How to get halter on an unbroke cow?

[Dirtslinger]

Luckily these are dexters, sizewise, but so far I haven't figured how to get the halter on...
And, once on, is it safe leaving it on? Once on it's easy enough to get the lead clipped on, they do come to the grain bucket.

Thanks for any and all ideas.

[topside1]

Pen the animal, watch an hour of WWF action and begin wrestling your Dexter into submission...good luck....TJ

[GoatNamedDunn]

The ole halter and the bucket trick... Hold the halter over a bucket full of grain and when they reach there head in to eat gently slide the halter up. Works like a charm. Needs some practice, but its EASY!

[G. Seddon]

Your fastest and safest option is to use your headgate, if you have one....no struggling and the halter's on in a few minutes and you have the chance to make sure it's adjusted properly. You can also attach a "sacrificial" lead rope that has been knotted up sufficiently so that it doesn't drag under their hind legs. Once they have this on, let them out and let them get all the silliness over with on their own time. I leave the halters on, but I work with them frequently to make sure the halter isn't too tight; then I can adjust it when they're tied to a post. If yours are responding to the buckets, you're a step ahead.