STARTING A YOUNG HORSE

In starting a young horse, I am going to go about it in two directions. The first being, one in which the foal was taught to lead with no abuse, taught to give you his or her leg with no abuse, and leads and handles and just has been taught right with no abuse from the day it was born. This kind of animal is the best and easiest to break to do what ever it is you want, whether it be saddle and ride, hook to buggy or race. Like you have done from the time it was born all things new to this horse are done in an introductory level in which it is never scared or panicked. Whether it may be harness or saddle, show the animal the equipment! Let the horse smell it and see it and feel it in a fashion in which is pleasant and not scary! The first day you may want to set it on them and just take it off pull the girth up to touch him but not cinch it. Work on lifting the tail so the horse will let you lift it with him or her giving it to you. If you have to force it up he or she is not ready for a crupper under the tail. If you place a crupper under the tail when he or she is like this you will most likely have problems lifting the tail in the future even if they are “broke” to jog. I have seen where horses in this manner learn to clamp it down harder later and then sway back and forth trying not to let you put the crupper under it. Some even learn to clamp it then kick you as you loose leverage trying to lift the tail. So take some time to let them get use to you lifting it with no reverse action.

When they seem to have no problem with the saddle or girth on them and crupper, put it on and lightly cinch it. Let your colt get use to moving with the equipment before you cinch it up tightly. Step by step and patience are how good horses of all kinds are made. If the colt is going to saddle let him get use to you being over his head so that when you finally mount him he will be comfortable with it. Most the time horses buck it is because you are above his head. If you get them use to you being above him before you ever get on him he will not buck. I myself have a board in my breaking stalls above their head. While they are eating something they like to do I set up there above them and have my morning coffee. Soon they’re eating out of my hand and later can lower myself down in a few days and touch their back or rub their withers, they love that! Once your saddle is on and you are able to cinch it use your hands to put pressure on the stirrup as you would when stepping into it to mount. Soon you can step up into it with no problem. I take a five gallon bucket or a bail of hay while they are in this stage with the saddle on and step up onto the bucket, first away from the horse then moving the bucket closer. This will get your horse use to you stepping up into the saddle.

If the horse is a carthorse show him the cart a couple days touch them with it in a soft manner then eventually put it straddle of them and touch both sides. When you can do that, go ahead and hook him while he is in cross ties and let him get use to it on him when u can put it on him and wiggle it and sit on it and move it a bit while he is in ties he should be ready to jog for the first time. Now, if you have taken your time and went through the steps to not scare him and introduced this all to them leaving the barn should be no different then all the line driving you have been doing all of these days you were getting him use to his equipment. Line driving is in the beginning stages after he has accepted the harness and bridle. If you are not certain or your ability to line drive single get help and have someone lead with another line from his halter while your lines come from the bit. I myself have developed a single mans approach to line driving and have shown it to some top trainers. Instead of going behind the colt, I take the line nearest me between the bit and the saddle and loop the rest in my hand. I take the line from the opposite side and bring it around their but above the hock to urge them forward as they were taught to lead as babies. Now if you get in trouble and the horse won’t go you wont get tangled in a heap. Go up to his head and pull as to lead and coax with the line around the butt to drive the colt forward. This does a few things. First it gives your colt security with you being by him instead of behind him, since he knows you from stage one which is bonding with your animal, through hours of brushing and combing etc. If the horse gets quick circle him around you and talk to him till he calms and walks forward. Soon you will be behind his head at his shoulders driving him both directions and then soon in a few days behind him with good manners. I believe the key to all good horses comes form the ground! If they are expected to drive forward in saddle or in cart they first must be able to do it well form the ground! They must be willing to drive anywhere you ask them to go.

The key to a good positive horse that enjoys their work and wins races, as a thoroughbred, standard bred, barrel horse etc. or just a good willing trail horse or show horse is in the time and manner of which you teach him from the beginning! I heard someone till me that they can give the horses time off later after they rush through breaking them. My opinion is they will get time off later because they will take it if you skip steps or if you are rough early. By the way this same trainer sent a dozen colts out to race last year after rushing through them and half of them sulking or flipping over or hitting their heads and not one of them won a race. They all started sulking when the pressure was on. Some may come out of it with new trainers and different methods or time but most all horses that are taught in rough quick fashion sulk when the pressure is on later in their life. Take your time be patient be kind and be consistent, and you will create a nice willing colt!

Now I am going to start you out with a horse basically untouched. The first thing you want to do is be sure he loads in the trailer to your best ability in a manner of which is non abusive. When I pick one up like this, I like to just heard them into a barn or shoot in whichever he is comfortable with, and then heard them into the trailer or have him walk in to get fed. When I get home I heard him into a stall. I let him calm a day or so getting him use to his surroundings and being fed. I will start feeding him out of a bucket and once in awhile my hands, till I can pet him. When the colt lets me pet him easily I try to pet more area till he is comfortable with me and soon I can slip a rope around his neck and a halter on him because he trusts me. Once I have done this I will leave a little rope hanging from the halter so I don’t have to reach for his head to catch him which startles horses lie this. As soon as he is letting me hold him and come to pressure a bit from the rope, I use inner tube cross ties to tie him. The colt may pull back but with the give from the rubber, he will not panic. The colt will learn to walk back up to the pressure from the inner tube, and you have the beginning of teaching him to lead as well as tie. The rest is just as described above. Get him use to you touching him petting him, and get him use to the equipment and lifting his tail and such in the same fashion as described above. A horse that was never abused or took too quick and was shocked or scared will make a nice horse of any discipline! Once again take your time be kind and be patient! It is important for the horse to enjoy their life when you are done as you enjoy your time with him.
 

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