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Teaching
the Colt to Park Out
I recommend using a good fitting halter
and then run a chain under his chin, snapping it to the other
side. This is especially important if it is a stud colt, but I
recommend it on fillies too. |
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1. |
When you lead the colt, your
right hand should be on the leather portion of the halter
under the chin, the left hand is holding the lead rope with
the chain running under the chin of the colt. Be sure you are
holding the chain to lead the colt in your left hand and be
sure your fingers on your right hand are not touching the
chain, but only the halter. If, for instance, the colt acts up
and doesn’t want to lead properly, you might need to jerk the
chain with your left hand as a reprimand and you do not want
your fingers in the way. |
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2. |
When leading the colt, stop
him, face him and push him backward, with your hand on the
bottom of the halter, in an effort to get his two back feet
side by side. |
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3. |
Once the back feet are in
place, pull up and out on this head and tell him to “come out”
or “park out”. |
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4. |
Sometimes a colt will just
walk right out with his two front feet – if so, consider
yourself Lucky!!! Sometimes they will start to move out with
their front feet, but their back feet move. Start over by
repositioning the two back feet side by side. |
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5. |
Again pull “up” and “out,”
giving the command to “come out.” |
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6. |
Use your right foot to place
the colt’s front feet in the proper position while continuing
to hold the head up and out and continuing to give the command
“come out” or “park out.” Use the same verbal
command at all times. |
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7. |
If this is not working,
place your left hand on the bottom of the halter, pull up and
out, say “come out,” put your right hand on the withers of the
horse and gently pinch and rock the withers while you are
placing their front feet forward with your right foot. (If the
back feet move, reposition them and start over.) |
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8. |
You can also gently punch
the side of the shoulder with your thumb while you are asking
the colt to park out (It teaches the colt to come out when his
shoulder is touched, which is useful for parking under saddle
at a later date.) The front feet should be positioned
directly under the withers, with the body of the colt/horse
thrown forward slightly. |
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9. |
The front feet should always
be on HIGHER ground than the back feet (or at least on the
same level – NEVER HAVE THE BACK FEET ON HIGHER GROUND THAN
THE FRONT FEET.) |
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10. |
Once the colt has parked
out, tell the colt to hold the position as you step out in
front of him. Bump up his head – NEVER LET HIM HANG HIS HEAD.
You can give him a firm bump in the mouth or you can bump the
chain under his chin. The head should be held high. |
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11. |
If the colt moves, tell him
to “whoa” and reposition his feet, again making him stay in
the parked out position. Never allow the colt to move
out of position before you are ready for him to move. |
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12. |
After he has been in
position for a reasonable length of time (maybe 30 seconds to
a minute the first time, gradually increasing the time) take
hold of his halter, click to him, walk forward and release him
from the position. At that time, you can pet him if has been
good, but ABSOLUTELY NO PETTING when you are working with him.
When you do pet him, pet him strongly. |
