halter training

[kmdombeck]

Hi Marty,
Just wanted to share something that is working for me. I find that most of the people I am teaching have trouble holding/controlling the halter while placing it onto the alpaca's head. For some reason they have trouble keeping the opening and the whole thing feels awkward to them. I have found a couple of analogies that seem to turn the lightblub on.
"Reach out with your left hand like the are going to shake hands with someone them grip the halter placing your thumb along the inside of the buckle strap. Raise your left elbow and keep your wrist flat, now turn your wrist over to check the time on your wristwatch. Slip the halter over the alpacas nose."
These two analogies are working for me, what do you think?

[Marty McGee Bennett]

I like the whole analogy the shaking hands and the wrist watch but the description of your thumb and therefore hand placement might be a bit off. My little finger, ring finger and middle finger form a hook and support the cheek piece and my index finger is on the outside of the top part of the nose band and my thumb is on the inside of the top part of the nose band. I have attached a couple of photos that might help clarify what I am doing and if you are doing it the same way.

[kmdombeck]

Wow this is wonderful thanks! The discription and photos are now in my training booklet. The photos really help, I need to move my hand forward so my thumb is on the side ring