Getting the Halter On

Getting the Halter On

Welcome to your next issue of "Horse Class," your how-to source for equine tips, tricks and solid foundational training brought to you by horsemanship101.com and John Lyons Certified Trainer Keith Hosman.

Do you approach your horse with a smile and walk away spitting nails?

Our featured article in this issue "How to Halter a Horse" shows us how to break a horse to the halter (or deal with the older horse who's refusing to be haltered) but the underlying theme of the piece can be applied to many other horse challenges.

You'll find the article sampled below. To read it in its entirety, simply follow the link provided or visit Horsemanship101.com/Articles.

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Remember, previous issues can be found 24/7 at Horsemanship101.com/Articles. Many can be printed out and saved for reference later.

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Jump to the full article: "How To Halter a Horse"

Downloadable Training

"Your Foal," the Essentials

- 5-day, step-by-step guide
- Sacking out, desensitizing
- Ground work
- Halter training & leading
- Bathing & more!

Plus...
- Bonus Chapter: "Pick Up Your Feet When I Point!"

Find out more

"How to Halter a Horse"

I was in a great mood this morning; all was right with the world. Then I spent twenty minutes trying to get a human on the phone when I called my bank. After saying my account number for the 27th time to a computer I was frothing at the mouth and blood vessels were bulging from my neck. What's this got to do with horses? Simply this: How many times have we approached our horses smiling - and walked away spitting nails? Haven't we all wanted to take up a frying pan when our horse refused something simple like picking up his feet, standing for mounting or allowing himself to be haltered? I write this article, then, in the interest of making your horse world a little less contentious. I'll talk specifically about haltering problems, but the running theme can be applied to other, similar issues.

Be advised that training your horse to properly turn and face you and/or training your horse to come to you are beyond the scope of this article. I will go over a couple of quick fixes - but know that a horse that disrespects you in such a cavalier fashion has larger issues that need to be addressed. That horse is telling you in no uncertain terms "You ain't the boss, get lost." (And that attitude will surface when you're out riding.) Do yourself a favor and get some info (from an article, a book, a video, or a pro) on how to teach your horse to properly stand when you approach. Better yet, learn to teach your horse to come to you. There's a huge difference between the attitude of a horse that walks away from you and the horse that comes when asked...

keep reading this article