In our previous article on halter breaking, we have a halter on our young horse and she is comfortable with it around her head and putting it on and off.
With the halter on and Tom’s hand on the halter just above the lead, he asks her to give to pressure, first tucking her nose (simulating the bridle pressure and giving to a bit). He wants her head to be vertical and eyes level.
If she isn’t finding his feel, he will raise her head up to an uncomfortable place.
When Tom drops his hand and asks for her to give and feel back, she will easily.
After this filly is soft and gives directly back, Tom will ask her to give back and forth, side to side, “rocking her jaw”.
Rocking her jaw is the beginning of everything: A one rein stop, moving her feet, controlling her body, and so on. Once he can move her jaw, keeping her eyes level and her head vertical, this is the beginning of collection!
I’ve always said all things horseback are solved with collection. Tom starts collection his second day (often his first) with his babies, halter breaking them.
I am a barrel and pole horse trainer, giving springtime barrel racing and pole bending clinics and workshops, competing in barrel racing and pole bending futurities while marketing our horses for sale. I am a Mom of 3: Sage, Cedar, and Stratton. And wife of...
