Expanding my knowledge.. How do you start your youngsters?

[Rescue_Rider9]

I got my first baby when I was 12 or 13. Worst idea ever, but I think for being so young and inexperienced I did alright, but I still dont feel I am ready for that again with my current knowledge! I was just wondering if people would mind explaining their steps in training babies.. from the beginning.
Thanks for helping me advance my knowledge!

[eponacowgirl]

From the very beginning?

Round pen, round pen, round pen. (With mature joints, of course.) Said pony should gladly walk, trot, canter and most importantly WOAH completely on voice commands with 100% accuracy before I think of doing anything else. Then, we add the saddle and start again. Then the bridle. (Baby steps, of course.) I do alot of sacking out/despooking, depending on the horse.

Oh, and I typically like to wait until age 3. I've done two year olds, but I'll recommend to their owners that they get three months under saddle or so, maybe some trail riding, then turned back out.

I take them for walks on the trails, have them hang out with me while I'm teaching lessons, pony them.... anything to have them see normal horses being normal horses and realize they are too!

Then we ground drive. We ground drive everywhere. We ground drive until we can do figure eights at the canter in the arena and all that good stuff. When everything I introduce is just a big snooze fest, I'll think about getting on. Typically I do it by myself, but occasionally have someone hold if the horse is a little fretty. If I can't get on and have the horse mostly fast asleep, I missed a step and I'll go back and fix it.

I always ride for the first time in a halter with reins. After the first time, I'll go back to my side pull with a snaffle, which is what they're accustomed to driving and longing in. I go with a halter the first time because if we have any bugaboos, I can pull without interfering with their mouth- and because 99% of the time, this horse has been being controlled with a halter for at least three years, and gets it.

After we learn "left means left" and "cluck means go" and remember that "woah means woah" even with a rider on our back, we'll introduce outside leg turns- introduced on the ground with give to pressure exercises. I find that outside leg turns can quickly be turned into bending around your inside leg.

W/T/C is easy because we're 100% on voice commands. Usually takes them a second to figure out that the said commands are coming from up top now, but they get it. If they're nervous or they buck, I missed a step and I go back and fix it. The whole thing should be a total non-event for the horse. Everything starts in the round pen, then moves to the arena.

I want my babies to give to the bit both ways and I usually introduce a lot of turn on the haunches/forehand from the beginning. We do lots of moving parts of the body so I have a loose, responsive horse from the start. It all translates easily as you go on then. I teach everything on a loose rein and off of leg commands to a youngster, then pick up the contact after we can go straight and forward and steady.

Don't make a big deal out of anything, their favorite praise is a release of pressure and a quick scratch. Not a lot of "GOOD PONY!!!" and slaps on the neck. They really don't care. :)

[ReturnEventRider]

Are you asking how to break and get to the point of getting on the back for the first time or asking about what to aim for over the first 6mo-1yr under saddle?

Lots of different ways to approach breaking. I like round pen work but also work on ground training a bit leading up to it all.

Depends on the age of the horse you are starting. If raising up from a foal - there are lots of important lessons you can instill along the away. (Teaching the foal/ young horse to move forward when led etc is a simple skill that pays off with huge effects later on). Handling the young horse with brief lessons on how to stand tied in their stall, bathing lessons, trailer loading can all be done well before backing.

Most horses I've broke were well handled prior to breaking - and the first day with saddle and rider was usually uneventful. Usually 3-5 days in the round pen before riding in the ring.

By the end of the first week we have walked, trotted etc both directions and pusjed into a canter at least once or twice both ways.

Afterwards the next 2-3 mo is 3-4 days a week of riding for 20-30min with ring work, trail rides, hacking out in the field, etc.

[eponacowgirl]

Ah, I guess I should mention that as a rule, the horses I get are handled as youngsters but not necessarily taught much. One of my clients teaches her babies everything and basically all I had to do was get on and ride- those are quick, fun and easy!

[ThreeDays]

We just broke a 3yr old this year. He's about 2mo under saddle at this point. He was broke in the round pen over 3-4 days. First day was introducing tack and rider mounting a few times. 2nd Day mimiced first with shorter timeframe to get tack on and rider walked both directions and trotted a few steps here and there. 3rd day - tack on with minimal work in round pen - rider on and w/t/c both directions. 4th day same as day 3 but then hacked out of round pen to open ring for a few minutes. Day 5 onward ridden in the rind without roundpen work prior to mounting.

Week 1 & 2 - short ring work sessions working on steering. Walk and trot only.

Week 3-4 - ring work continues with canter departures and brief canter work (1-2 laps round ring each way every other ride or so) Introduce leg aids (ask for begining leg yield etc which helps the young horse learn to accept the outside aids and balance). Also first hack out in field alone.

Week 5-6 - continue brief ring lessons. Inroduce trotting poles and first trail rides. First trailering off farm and ride at off farm location.

Continue for the next 6mo -1yr with alternating ring, field and trail rides. Ring work pretty much limited to 20-30min lessons due to attention span. Try to introduce as much trail riding and slow hacks out in field as possible. And as many 'field trips' to off farm locations as possible. (Get lessons or hack out with friends at different locations). Just try to get 'miles'.

[Carol Ames]

Hooray! It is possible:yes: Who was the CD?:confused: