Hard breed?

Jamie · Post by **Jamie** » Thu May 28, 2009 10:12 am

Is it true dexters are very head strong and hard to halter train?

The one I helped to train seemed easy enough but I have heard rumours that they are one of the harder breeds.

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Thu May 28, 2009 11:23 am

Our bull was easy improved each session but tried to train a steer calf just for practice and failed, the heifer calf is good as gold, took to it straight away like the bull. Started the bull at about 4 months and the heifer at 3 days back and for to the field morning and night with her Mum, still catching her easy enough now at nearly 6 weeks. They are the only ones we have wanted to do so far.

Stephanie

strawberriesclint · Post by **strawberriesclint** » Thu May 28, 2009 1:18 pm

I started halter training in the winter, when the heifer i wanted was housed, which in the early days of halter training is defintely easier, mind you i waited to halter her until she had come off of her mother about 8months and after about 3 weeks i could leed her around quite easily. Dexters can be a bit head strong but to me thats the appeal, they all have their own personality. They are an extremely hardy animal that will winter out quite happily, i have had them for 6 years and now have 50 of them and in all that time i have only ever had to help with calving once, which i am very pleased with.

cyndy

nuttalls · Post by **nuttalls** » Thu May 28, 2009 4:27 pm

i have halter trained afew this time, but they,re all different some tie up easy and some throw themselves all over,we have one whom chuck,s herself on floor everytime she walk,s with anyone different! .ps got some more new stock loads of halter training to do, nice stock some woodmagic breeding beryl, been meaning to tell you

Post by **Mark Bowles** » Thu May 28, 2009 7:05 pm

As we say, dexters are a strange breed. I have heard of a show person training a heifer the day before a show and it behaving brilliant. On the flip side of that, for no apparent reason, although there must be one!, some will never have it.
This winter i put hours in with a 10 month heifer, she would not walk without vering off at an angle, plus she just would not stand. Another heifer had approx 4 hours work and walks and stands a dream, well at least she does in the yard. You can train them all you want but you will never duplicate that certain show atmoshere until you are there, then you look an idiot.
I would say dexters are definately more difficult to train than other breeds, most other breeds have had there brains sucked out anyway, but dexters still have some left.
comments from other breeds please!

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Thu May 28, 2009 8:02 pm

Well Mark - I can comment on leading Fresians. We used to show our herd years ago. They were generally different, more relaxed about it all, including being washed. There was one once that we tried our hardest to lead that had perhaps a more Dexter type intelligence, threw a sulk about it actually and refused to move for anyone and never did go to a show!!! Most of them were more pliable than the Dexters.

The difference I would say is, you could be more heavy handed and force a Fresian more and you need to appeal to a Dexter, be a bit canny and cajole it a bit to get what you want, maybe bide your time occasionally?

The Fresians didn't give us all our own way though, the show atmosphere did get to them once or twice - usually during the grand parade and I remember our herdsman doing a lap of the ring at a pace that wouldn't shame an olympic runner, whilst being generously "helped" by the cow he was leading! :;): Also there was a very close encounter in the parking area once, the heifer I was holding got scared by something and we had quite a long run and dodged lots of cars before she decided it wasn't going to eat her.

Stephanie