Haltering a difficult horse
Do you have a horse that puts his head up when trying to put the halter or bridle on?
Here’s how you can turn it around and teach your horse to lean into the halter.
Step #1: Lower the tension
First, start by making your horse aware where he’s holding the tension.
Often, if a horse lifts their head out of reach for us, tension sits in the lower part of the neck.
I redirect the horse’s attention to this point and try and help them relax, ending up in a position suitable for haltering.
Step #2: Lower into the halter
The most important thing is that you don’t chase your horse. Instead, encourage your horse to move towards the halter.
As soon as they do that, move away.
This will reverse the psychology.
Step #3: Shape the behavior
Once your horse leans into the halter, combine the tension release pattern you taught your horse in the beginning to lower their neck.
This will also relax the muscles and puts a more positive connection to being haltered.
Step #4: Move on to the poll
As a final step, touch your horse on the poll, behind the ears. Don’t push, just encourage your horse to lower their head even when you’re closing the halter.