We are often asked about the difficulty in halter-breaking and training to show Texas Longhorn cattle. We have found that the intelligence of the Longhorn cattle combined with the techniques of Touch 'n Talk eSpoused by longtime Texas Longhorn breeder and show exhibitor makes halter-breaking a much easier task than Kenn had as a 4-H youth working with show steers of other breeds. Below is reproduced an article about halter-breaking by John T. Baker that details his approach.
I'm of the strong opinion that it is very important that the exhibitor or trainer bond with the animal from the beginning. One of my premises is that you need to first be able to touch that animal anywhere on its body so that the animal gets very comfortable with you before you begin the training process.
Do a little "touch and talk" to the animal -- literally while you're touching and rubbing the animal. I'm not talking initially about brushing him. I'm talking about when the animal is still green, and you start working with him so that you can go up to him easily.
Touch the animal all over. I normally go from the shoulder, back over the side and over the rump, down the rump all the way to the hock and then to the pastern. Typically, by the time that animal is standing still, and you're really working in a bonding relationship, you should be able to touch that animal between the legs, either on the udder of the female, or on the testicle system of the male. Normally, that's an area where an animal seems to slow down, and shall we say, gain some trust in you. If a person is not apprehensive, that can be done literally in five minutes, once the animal is slowed down because you can just continue to touch him.
I keep saying the words, TOUCH AND TALK. A lot of people might think it a bit foolish to talk to an animal, but I think it's imperative to talk to your animal so that it becomes familiar with your voice and noises at the same time that you're touching it. I don't care what you say, or what you see, the animal becomes used to your voice. The noises that pass in the vicinity of your animal are varied, as we know, when we go on the road. But that touch and talk, in my opinion, is very important in bonding with the animal.
One has to overcome any fears one might have because cattle quickly read fear in a person, and it's very difficult to bond if the animal senses fear in the exhibitor. And I'm not talking about in the show ring, but during the training process. Again, I think it is ultra important to touch and talk to this animal very regularly in order to create this bonding we speak of, and therefore this animal will respond to you.
It can quickly be seen in the show ring how much time an exhibitor has spent touching and talking with his animal. So my suggestion is that in the training process, the trainer must spend several cumulative hours touching and talking with the animal.
I personally use commuication - no particular words - but just like you were talking to a horse. If you want the animal to go forward, I may give it a little "click, click, let's go forward," and get the animal to move forward. By the same token, when I come to a stop with that animal, I'm sort of talking with a "whoa." I think that, if you are bonded with your animal, over time you can nearly talk that animal into a start or stop with only a slight pressure of the halter or lead rope.
In summary, bonding in my opinion, would be a combination of time spent with the animal, touching him and talking to him, until the animal is very comfortable and relaxed. It's imperative that you get that animal in a relaxed condition when you're working with him toward the show.
About the Author
John T. Baker and his wife, Betty, are owners of Sunrise Ranch in
Liberty Hill, Texas. They have produced and exhibited championship quality Texas
Longhorns since the beginning of the TLBAA Show Circuit. John T. and Betty been very
supportive of the TLBAA youth programs and are always providing an encouraging word to
youth working with their animals. For the past several years, Sunrise Ranch has held
a summer "Ranch Camp" for a limited number of youths to spend a week learning to
work with and halter-break a young calf as well as participate in a variety of typical
camp activities. We recommend it as one of the best experiences available to a youth
interested in working with cattle. John T. occasionally holds a one-day
halter-breaking seminar. It was as one of these seminars that Laura met her first
Texas Longhorn heifer in October 1998 and had her leading and setting up for show by the
end of the day.