Rocket Man is two weeks old…..

 

…..we’re going through the early steps in his training…..

He’s donned his baby halter (and it kept on…that’s a feat in itself)…..

He’s quickly learned how to lead…..

…..we’ve learned that you can pull all you want on a baby’s lead rope (where it’s attached to the front end)…..

…..but if he doesn’t want to move…..

…..you can’t make him…..

…..you have to scoop the long end of the lead rope around his butt…..

…..while you’re pulling at the front (usually a two person job)…..

…..that way the looped lead rope “encourages” any foal to walk forward by gently “hamstringing” him…..

…..any foal who wants to dilly-dally in a different direction is “scooped” the way you want him to go…..

All is fun and games…..until someone gets hurt…..

The next stage is…………………tying, standing and learning patience…..(HA!)…..

The kinder/gentler person (inside my head) always wants to use a “break-away” halter…..

…..(those are the kind of halters with removable/replaceable leather crown-pieces (the halter strap over their neck)…..

…..it looks nicer…..

…..the philosophy sounds nicer…..

But years ago Mary Constance (See Glossary) told me…..

…..Are You Crazy!!!???!!!…..

…..do you want to teach a baby horse (who could grow to be a one ton draft horse) that they can “break-away” from ANYTHING!?!…..

…..Mary Constance said…..have them learn while they are young (and small) and you have a fighting-chance to teach them how to tie off…..

…..AND WAIT PATIENTLY…..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~And Mary Constance was right~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Over the years some of the horses that I’ve bought (who were adults when I got them)…..

…..never learned that lesson…..

…..my horse trailer’s repairs stand witness to the re-welded/snapped-off/tie-off rings…..

…..also there are permanent dents in the aluminum roof from tall/untrained/unruly horses who have snapped their halters…..

…..(pinging their heads on the trailer roof—–I hope they got headaches)…..

Sooooooooooooooooooo…..

NO break-away halters for me…..

Rocket Man is learning to be tied (reluctantly)…..

…..and to wait patiently…..

…..or not so patiently…..

…..or really not so patiently…..

…..but the most important thing to these tie-off lessons is…..

…..he learns (while he’s a lightweight) that he can’t break a halter and get free…..

So far…..so good…..our trusty little nylon foal halters are holding up to the task…..