Halter Breaking (closed)

[Trophyhorse misses kmsnead]

Taylor was holding the brand new pink halter and purple and pink lead rope. She walked up to Skylar's enormous paddock. It was large, because Skylar had her first foal, a filly, a little over a month ago.

Skylar trotted up to the fence as Taylor approached. Tempest, who had been resting underneath a tree, but when Skylar left her, her little head shot up; Tempest's ears were pricked forward as she watched her mother leave her. She scrambled to her feet and bucked, gave a high-pitched whinny, then galloped after Skylar.

Taylor laughed at Tempest as she skidded to a stop in front of the gate, snorting at Skylar in a kind of annoyed way. "What?" she asked, cocking her head at the little filly. "Are you mad 'cause mommy left you?"

Taylor opened the gate and slipped inside the paddock. She rubbed the blaze on Skylar's forehead, white hairs appeared all over her hand.

"Okay, sweetie, let's see how good you are," Taylor whispered, stepping toward Tempest, holding out the little pink foal halter to her. Tempest sniffed it, and looked at Taylor with her big brown baby eyes. "You'll be okay, honey."

Tempest walked toward Taylor, then rubbed her little head against Taylor's leg. Taylor bent over and slipped the little halter over her head. Tempest tossed her head and kicked at nothing, irritated.

Laughing nervously, Taylor clipped the purple and pink lead rope to Tempest's halter. Tempest snorted, but didn't move. Taylor gave the lead rope a little tug, trying to get Tempest to move forward.

"Come on, Tempest, be a good girl for me," Taylor said soothingly, and tugged the lead rope again. Tempest bucked and tried to back up. "No, no, no, come on."

The next time Taylor pulled on the rope however, Tempest took a timid step forward. "That's my girl!" Taylor said, walking forward to pet her.

Taylor continued trying to lead Tempest around the paddock, while Skylar followed, making sure her baby was alright, for the next hour.

"Okay, I say that's enough for today, huh, sweetie?" Taylor said softly as she slipped the pink halter off Tempest face. Tempest snorted, and bobbed her head up and down.

"I'll see you later, guys," Taylor called back to them as she walked away from the paddock.

[Trophyhorse misses kmsnead]

THE NEXT DAY

Taylor again slipped the little pink halter on Tempest's face, then clipped the purple and pink lead rope to it. She tugged on the lead rope, trying to get her to walk forward. Tempest snorted and tossed her head, trying to walk away from Taylor.

"Come on, baby," Taylor murmured, tugging on the lead rope again. Tempest half-reared and bucked. "Tempest, stop it!" Tempest snorted then walked forward. "There you go, girl."

Taylor let her go after forty-five minutes of leading her around the paddock. "I'll be back to feed you guys tonight," she told them, walking out of the gate.

[Trophyhorse misses kmsnead]

THAT AFTERNOON

Taylor patted Tempest neck as she finished leading her around again. "Let's see if you'll let me pick up your feet . . ." she murmured, bending over and rubbing Tempest's left foreleg. The little filly snorted and watched Taylor warily. Taylor squeezed Tempest's small chestnut, trying to get her to lift her hoof.

Tempest jerked her leg away from Taylor. "Come on, girl." She reached over and pinched Tempest's chestnut again. Tempest lifted her leg obediently. Taylor used her hand to knock out the dirt in her tiny hoof.

She let Tempest's foot down when she was done. "You're such a good little girl, aren't you, Tempest?" she whispered, rubbing the filly's forehead. Taylor moved on to the other three, while Tempest stood patiently, waiting for her to finish.

[Trophyhorse misses kmsnead]

THE NEXT DAY

Taylor had finished leading Tempest around the large paddock, and she'd already picked up each of her legs several times, now she was trying to get Tempest to back up. Tempest snorted and tossed her little head when Taylor wiggled the lead rope in front of her face.

"Come on, sweetie, please cooperate with me today," she said softly, smiling at the filly. Tempest's little arabian-looking ears pricked forward at Taylor's voice, then she pinned them back.

Sighing deeply, Taylor started waggling the pink and purple lead rope more vigorously in front of Tempest's face. Tempest glared at Taylor reproachfully, but she started to back up. Taylor continued to do this with Tempest for the next twenty minutes, then tried lunging her.

She grabbed the miniature carrot stick and let Tempest sniff it. "Be good, Tempest," Taylor warned her, raising her eyebrows. She pointed to the left, and popped the rope on the carrot stick gently on the ground next to her left hind leg. Tempest shuddered and snorted, jumping forward at a fast canter.

If Tempest had been an adult mare, Taylor knew it would have been much to control her, but since she was a filly, she was of lighter weight and size, making it easier.

Taylor continued trying to lunge Tempest for the next fifteen minutes. When she finally finished working with Tempest, Taylor felt very pleased with herself. Some people might say that this was too early to train a horse, but Taylor wanted to polish Tempest earlier, making sure she would shine brighter than most horses when she becomes and adult.