Building BuildingConfidence Confidence
By: Ted Howard, Production Animal Consultation help. Confident horses make pulling new or highly By: Ted Howard, sensitive cattle the more (pictured above) Production Animal Consultation sensitivecattle cattleeasier. easier.The Theeasier easierit is it to is pull to pull cattle the By: above) Ted Howard, Production Animal Consultation sensitive cattle easier. The easier it is to pull cattle the m (pictured confident we become in our in job. more confident we become our job. (pictured above) confident we become in our job. Confidence is essential in successfully handling livestock. Confidence is essential in successfullycan handling livestock. When emptying penspens a confident horse will be will be We asConfidence stockmen and stockwomen build it in our WhenWhen emptying aa confident confident horse is essential in successfully handling emptying pens horse will beup a We as stockmen and stockwomen can build it in our livestock. approachable to cattle. This is important for setting horses, they in turn build it in the cattle we handle, and approachable to cattle. This is important for setting up aup a We as stockmen and stockwomen can build it in our approachable to cattle. This is important forpen setting horses, they in turn build it in the cattle we handle, and at good experience for the cattle as they leave their or at the end a productive day we have good good experience for the cattle as they their pen orpen or horses, they in turn build itconfidence inconfidence the cattle handle, experience the cattle as leave they leave their the end of aofproductive day the the wewe have in inand at“home” to be exercised,forweighed, re-vacced and/or loaded. ourselves increases. “home” to be exercised, weighed, re-vacced and/or the end of a productive day the confidence we have in “home” to behorse exercised, weighed, and/or ourselves increases. A quiet confident can move amongst cattle and flowload ourselves increases. loaded. A quiet confident horse can move amongst cattle A quiet confident horse can move amongst cattle out of the pen with them while keeping motion in draftsand of flo The partnership we have with our horse starts first thing and flow out of the pen with them while keeping motion out of the pen with them while keeping motion in drafts The partnership we have with our horse starts first thing in cattle as they head up the alley. The partnership with starts first thing inin drafts cattle theyashead the up alley. in the morning when we have catch them forhorse the day’s of as cattle theyup head the alley. the morning when we we catch them forour the day’s work.work. How the morning when we catch them for the day’s work. How Howaccept they accept sets thefor tone theIfday. wetoo are too they us setsusthe tone theforday. weIfare When we work with fat cattle we can ask our horses to step they accept us sets thein tone for day. Ifvery we low. are we work with cattle wecan cancattle askour our horses to s aggressive their confidence confidence in us will willthe become very low.too When we work with fat fat cattle we ask horses aggressive their us become up andWhen create more energy to keep the fat moving. aggressive their confidence in us will become very low. Cattle up and create more energy to keep the fat cattle moving. to step up and create more energy to keep the fat read off of the quickness of our horse’s feet. Incattle a Cattle read off of the quickness of our horse’s feet. When our horses are confident leaving the barn and When our horses are confident leaving the barn and moving. Cattle read the create quickness of to ourmotivate horse’sIn a controlled manner thisoff canofhelp energy When are confident leaving the barn and controlled this this can can helphelp create energy to motivat entering the penshorses the cattle confident fat cattle movemanner steadily. entering the our become reassured or confident feet. In ato controlled manner create energy to entering the pens the cattle become reassured or confident fat cattle to move steadily. in in our ourpresence. presence.AAconfident confidenthorse horsewill willhave havea alow lowhead headset motivate fat cattle to move steadily. our presence. A confident horse will have a low head set that isinrelaxed and and an easy walk. Confident cattle will move easier, they will flow through a set that is relaxed an easy walk. that is relaxed and an easy walk. Confident cattle will moveand easier, they will flow through processing environment calmer they canflow be weighed Confident cattle will move easier, they will through a processing environment calmer and they can be weighed Cattle are prey animals. They sense nervousness in a horse CattleCattle are prey animals. They sense nervousness ininaa horse processing environment theyis can be weighed and loaded in a smoother calmer manner.and This all established are prey animals. They sense nervousness as something to fear. When a horse has fast feet and a high and loaded inand a smoother manner. This all established horseasassomething somethingtotofear. fear.When When a horse fast andthe loaded in a smoother manner. This is our allisestablished by confidence demeanor of us and horses. a horse hashas fastbe feetfeet and a high head set, it can frighten cattle and cause them to byconfidence the confidence and demeanor of us and horses. and ahead high set, headit set, can frighten cattle and them causeto them by the and confidence demeanor of us and ourour horses. can itfrighten cattle and cause be Confident horses instill in their riders and distrustful and difficult to handle. Confident horses instill confidence in their riders and to be distrustful and difficult to handle. Confident create horsesmore instill confidence in members. their riders essentially productive team ** and essentially productive members. essentially createcreate more more productive team team members. ** ** Cattle that are unsure or frightened will hide any illness Cattle that are unsure or frightened will hide any illness Cattle that are unsure or frightened will hide any illness or or morbidity that we need to identify. This causes late or morbidity we to realize identify. This causes late morbidity that results we that need to need identify. This causes late pulls pulls and poor when we do they need pulls and poor results when we do realize they need and poor results when we do realize they need help. Confident horses make pulling new or highly help. Confident horses make pulling new or highly 14
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