Controller headcollars on youngsters?

[bellaboo]

Hi there,
I have a 11 month old foal who is now getting abit strong and trying me out!!
Wondered about using a controller headcollar on her as she is quite big now (14.2hh) and i dont want her knowing that she is actually alot stronger than me and pulling me all round the yard. She not strong to lead, its if she has to stand anywhere not tied up for a while she dosent respect my space and almost walks through me

Will it be to harsh to use a controller headcoller? and if ok, which headcollar would be best? (was thinking along the lines of a dually) any opinons would be great!
Thanks

 

[AmyMay]

We have used one on the yearling since he was 4 months old!!!!

Edt: I'm not sure what make it is - but it has metal bits that sit on the poll. I wouldn't have been without it as although he is generally quite good - there are days when he is an absolute s**t. Done him no harm whatsoever.

 

[BethH]

The Monty Roberts Dually is excellent, used it for behavioural problems on my ned with a lot of success. The only thing I would say is it shouldn't be used to tie up in as could cause serious injury but would work well for asking your horse to stand quietly with you as suggested. It has a rope over nose which releases really well, worked brilliantly when trying to convince my horse not to eat grass verges when I was leading him. The Dually can be used as a normal headcollar as well as controller, you just clip it from one ring to the other so the horse never knows which one is being used. They are expensive but well worth it for the dual purpose it gives. Hope that helps.

 

[AmyMay]

Yes, ditto Beth. They are absolutely not to be used to tie a horse up in - no type of controller headcoller should be.

 

[dixie]

Better she learns to respect you know rather than trying to deal with her when she's older. I use the Dually headcollar but my horse is 17hh and older but I wished I had used it when he was younger & then he might respect me a bit more now.

The dually just works on the nose whereas I think other control halter work on the poll too.

Try here for a good price: http://www.cotswoldsport.co.uk/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=181

 

[Accy]

I use a be nice halter this is the one with this metal peices on the poll, Def not to be used to tie up with but great for teaching manners when leading and not walking though you.

 

[Tia]

They are never too young to learn in my opinion. Used firmly but kindly any of these headcollars work well and teach what needs to be learned.

 

[mickey]

If you use one of these headcollars correctly then there should be no problem in using it on a youngster. The problem comes when people don't apply or release the pressure at the appropriate time.
I have used the dually and the one parelli sells. Personally I prefer the parelli one, it applies pressure to the poll as well as nose which works better with my horse.
I agree you should never tie up in these. Also if you are using a long rope/lunge line with these be careful the horse does not accidentally step on the rope or you are in all kind of trouble.

 

[thecantlefamily]

jesus, i have the same problem, my shire x cob, is 12 mths old and 15 hands, ive had to stop walking her out with her mum as she wont go back in the field, i was just going to leave her till she was 2 then put in a soft rubber bit,so ive bought her a pony friend to keep her company so i can ride her mum,wat else can we do............ i dont want to leave her in field for a year..............

 

[Tia]

[ QUOTE ]
i dont want to leave her in field for a year..............


[/ QUOTE ] No I wouldn't either. Gosh if she's bad now, I wouldn't want to see how you cope in a year's time when she is much bigger and stronger than she is at the moment.

 

[Chambon]

Im probably going to get shot down in flames for saying this but anyway, here goes...

I have never used and never needed any type of 'controller' headcollar. What is wrong with teaching horses young and old, a few basic manners? A bit of time and a bit of patience is all you need, not some jumped up contraption with a 'natural' title and a fancy price tag.

So many people end up with 'problem' horses, and these are usually the ones that have had 'natural' contraptions applied!

Sorry, my two pence worth!

(shoot me now, I'm hiding!)

 

[Maesfen]

I'll come with you - though that will make a bigger mass to shoot!!

 

[BethH]

I will shoot you down if you don't mind - sorry. My beautifully mannered 4 year old deteriorated with kissing spine unbeknown to us. His manners through pain gradually deteriorated to the point where I couldn't lead him to a field without his front legs above my head, not ideal when pregnant or with a very young daughter. For me safety was absolutely paramount no matter how I achieved it. The dually allowed my to handle him safely and when being investigated at the vets meant I could hold on to him rather than him flattening the vet. It helped him learn self discipline so that best of all after the op he didn't retain his learnt bad habits. He is a horse that at one point we thought may have to be PTS as he was so bad - what an awful experience. However am pleased to report successful op and very happy little ned who is again beautifully mannered in a normal headcollar, however if he ever steps out of line he gets the dually put back on for a couple of days as he is a pretty powerful horse and it sorts the problem. I agree that time to teach manners is very very important but sometimes you need a bit more help. Rant over - thanks!

 

[vieshot]

Have you tried a standard rope halter that tightens round the horses nose when he pulls? If you have only ever used a headcollar then it may be worth using one of these first to see if it makes a difference before going to the extreme.
Ive been handling a 15.2hh 9yp welsh D who when i got him would drag you around whenever he was led, i put a rope halter on him, this combined with some disaplin has nearly cracked him and he is getting better everyday and rarely pulls now.

 

[Maesfen]

[ QUOTE ]
I will shoot you down if you don't mind - sorry. My beautifully mannered 4 year old deteriorated with kissing spine unbeknown to us. His manners through pain gradually deteriorated to the point where I couldn't lead him to a field without his front legs above my head, not ideal when pregnant or with a very young daughter. For me safety was absolutely paramount no matter how I achieved it. The dually allowed my to handle him safely and when being investigated at the vets meant I could hold on to him rather than him flattening the vet. It helped him learn self discipline so that best of all after the op he didn't retain his learnt bad habits. He is a horse that at one point we thought may have to be PTS as he was so bad - what an awful experience. However am pleased to report successful op and very happy little ned who is again beautifully mannered in a normal headcollar, however if he ever steps out of line he gets the dually put back on for a couple of days as he is a pretty powerful horse and it sorts the problem. I agree that time to teach manners is very very important but sometimes you need a bit more help. Rant over - thanks!

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm pleased your horse was successfully operated on, that's great news but I do have to ask why on earth, with your problems (pregnancy and young daughter) you weren't using a bridle for control, even when to lead out to the field as a matter of course? That's common sense, surely. If you had done that, there would have been no need for your controller headcollar. In fact, I am very surprised at your vet not insisting that a bridle was used as a matter of safety for his staff and himself.
Yes, your CH helped you then, but a bridle would have done exactly the same job, so I'm sorry, I'll still stand by my first words and echo Chambon.

 

[Tinypony]

I would classify pressure halters/headcollars as those that tighten on the head. Like a Dually or Be Nice. I see those as a training aid, useful if you have control problems as long as you know how to use them properly. For example, if you use one you should be working your horse on a longer leadrope and not holding it close under the chin to lead, which interferes with the pressure and releas action.
A normal rope halter, like the ones Parelli sell, don't close anywhere and so I wouldn't call them a pressure halter, any more than a headcollar is. The halter can't apply pressure to specific areas such as the poll or nose, but if a horse throws it's head up, or pulls away, the horse will feel the pressure they are causing themselves more than in a headcollar, because there is less surface area and the rope is firm. Nor do the knots act on specific pressure points on the face, in spite of what some EBay sellers claim. The knots in a rope halter can't be placed accurately enough for that to happen. The advantage of these is that they are a little bit less comfortable for the horse to push and pull you about in them, so they tend to deter horses from leaning into the halter. So they are often a good first step if you have a horse that is just a little bit bolshy or bargy when you are leading, they can be all you need. Again, you should use them with a casual lead rope, not hanging on under the chin, or the horse will become desensitised to the feel of the ropes on their face.

 

[Tinypony]

If a bridle will do exactly the same as a Dually halter, then what is wrong with using either of them? Why have a go at someone for using the Dually instead of a bridle - if they both do exactly the same job?
Why would a vet insist that a bridle be used on a horse that was behaving well in it's current headgear? I'm all for using the right tool for the job, and if this horse was behaving safely at the vet's with a Dually halter then I don't see what the fuss is about.
I agree it wasn't safe for a pregnant lady to be leading a rearing horse about in a normal headcollar, but she used a different piece of tack and then he behaved. So surely that solved her problem?

 

[thecantlefamily]

we havent got to confuse baby behaviour with naughtyness. i dont want to put any pressures on my foals head with all the fancy headcollars etc.... i am however going to try and be more assertive ...and maybe stop treating her like my own baby.... we,ll see....