Halter Training?

[mylilchix]

I'd like to re-halter train our mama llama and train her daughter. The mama llama was trained, but I haven't had a halter on her since last August. What is the best way to reintroduce her to the halter and to introduce one to her daughter?

Thanks,
Sonja

 

[Chirpy]

I always have the lead rope attached to the halter before I put it on so that I can immediately have control once the halter is in. I don't want to have to 'catch' a llama a second time at that point. Just don't loop it around yourself in any way so that if she jumps back she it gets caught on you and pulls you along. I'd just put on the halter and start right in with momma.

If she was halter trained then she will remember right away what it's all about. She may not cooperate right away but just lead her around and she'll get back into it. I've not put halters on a couple of mine for almost a year once and they quickly got back into being led around. It does make a difference, though, on how well they were trained in the first place. I've also had to have one of my sons or husband literally hold them while I put the halter on them. Working with them regularly (daily or at least several times a week) will help so you can walk right up, in a stall or small enclosed area, and put it on yourself without help.

To catch a llama (you may know this) you get them into a smaller enclosed space (I have dog panels making a 10x10 area out in the pasture and we 'herd' them into it and then put halters on) or I have them in the barn in our horse stall. Walk very slowly with your arms outstretched and 'corner' them. Walk up and put one arm (I'm right handed so it's easiest for me to put my right arm around the neck and use my left hand to put the halter over their nose - then my right hand can help move it up and put the strap over the neck and buckle it) around the neck and put it on. Whenever working around llamas moving slowly and quietly is key to keeping them calm and useable.

With momma you may need to steadily pull on the lead to get her to move. Then stop for a bit and pet and talk to her. Then gently pull on her to get her moving again.

You DO NOT want to pull on the baby... when you work with her you just stand and let her come to you. Whenever she moves toward you/or forward encourage her verbally and you move also. If she pulls away from you or fights - you just stop and wait for her to stop. When she moves forward walk with her. You may walk in circles for a while but it does work really well to teach them that way. She will quickly learn that moving forward releases the pressure on her.

The baby will be harder as you'll have to be more gentle and go more slowly with her. You want it to be a good experience. Give her a little grain in your hand and have the halter hanging there so she nuzzles it to get the grain. You can even have her put her nose through the nose band to get to the grain. You may have to do that a few times. Slowly move the halter toward her head and let it touch her but don't try and put it on for the first few times.

Then, catch her by putting your arm around her neck (if she freaks out you may need help with this) and slowly but steadily pull the halter over her nose and up to her head. Put it on her and give her a little bit to get used to it. She may buck like a wild horse... that's normal. Let her. Then see the paragraph above and start getting her to move forward.

It can help a great deal to have someone else walk behind both of them. Having someone/something behind them almost always causes a llama to move away and forward. That releases any pressure on the lead line and they quickly get the idea that moving with you is a good thing.

The other thing that may really help. If momma starts walking real nicely... have a second person walk the baby next to her. Having a calm experienced llama is a huge help when training them. And, babies will often follow their momma without realizing at first that they are even being led.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[gaited horse]

can you train them like show cattle just tie them to a post and let her fight it out

 

[crittergal]

can you train them like show cattle just tie them to a post and let her fight it out

I wouldn't recommend that - atleast on their first lesson. They have such long necks they have a good chance of really getting hurt. I like to walk them a few times first and teach them to give to the halter, then I start working on getting them to stand still.

 

[mully]

can you train them like show cattle just tie them to a post and let her fight it out

This is will not win the llamas trust of you. They are very head shy and the most important thing is to let them trust you to touch their head. Once this trust is bonded they will let you halter them ...most of the time.LOL

 

[Farmer Kitty]

can you train them like show cattle just tie them to a post and let her fight it out

Not something I would recommend with cattle either. All that does is teaches them to pull backwards & fight. You need to teach them to go forward.

 

[Jake]

I have only halter trained three, one adult and two yearlings, and then a couple crias.

I used tying as part of the training, I tied them in the morning individually when they got their grain. That helps a lot. Tying is ALSO very helpful when foot trimming.

Llamas should always be halter trained, it just makes having them so much better.