Training Seven year old skittish oxen that are huge

Training 7 year old oxen for work.

The challenging characteristics are that they are very very tall for oxen. They can leap a gate from a static position. They have never worked. They are very skittish. They are the head of the herd. There are no fully trained oxen to pair them with.. I have been deliberating for some time how to tackle this task safely for me and for them. Usually after a few sessions of being tied up I put them in a yoke and connect driving reins to their nose rings. After a couple of sessions with that I take them on their first walk…….Somehow this plan is a bit daunting for these fellows.

After some deliberation I woke with an inspiration, perhaps prompted from a higher universal authority, tie them to a tractor and train them with the security that they cannot escape from a tractor, this was confirmed later the same day when I saw a post on heavy horses site showing a mule driver doing exactly the same thing for his untrained mules. So here is the plan so far. I will yoke these mighty oxen (I may even need a step to reach their necks), connect the driving ropes to their nose rings, then secure strong ropes around their necks (tied so it does not tighten but holds them) and then tie those ropes behind a tractor. The tractor will drive slowly, followed by the oxen, followed by me encouraging the oxen, tapping and guiding as required. I think this will be successful. I will give an update after.