Teaching them to lead - Best tips please!!!

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 9:24 am

I know this has been talked about before and yes I have got several of mine leading already and years ago took some of my Friesians to shows.

Maybe there is no right way or wrong to do it but I expect some of you can give me some good ideas!

In particular - I bought last autumn an older heifer, she was at the time in rather poor condition and had never had a calf. She is now in good condition, in calf for the first time and 4 years old. So any ideas how to get her leading, without hurting her or us? She is friendly but quite full of herself!

Stephanie

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 3:17 pm

Oh well I had hoped for some quick answers about how to go about leading the older heifer, so anyway we had a go this afternoon.

Our neighbour kindly helped, we thought a bit of extra muscle would be a good idea!

We put them all in the crush first even the young ones.

The youngsters threw thrmselves about, especially the youngest of all.

However the older heifer - above although not very impressed seemed fairly casual about it all but I suspect next time or the time after that she will tow them around the yards!

So back to the original question, is there a particular way of going about leading the older animal that has never been on a halter?

Stephanie

Tim Watson · Post by **Tim Watson** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 4:52 pm

Has anyone used a correctly sized equine head collar and left it on them so that they get used to it?
It would obviously need adjusting if it was left on for a long time.

SteveM · Post by **SteveM** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 6:01 pm

We generally fit pony size nylon halters to heifers we are halter training, gives you something to grab hold of when trying to get a halter on.

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 7:35 pm

I have been told to tie them up with food and water and keep doing it daily until they are totally used to it and calm. Groom them tied up as well. When they are ready for it leave them for a few minutes at a time, getting longer, until they can be left tied for an hour.

Then when they are quite used to the headcollar and rope it is time to put the halter on and start leading. Is this what most people do?

We haven't a suitable place to tie up to at the moment but I think we will have to make one.

Stephanie

natmadaboutdexters · Post by **natmadaboutdexters** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 7:43 pm

Trial & error is the only way! I've found that they can be quiet when tied up but as soon as you start walking round the yard they start pulling of putting their heads down. I am suffering from a bruised foot today thanks to one of my cows who decided she didn't like the wind and side stepped onto my foot! This is the third year of showing her and she is quite strong willed! One of our other cows that we bought last year is happy to walk alongside you. It is definitely down to temperament whether they are easy to train. Well in my case anyhow. Good Luck.

Natasha

Post by **Mark Bowles** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 9:09 pm

There are some cattle that just have the right temperament to cope with anything. A couple of hours on a halter then straight to the show, i know a couple of people that have done that. Then there are the ones that you just know will be a problem, days and weeks of training and they still show you up in the ring. The trouble is you can't duplicate a show enviroment, what i have done before is take a newcomer to a show just to be there and experience it, but thats only when i have had to withdraw a genuine entry due to a problem.

Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 10:45 pm

I asked a client who breed pure Simmentals and sells quite a few bulls at about 2 yr old when he halter trains them.. two weeks before the sale was the answer.

If I am trying to do anything wich an older cow, or bull which I don't know, I tie them in a small pen first, and move them about in the pen before trying them in a larger but still enclosed space. Then I can go to taking them up and down our road which has fences on either side for about 150 yards, so they can't really get far out of line.

Offering feed when they are tied up for the first time certainly keeps them from panicking so much, but most cattle seem to accept being tied remarkably quickly.

Duncan

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:23 am

Thank you all for the useful answers. All of which we are going to try when we get the chance.

Do you usually tie a new one up for the first time a short distance from one that is an old hand and will stand calmly whilst tied? Or tie one on its own and just let it get on with it?

Any more tips out there?

Stephanie

Louisa Gidney · Post by **Louisa Gidney** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 11:11 am

If older cattle are outside, I start by just talking to them and scratching their tail head. Then progress to stroking both flanks. Once used to standing still & being talked to, start grooming with a brush. The young bull was with two heifers, so next I started putting halters on the heifers and tieing them up, then progressed to walking, after a fashion, in the field. The bull started to feel he was missing out on attention, so seemed delighted when it was finally his turn to have a halter on & go for a walk.
Calves, I start by tieing up by mum. They usually throw a total paddy fit, which both mum & I ignore. Once they have learnt to stand without pulling on a halter, we progress to walking in a confined space, either in the barn or a hurdle enclosure outside.
Be warned, however well behaved they are at home, the first trip to a show can be traumatic for all concerned. However by the second show, the "been there, done that" attitude kicks in.
I also do the last minute training. It was hard to keep a straight face in the ring once, while the commentator was explaning the hours of training & preparation, when the animal I was leading had first seen a halter the day before!
So, training tends to vary with the circumstance I need the animal halter trained for, the time I have available and the character of the individual animal.

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 11:05 am

Thanks Louisa.

We are considering taking one or two to some local shows but mostly I find it really convenient to have cows that will lead! The two old duns were halter trained when I bought them and you can go up to them in the field give them a few Mag Rolls, pop a halter on and take them out, leaving the others behind if you want - marvelous!!!

So we decided that it was probably worth the effort to get the ladies to lead, since hopefully they will be here for a good few years.

Stephanie

maniutek · Post by **maniutek** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 9:56 pm

Well I have 2 cows with calves bought straight off the hill, never handled and still very shy when we approach them. my great ambition is to train them to a halter and being able to milk them so it is a long way to go. My great plan is to do it gradually with a help of a treat bucket! I am close to putting a halter on one of them- just not sure how to go about it when her head is in the bucket! Will I manage to fasten it before she jumps? Any words of encouragement? Any tips?

strawberriesclint · Post by **strawberriesclint** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 10:31 am

Hi

Don't hesitate, make up your mind to get the halter on and do it. I have always found that you can do most things to dexters if you get it right the first time if you don't and then they realise what you are up to you are in for a bit of a struggle. Once they have their head in the bucket just try and get a rope around their neck, once you have tie them up and then replace with a halter, i know this doesn't sound nice but personally i never seem to be able to get the halter on the first time, so i go for just catching them then putting the halter on. Once you have gotten to this stage i normally talk to them quietly and stroke their backs and try to get them to eat out of your hand, then later you can coax them to you by getting them to eat out of your hand while you slip the halter over their head. You do have my sympathys, i am also halter training at the moment and i have just managed to get one of them to take food out of my hand, after several bruised toes.

good luck

cyndy

Louise Badcock · Post by **Louise Badcock** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 12:02 pm

I agree with Cyndy, just get the halter rope on the neck like a lassoo and tie them up. Put the halter on when tied up. They cannot do as much when they are choking. I use a neck strap on mine it is easy to clip a lead rope on and tie it. I have useda pony headcollar in the field also.
My friend trains Limousins to show and when they are yearlings she puts a white rope halter on and leaves it with the rope trailing so they get used to it. The halter ends up ruined by the way.

maniutek · Post by **maniutek** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 9:32 pm

Thanks for all suggestions! So far I have no bruised toes, but bruised hand as one of them like to poke me with her horns when I am anywhere near her nose- even when she is licking treats from my hand! How do you discipline a cow who likes to do that??? She is a 4 years old pedigree Dexter and has quite large set of horns... Anyway I am so glad I can talk to you all guys! I hope I can contribute to this forum at some point too!