Learning The Ropes

Step one, slipping on a rope halter. These yearling bulls are not very happy about their first time to have a rope halter constricting their faces. The halter is just hanging loose, but they feel the need to throw the contraption off and swing their heads in an effort to launch the halter off their heads.

A good dinner of grass seed pellets and sweet hay take their minds off the halters and they eat normally. By the time they are done with the meal, they have grown used to the feel of the rope and are not bothered by the halter. The halter is taken off after about an hour. For several feedings, the halters will be put on and taken off so they get used to me working around their heads and the feel of the halters.

The next step will be tying the halter loosely to the solid metal stanchion and releasing the head gate. The bulls will be able to back out of the head gates about a foot. As they pull back the halter around their nose will tighten. They will learn that if they stand with the rope slack, the rope will loosen around their snout and they will be more comfortable.

During this stage, someone is required to stay near them in the barn in case they get agitated, tangle with a neighbor, or flip themselves and need the rope loosened quickly.

This step takes several hours and will be repeated several days with all the sets of animals that we will be taking to the fair. Also during this stage, the animals will start to get hands-on attention. Brushing and combing their bodies as they start to relax will help get them used to touching.