What does halter broken mean to you?

Being happy and trusting as a headcollar/halter is taken off and then replaced. Able to lead without pulling away or rushing and turning, stopping, walking on etc. Should be able to swap headcollar in field or catch a pony not wearing one.
 
I would take halter broken to mean leading nicely in hand, stopping when asked, not pulling,stopping, spinning or any other antics. Will allow it to be taken off and put back on again in an enclosed area (stable/yard) as I know some ******* that once their head collar is off there is no getting them back! *******!
 
Thanks everyone, that has been really helpful to know that you're all unanimous in your understanding of it, it took my four weeks to be able to clip a leadrope onto my "halter broken" colt and it must have been a fluke because I can't get near him again!I have a friend giving me a hand with him this weekend, and we'll be practising everything in an enclosed area rather than trying to do it in the field
 
Jinx94 said:
Thanks everyone, that has been really helpful to know that you're all unanimous in your understanding of it, it took my four weeks to be able to clip a leadrope onto my "halter broken" colt and it must have been a fluke because I can't get near him again!I have a friend giving me a hand with him this weekend, and we'll be practising everything in an enclosed area rather than trying to do it in the field
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Is it possible for you to stable him for a few days? I know we all prefer youngsters to be out but I really feel this one needs some intensive lessons in learning to trust humans. He isn't just not halter-broke, he seems completely unhandled and very scared. A few low pressure days, to start with forget the halter and work on establishing the beginnings of a bond with him. Sit with him while he eats, don't approach him, but when he approaches you then feed a couple of treats or gradually advance to a scratch on his neck. Once again, treat feeding isn't the best long term plan but needs must and he has to associate you with good things.

I hate to ask, but is this the youngster that was 'rugby tackled' to have a halter put on him?
 
Goldenstar said:
Halter broken .... The young labrador has had the headcollar off the fence again .
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Mwah ha. Sorry Jinx, nothing helpful to add but chin up, you will get through it. Just a thought, I know he is out with others but could you temporarily make the field a bit smaller just to make him a bit more accessible until you are over this phase?
 
I picked up a 10month old a week ago from his breeders, I knew what to expect as I've had ponies from them before and know the process they follow. He is what I term an acceptable level of 'halter broken'

He loaded fine and traveled fine, he will tie up although fidgets quite a bit, I can touch him all over, he leads well at walk and trot but again is a bit fidgety when you stand. He has his head collar off in the stable and he stands to have it put back on.
All great but the one thing he doesn't do is let me catch him easily in the field! I was pre-warned of this.

He's not scared, he trots in a circle around me with his tail in the air. I don't want it to be a game so rather than carry on with this I'm able to catch the rest of the herd and hold them by the gate. He then strolls over and stands still to be caught.

In your situation I would stable and some intense handling and move to out by day and in by night to get his use to frequent handling. Once chilled back out 24/7
 
He might have been halterbroken but the shock of moving has set him back? I used to buy unhandled colts. I kept them stabled for a week or so until I could get hold of them and touch them all over and lead them, then I loaded them and chucked them out with my uber friendly older baby ponies. They ALWAYS regressed, but once they saw the others galloping over for scritches and general mauling they came round pretty quick :)
 
Ladyinred said:
Is it possible for you to stable him for a few days? I know we all prefer youngsters to be out but I really feel this one needs some intensive lessons in learning to trust humans. He isn't just not halter-broke, he seems completely unhandled and very scared. A few low pressure days, to start with forget the halter and work on establishing the beginnings of a bond with him. Sit with him while he eats, don't approach him, but when he approaches you then feed a couple of treats or gradually advance to a scratch on his neck. Once again, treat feeding isn't the best long term plan but needs must and he has to associate you with good things.

I hate to ask, but is this the youngster that was 'rugby tackled' to have a halter put on him?
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As Auslander said, he wasn't the one to be rugby tackled :) I've been trying the low pressure softly softly approach ever since he arrived and it hasn't made all that much difference yet. I thought that Wednesday was a breakthrough, but apparently not. I've tried all kinds of treats but he's not interested in anything - he has his hay, grass and a bucket feed every morning so he doesn't really "want" for anything. I'll ask about stables but AFAIK all of the ones at his yard are currently in use. Thank you for the advice :)

Fun Times said:
Mwah ha. Sorry Jinx, nothing helpful to add but chin up, you will get through it. Just a thought, I know he is out with others but could you temporarily make the field a bit smaller just to make him a bit more accessible until you are over this phase?
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Thanks, I'm trying :) I'll ask, not sure how well it'll go down but I need to do something.

catroo said:
I picked up a 10month old a week ago from his breeders, I knew what to expect as I've had ponies from them before and know the process they follow. He is what I term an acceptable level of 'halter broken'

He loaded fine and traveled fine, he will tie up although fidgets quite a bit, I can touch him all over, he leads well at walk and trot but again is a bit fidgety when you stand. He has his head collar off in the stable and he stands to have it put back on.
All great but the one thing he doesn't do is let me catch him easily in the field! I was pre-warned of this.

He's not scared, he trots in a circle around me with his tail in the air. I don't want it to be a game so rather than carry on with this I'm able to catch the rest of the herd and hold them by the gate. He then strolls over and stands still to be caught.

In your situation I would stable and some intense handling and move to out by day and in by night to get his use to frequent handling. Once chilled back out 24/7
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I would love to have him stabled for a bit, I really would. But I don't think that the yard have any free stables though I will ask. The other issue is that I got a call yesterday morning to say that I'm losing 9 work hours a week to new staff. So I can still afford his livery/insurance/any extras, but with the yard charging an extra £65-£75 a week for stabling during the day OR at night, I can't do that :(

FrankieCob said:
He might have been halterbroken but the shock of moving has set him back? I used to buy unhandled colts. I kept them stabled for a week or so until I could get hold of them and touch them all over and lead them, then I loaded them and chucked them out with my uber friendly older baby ponies. They ALWAYS regressed, but once they saw the others galloping over for scritches and general mauling they came round pretty quick :)
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The others have all been coming over, but with him being at the bottom of the pecking order they often barge between me and him and nip/kick out at him to get him to move away. I'm just really frustrated and yesterday was blimmin awful.

The yard feed him and check him twice a day, and I just couldn't face going today. I feel really really awful about it, but I've been going every day so far excluding the other day when I was at the Dr's and got held up. The first week I only went for 30-40 minutes, since then I've layered up and have spent between an hour and three hours in the field with him.

I'm doing nothing else tomorrow, so plan to spend as many hours in the field as I can. Will probably go up in the morning, come back to college at lunchtime and then go back for a few hours.

I had so many people telling me I was an idiot when I said that I had bought him, and I was told I wouldn't be able to manage having a proper baby and I just feel like I'm proving them right. Didn't help that I managed to break a handbrake cable last night too!! Al in all it's left me feeling so low and fragile. I'm just going to have to treat it as a way of getting out of my room rather than going to see what I can do with him, I just think I'll come away disappointed otherwise.
 
You say the yard feed him and check him twice a day. I'd suggest that you time your visits so that YOU feed him twice a day.


I'd suspect his breeders did indeed have him halter broken but he has been given such a culture shock that he doesn't feel enough trust to come to you.

You MUST remember to take his leather foal slip with you EVERY time you are there If he's not coming close enough to put it on make a big show of playing with it by yourself, make it an object of interest, not something to run away from.
 
FrankieCob said:
He might have been halterbroken but the shock of moving has set him back? I used to buy unhandled colts. I kept them stabled for a week or until I could get hold of them and touch them all over and lead them, then I loaded them and chucked them out with my uber friendly older baby ponies. They ALWAYS regressed, but once they saw the others galloping over for scritches and general mauling they came round pretty quick :)
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This. Felix was technically halterbroken by his breeder, and she'd been happily leading him up and down the lane. But then she'd had to turn him away a bit, and then we moved him, and you'd have thought he was frigging feral. He came round soon enough though.
 
Does he get a feed from the yard staff because all the others are being fed? If its possible cut it out so that you are the source of all bucket feeds. start by putting a couple of carrots in a bucket and walk away so that he can eat them without you near. Then progress to throwing the carrot to him when he's as close as is comfortable. This could lead onto him coming closer to you to get the carrot from your hand. Carrot are good because they taste good and are big enough to see and throw about (and pick up if necessary). Use the same, preferably brightly coloured, bucket so he knows its special.
 
Digger66 said:
Does he get a feed from the yard staff because all the others are being fed? If its possible cut it out so that you are the source of all bucket feeds. start by putting a couple of carrots in a bucket and walk away so that he can eat them without you near. Then progress to throwing the carrot to him when he's as close as is comfortable. This could lead onto him coming closer to you to get the carrot from your hand. Carrot are good because they taste good and are big enough to see and throw about (and pick up if necessary). Use the same, preferably brightly coloured, bucket so he knows its special.
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Good ideas!
 
It will all be much easier if you can stable him for a while, and get to know each other better.

I know that I already mentioned it in another of your threads, but that nylon headcollar needs to be removed asap or it will be cutting into him soon, it's already rather tight.
 
Jemima*askin, the leather headcollar will be with me every time I go from now on.

Tiddlypom, as I've said in my other threads, I hate that he's in a nylon headcollar and as soon as I can get his bigger leather one on, I will.

Thank you so much everyone for your suggestions, I'll be trying out as many as possible. The horses don't have specific feed buckets, there are a group of buckets in tyres in one area of the field that they all share, but I'll try to get him to feed from the bright red one that my friend got me for Christmas.

Now that I've seen the message from Spot the risk (thank you so so much btw) I understand even more why he's reacting the way he is, and even though I thought I was using a low pressure approach, it may not have been as low pressure as he needs or applied in the right way. I'll be investing in Sarah Weston's book and starting slowly again with him :)
 
When I got my lad he was untouched, I halter broke him and taught him to lead and tie. He was fab and really easy. The first time my sister had a go he wouldn't let her near him. She was sure I had done nothing with him and he was some sort of wild pony....lol. She was shocked when I just walked out, stuck the head collar on and walked him in. She had a go and he was fine within days, I am sure your pony will be fine soon.
 
To me halter broken means they've learnt to 'give' to pressure on the halter, so they lead and tie up ok.

It does NOT mean they are well handled or 'tame'!! Nor does it mean they've particularly good at having a halter put on and off.
 
Kallibear said:
To me halter broken means they've learnt to 'give' to pressure on the halter, so they lead and tie up ok.

It does NOT mean they are well handled or 'tame'!! Nor does it mean they've particularly good at having a halter put on and off.
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Yes, that! Thank you for articulating what I was thinking :)
 
Kallibear said:
To me halter broken means they've learnt to 'give' to pressure on the halter, so they lead and tie up ok.

It does NOT mean they are well handled or 'tame'!! Nor does it mean they've particularly good at having a halter put on and off.
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Yes I agree. I've got cows who are very well halter broken but you couldn't walk up to them and catch them like a horse. You need to get him inside and work with him. Wasting your time in a herd with other horses like that. Get the yard to bring the other horses in and let him follow if it is safe to do so.
 
Tiddlypom said:
It will all be much easier if you can stable him for a while, and get to know each other better.

I know that I already mentioned it in another of your threads, but that nylon headcollar needs to be removed asap or it will be cutting into him soon, it's already rather tight.
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Agree with this, so much easier if u can get him in a stable, i spent years dealing with wild ponies which was many years ago now but being in a field isn't the way to go but once in a confined area they come on very quickly and don't take the headcollar off until he's 100% at having one put on top first
 
I really appreciate that my chances would be better if I could have him in a stable. If my hours at work hadn't been cut, I would have pushed for a stable for a few days. However, with the yard charging so much extra for stable use (and I think that they are currently using all of their stables) and me earning £200 less a month, I physically cannot afford it right now. So if I'm "wasting my time" in the field, that sucks. But I'll just have to cope with what I have until either I get given more hours or get a better paid job.

ETA I was told that I'd have no issues with catching him/handling him as he was halter broken and a very friendly boy (which I do believe he is) and I chose to turn him out immediately based on advice from friends and many people on this forum. As per usual, damned if I take the advice, damned if I don't.
 
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