring the halter up with both hands placing the nose piece over the muzzle. Once the foal is used to this, buckle the halter.

9. The lead rope should still be around the foals neck and don't remove it just yet. Take the loose end of the rope with the hook on it and hook it to the ring on the halter. Once hooked, untie the loop around the neck.

10. Continue to hold the lead rope in your left hand, and take your second rope and gently loop it around the body of the foal behind his/her rump. Grasp both ends with your right hand at the foals shoulder. This will help keep the foal from backing and fighting against the halter/lead. Use it to apply pressure to the rump as necessary to keep the foal stationary or from flying backwards.

11. Now it's time to teach the foal to give to the halter. Steadily pull on the lead rope with your left hand, brace your hand and the rope against your left hip if necessary. The rope should still be in your right hand looped around the behind of the foal. Do not release your pull or your grip with lead to the halter, until the foal either turns, or slightly turns his/her head. He/she may brace against your leverage.

12. The instant you feel a give to your pull or pressure, release your pull. The foal learns on the release of the pressure, not the pressure it's self.

13. Practice the pull and release to each side, on each side of the foal until he or she is slightly turning or stepping with his/her feet. If he/she does not turn or step, apply simultaneous pressure with the rump rope in the same direction.

14. If you only get the foal to step one or two steps, you are doing good. Continue to practice for a few minutes. Remove the halter, reward the little one and practice again the next day.

15. To practice more or to teach them not to fight against the rope if you are not strong enough to hold or pull on the rope, you may wrap the lead rope around a sturdy post (don't tie it just hold it) and allow the foal to learn how to give to pressure, when the foal pulls back he/she will eventually step forward and learn to give on his/her own. This also helps with learning to tie which is part of halter breaking.

Tips & Warnings

• Use soft cotton rope that doesn't burn
• Have an extra person with you for safety reasons or to hold the rump rope.
• Always off set the foal off to the side to begin with, they can brace against pressure easier if you are working directly in front.
• Don't work on concrete or another slick surface.
• If the foal falls, or flips over try not to allow him/her to hit his head-keeping leverage on the lead rope will help prevent this.
• Don't have buckets/gates/wires or junk in the way that the foal can get caught in.
• Always wear your gloves 'rope burns hurt'
• Don't give til the foal gives, or you just taught him or her to pull to get away from pressure.
• Work while standing at the foals shoulder to help yourself avoid a strike or a kick.