THE METHOD I'M USING
Let's get one thing clear, when I talk about successful haltering, I have in mind an animal, be it llama or alpaca, that will quietly, without resistance, accept a headcollar. I am aware that any hefty bloke or three (that's "man" in USA) could wrestle with almost any llama in a small catchpen, overpower it and force the halter on. To my mind, this is not ideal and not what I'm about here.
For someone who spends a considerable amount of time and effort training llamas, it may seem surprising that I have quite a lot of trouble at times, putting halters on my animals. ( But then my main interest is off-lead work ...or that's my excuse ! ! ) From my experience of llamas, I would say that there are those that are easy to halter, those that are hard (possibly the majority?) and those that are bloody impossible. And even some of the easy ones go through periods of being difficult. Does this sound familiar to anybody out there? I put it down to the fact that some llamas, either periodically or permanently, simply dislike having something passed close to their noses. Or else it could be a submission issue. The jury in my mind is permanently out on this subject! Over the years I have put in probably hundreds of hours with David, using various methods, different styles, shapes and colours of halters..and made little progress despite the fact that he has never, ever, had an unpleasant experience with haltering.
So my method? Anyone reading this page over the years will know I've tried many.
In the past year, I have moved away from working from the side, as one does with a horse, to fitting the halter from the front. In general it is working better for me, especially as I have acquired some halters with soft, but rigid, nosebands, staying open when held with one hand. This has enabled me to use a clicker.
I turn the halter into a "target" (see Targetting). Starting from scratch, I interest the llama in the halter, click/rewarding the initial 'just-looking' at it, through touching and then onto putting the nose into the noseband area and so on.m
The C/R is given for degrees of how far the llama will put his nose through the band, culminating in allowing my left hand to put the crownpiece around the neck, little by little,
I think it is vital to have a noseband that is big enough. Llamas are obligate nasal breathers and there have been instances of tight bands drifting down the short nosebone and suffocating by nostril constriction.
Another method that has sometimes worked well for me is to have a bowl with a treat in it infront of the llama and the noseband positioned such that he has to put his head through the noseband to get to it.
Llamas are not horses. Many llamas are incurably headshy. If you are having haltering problems, let me tell you, you are not alone. There is nothing wrong with you. There is probably nothing wrong with your halter. There is probably nothing wrong with your approach. x
But maybe we need to ask ourselves why we are haltering at ALL? They dont do it in South America it seems, apart from for the tourist! All I ever saw in Peru was neck-collars.... used very successfully.
If you can add anything to my work or have any questions or comments, please e-mail me.
HOW WE'RE DOING
All seven of my llamas go through easy and difficult phases and have done since I owned them. Surprisingly, Thomas, haltered from birth with a piece of soft wool, was dead easy for the first five years and then refused the headcollar for no understandable reason. Currently, as I write, ( April 2010) David as always is impossible. He is ultra headshy. Oscar and Toby are going through easy spells, almost haltering themselves. Dillon was always difficult with side haltering but is progressing with front approach.The girls have good days and bad days. The new alpaca is a dream! So easy.
RECENT NOTES ON PROGRESS
August 17th 2010
I seem now to be having haltering problems for England currently! I cannot easily halter any of my llamas now. A llama-owning friend has been with me this weekend trying to fathom it out with me. She had little success herself attempting to halter one of the boys she chose to work on. She took the three photos at the bottom of this column. They show me caressing the ears and heads of Oscar and Toby as they sit quite relaxed. But haltering? No way! Aint it strange?
I am now convinced it is nothing to do with technique.
August 30th 2010
A much better day today! I actually managed to halter Oscar very easily and Dillon took only 10 minutes!! Wow . . speedy! Once it was on, I managed to repeat it several times, taking only a few seconds .. but from previous experience, I doubt the improvement will last.With Dillon, haltering from the front is rather easier than side haltering, the latter being nigh impossible infact!