15 Equine Tip

Working with Young Horses
Working with young horses requires very much the same patience which is required to being a parent. Young horses when first starting under saddle at 3-5years have a shorter attention span, they like to play….with the lead ropes, the reins, etc. often even mouthing the reins when mounted. They look forward to most everything you present to them with interest yet lack the confidence which older seasoned horses have for ignoring objects blowing in the wind or deer passing by when they are under saddle.
One of the key objectives in beginning to ride a young horse is getting them to go forward. It is important that instead of using the reins to correct movement, the younger horse needs to feel that going forward is the focus. Using gentle leg guides them.
Looking back at some of the things I have experienced with younger horses starting out, I realize that going forward has always been the key. When I was less than 10 years old, I trained a young Morgan who I spent many days doing ground work with her prior to riding. I would put her in a harness using driving reins and get her to work around the farm. Sometimes she would kick up and leave me in the dust. Another time during the first day I mounted her she just dropped down and would not get up. We were in a small enclosed pen. I got assistance and taught her how to keep moving prior to going out of the enclosed area.
Today, we have many alternatives to breaking the young horse and starting them under saddle. There are key programs just for dealing with behavioral issues. There are numerous trainers available for teaching different equine sports. Finding the right trainer who has time, and brings value can take time. With all the available alternatives, I realize how valuable my experience was, at an early age, having the opportunity to train my horse and learn valuable lessons from experience. Many of these lessons I would never have had as well taught from the perspective of being older. I encourage all trainers to work with their students to allow them opportunities, within the guidelines of safety first, to assist them to work through behavioral concerns with all of their horses.
Enjoy the summer!
6/25/05