Training Tip: Hard-to-Halter Yearling

Question: I purchased a yearling a week ago. Every time I go to halter her, she turns her butt towards me and refuses to look at me. I have just begun teaching her the Fundamentals. How do I correct this behavior?

Answer: You’re on the right path. The answer is: Start the Fundamentals. The first exercise in the Fundamentals is Roundpenning. Being thorough with the five steps of Roundpenning will teach your filly to turn and face you and give you two eyes. I wouldn’t even worry about getting the halter on her until you’ve taken her through the Roundpenning exercises.

For your situation, “Step Four: Draw the Horse into You” and “Step Five: Teach the Horse to Follow You” will be especially beneficial. These steps will help your filly realize that being with you is a safe place and you’ll make her feel comfortable being next to you. You always want the horse to acknowledge you, respect you and want to be with you.

This is also the step that will teach the horse how to “catch” you. You shouldn’t have to pin your filly in the corner in order to get a halter on her every single day. You always want your horse thinking that she’s catching you rather than you catching her because it will confirm her respect for you. A respectful horse will turn toward you and even walk up to you when you go out to catch him. A disrespectful horse will turn away from you and give you two heels.

The earlier you start doing the Roundpenning exercises, the better. You can start this exercise with horses as young as yearlings. Of course, it goes without saying that you need to be conscious of a young horse’s physical limitations and not run him out of air.

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