SUGGESTED TECHNIQUE FOR TRAINING YAKS TO LEAD
REVISED 9 DECEMBER 2003
BY KATHY TAYLOR
Before training a yak to lead, establish a trust bond; have the yak think of you as another yak. If weaning a yak at four months to be trained, be the momma. Shake the hay for the calf and feed by hand. If bottle feeding from day 2, be the momma. Think and be the momma yak. Observe and follow their example in raising the young - be kind. Also, talk to and give the calves a hug on a consistent basis. The babes are very affectionate animals.
Put the halter on the calf. If the calf is bonded to you from bottle feeding, let it follow you at first.
To train to lead, use a pull and give method on the halter rope. Pull, don’t jerk, and give. The yak calf will shake its head. Repeat, until the calf follows. Do this in stages, don’t try to do all the training in one day. Train both away from the pasture of yaks and in the next pasture.
The yak should learn to lead from the head. But a leading technique of head pull combined with hind quarter pull (much like teaching a foal to lead) can be used as a crutch. In this instance, the hind quarter rope should be pulled equally with, and in the same direction as, the head rope. The calf will only lead with a rope around the hind quarters in combination with the halter rope.
Once trained to follow, I have found the calf likes to take you for a walk. This is not recommended. Make the calf circle around you (or with you), lead, and repeat if necessary.
Teach the calf patience, tie the lead rope to a fence and leave for a few minutes. After returning, communicate confidence to your calf through your hands and voice; lift the feet, talk softly, and hug your calf.
The more I have been working with calves, the more I would recommend the younger the better. The yak develops a strong herding instinct early in life. If training an older calf; use more patience, more time, and greater strength.
From here, they will make fine pack animals. Or, continue ground training for the ride. This is my next project.
With tails raised and hopping with joy! Keep on Yakking!
Kathy Taylor
Of BK&T Yaks
Colorado
e-mail bigdaddytaylor@juno.com
big daddy is Bob Taylor |
