Show Halter
Horse Training – Some Groundwork Exercises
Horse training requires a firm basis on the ground before you can move onto saddle training; here are a few basic exercises outlined which can be used when training your own horse or someone else’s. Such exercises are the foundation of familiarity and trust between you and your horse. Good groundwork sets the stage for all future training. It is important for your safety that your new ton-sized friend is taught to respect your personal space bubble.
To achieve success in horse training you will need to have patience, be persistent and give lots of positive reinforcement and praise to your horse. These are the 3 P’s of basic horse training that will serve you well no matter what level you are training or what you might be training for in the future.
1. Groom your horse. When grooming your horse you are actually performing an important exercise in groundwork training. It is this quality time during which you and the horse will get to know each other. Stand beside him and brush his neck and back. Don’t be alarmed if your horse comes around with his teeth to give you a love bite as this is quite common. He must not be allowed to do this to humans, even though horses do it to each other. Discourage this by simply waving a hand, or by pushing his head back straight. Those teeth are HUGE so you must make it clear from the beginning that this is unacceptable. It’s important to stay calm and be patient. He’ll get the idea and will cooperate. There’s no need to get carried away and shout or frantically wave or smack. This will only destroy the fragile trust you are still building.
2. Lead your horse. Holding the lead rope just below his chin in your right hand, walk beside your horse on his left side. Take a step and walk slowly forward. He should not try to go ahead of you but should remain at your right side. If he tries to go ahead just walk around him to your left in a circle. You may need to do this a few times to get the point across. Demonstrate persistence. By circling to your left you will stay just ahead of him as it should be. Should your horse not want to walk with you then stand slightly behind him, at his shoulder, facing the same direction. Push forward while holding the rope close to his chin. His first step should elicit praise and positive reinforcement from yourself. When he starts to walk willingly, take your place slightly ahead of him and walk on. Never wrap the lead rope around any part of yourself – this is for your own safety. If the horse should suddenly bolt he will drag you along too and you will almost certainly be injured.
3. Lunge your horse.This is a fantastic exercise which the vast majority of horse owners and certainly all horse trainers will use to teach their horse about what is expected. Many of the skills, commands and cues that your horse will require for saddle work can be taught by performing lunging exercises.
In a large open area (an arena works, too, if you don’t have a round enclosure) clip your horse to a lunge lead specifically for lunging. The lungeing rope will be much longer than the lead rope at about thirty feet long. Clip the lead to the horse’s left halter side and hold the lead in your left hand. To begin, hold the lunge lead while facing the horse’s left side. Hold a lunge whip in your right hand which you’ll use to guide him along. Now step to your right sideways toward the rear of the horse while holding the whip out behind him. The horse’s natural reaction will be to step forward. Now let out the rope as you follow behind the horse to the left side, making a kissing sound as you do so. He’ll begin to associate that sound with “move forward”. As you’re turning and the horse moves in a circle around you, hold the whip slightly behind his hindquarters. The whip is not for hitting. Simply by waving it about a little the horse should pay attention to you.
Now that he’s moving forward, you’ll move slowly backwards to the centre of the virtual circle. As the horse walks around you in a circle, stand in the middle with the lunge rope fully extended. Watch your horse’s hip area as he’s going round.
Here you can teach him the “whoa” command. Say the word “whoooaaa” in a low and calm voice. At the same time, step toward your horse’s head and repeat the word. Be sure to give him a neck rub with lots of praise when he stops. That will be the positive reinforcement he needs to remember what he’s supposed to do.
Change your position now so that you are lunging in an anti-clockwise direction. It’s done in the same way, but with the lead clipped to the right side of the halter and the lunge whip in the left hand.
These exercises are simple ways to get you started when traiing your horse. Bear in mind that a horse is a huge and powerful creature. This alone should be enough to remind you to have adequate horse insurance in place should either you or your equine be injured. Your success with training and all future activities depends both on safety and trust. As well as a loyal friend, your horse is also an investment, so remember to protect that investment against theft, accident or misadventure by making sure you compare horse insurance policies to ensure you are getting the best level of cover for both of your needs.
HOW TOO: Fit a Miniature Horse Show Halter
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32 – Beaded Arab Show Halter CM LSQ Breyer, Peter Stone Resin Model Horse $7.29 |
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Miniature/Mini Horse/Pony Show Halter – FULL SET – 39 $48.59 |
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BRAND NEW!!! Sleek Look Show Cattle Large Halter & Lead $39.99 |
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LG-EMBELLISHED SHOWMANSHIP/HALTER SHOW JACKET-GOLD CRYSTALS-ZIP UP FRONT $12.99 |
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EMBELLISHED SHOWMANSHIP/HALTER SHOW JACKET-RHINESTONE DESIGNS $8.00 |
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Palomino Arabian Horse Stars Show Halter ACEO Open Edition Art Print CMOAR $7.99 |
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NWT VINTAGE GREEN SHOW BACK RED HALTER MAXI DRESS S $42.99 |
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HALTER SHOW MONTANA SILVER W/LEAD AKERS RANCH DRK OIL $189.99 |
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HALTER SHOW 5 WAY STOCK HORSE PLAIN W/LEAD USA MADE $119.99 |
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TAN/LIGHT OIL SILVER BEADED SHOW HALTER YEARLING SIZE-BROKEN SCREW $28.00 |
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TAN/LIGHT OIL SILVER HEART SHOW HALTER YEARLING SIZE $35.00 |
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TAN/LIGHT OIL SILVER BEADED SHOW HALTER YEARLING SIZE $35.00 |
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Natural Leather Show Halter Silver Trims Red Crystals Showman Horse sz Western $68.88 |
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Leather Show Halter /Berry Edge/Dark Oil/ Horse Size $55.00 |
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Leather Show Halter /Aztec Design /Dark Oil/ Horse Size $45.00 |
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1849 BLACK Showmanship Halter Horse Show Pants Small $60.45 |
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BILLY ROYAL Grand Slam Show Halter Yearling Horse Blue $292.95 |
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Arabian Show Halter (Traditional Size) $6.99 |
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RARE HOOTERS 2004 STURGIS BIKE SHOW,SOUTH DAKOTA DIY HALTER TOP NEW $18.99 |
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Western Tack – Nice Storage Bag – Protect Your Show Bridles & Halters New $21.84 |
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Snappies crystal magnetic number pins WESTERN TRAIL COSTUME SHOW HACK HALTER $18.99 |
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SILVER ROYAL Dark Oil Horse Show Halter YEARLING BARS $125.00 |
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SILVER ROYAL MED Oil Horse Show Halter YEARLING BARS $125.00 |
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Horse Nylon Glitter show tape Halter BROWN NEW STOCK! $16.50 |
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Snappies gold magnetic number pin DRESSAGE HALTER SHOW HACK COSTUME WESTERN $16.99 |
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NEW SHOWMAN Mini Silver Show Halter $29.50 |
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CIRCLE Y Mare Size Show Halter Silver With Crystals 501-5000 $379.00 |
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NEW Showman Double Stitched Silver Bar Show Halter $34.50 |
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NEW Showman Silver Show Halter with Barrel Racer Design $34.50 |
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NEW Showman Silver Show Halter with Pleasure Horse Design $34.50 |
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LEATHER NATIVE ARABIAN HORSE SHOW HALTER DESERT CLASSIC PARADISE GOLD NEW $109.95 |
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BRONC RODEO SHOW HORSE HALTER HAIR-ON CRYSTALS PONY 319 $35.12 |
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White House Black Market AmaZing Size 12 Halter top. Sexy!! SHOW OFF UR TAN!! $14.99 |
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Mini Horse ~ Cable Show Halter Set ~Silver Nose Band $103.55 |
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Heartland Horse Rail Western Pleasure Show Halter Clothes Jacket Shirt Medium $80.00 |
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Halter and Model Training for the Tennessee Walking Horse $11.99 Sharon Gueck Deford, winner of three Grand Championship plantation titles, runs the colt and halter division at Cheveaux Training Stables in Sherwood, Oregon. In this video, she will teach you how to begin working with your Tennessee Walking Horse, and provides step-by-step instructions on how to teach your horse proper halter and model techniques that you will find useful for show or pleasure…. |
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Fitting the Show Horse for Halter [VHS] $29.95 … |
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A Crime of Fashion $1.99 … |
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Training Miniature Horses for Halter and Halter Obstacle $35.96 This workshop gives you the foundation to train your Miniature Horse to perform beautifully and obediently in halter classes and on obstacle courses. In any performance class, your horse’s trust in you and his ability to understand and respond to your commands is the key to success. Well-known breeder and amateur exhibitor Joanne Ross shows you how to teach your horse respect for your personal spa… |
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SHEEP SHOW HALTER W/ LEAD, Color: GREEN; Size: 3/4 INCH (Catalog Category: Livestock Equip. & Supplies:HANDLING EQUIPMENT) 3/4 inch nylon with 5 foot lead attached.Ingredients: Double Nylon Show Halter With Copper Steel Clasps.(Color: GREEN; Size: 3/4 INCH)… |
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Tough-1 Halter Fleece Set $9.60 Sheepskin-like material. The kit contains a slip-on crown, 2 Quick Grip” cheek pieces, and a Quick Grip” noseband. 4 piece fleece set…. |
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Poly Rope Halter W/Knots & 14ft Lead $17.50 Thin stiff rope halter has twisted crown and knots at pressure points on nose for better control during training. Includes 14ft Lead…. |
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NEW Silver Ferruled Show Halter Horse w/ Lead $79.00 OUR TOP SELLING SHOW HALTER ! This is a NEW Adjustable Silver Show Halter decorated with Silver Engraved Ferrules complete w/ show lead ! This is a striking and beautiful 5-way adjustable Silver accented Show Halter made of 1 inch leather decorated with 3 rows of Silver Ferrules on cheeks and Plated Etched Bars on the nose. It has a double buckle crown and a rolled leather throat. Silver Buckles,… |
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Black Magic Leather Cattle Show Halter – M (850-1400 lbs) $51.13 The Black Magic leather show halter was designed with black hardware for a sleek look that does not compete with the animal’s features for attention. Cattle halter and hardware blend in with the animal’s hair, giving judges a true unhindered look at the animal. Constructed from black bridle leather with rounded noseband, rounded cheekpieces and durable corner stays. Edges are smoothed and finished… |
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American Flag Mens T-shirt, USA National Pride Men’s Shirt Our Mens T-shirts are made of 100% fully machine washable cotton blend for a cool comfortable and versatile fit every time…. |