Colt Starting
Step 1: Assessment
Goals:
- Assessing the horse helps us to define where to start with each horse.
- What training, if any, has the horse had?
- What is it’s physical conditioning (fitness, health issues, etc.)
- Social interaction (with horses, humans, environmental responses)
- Building Blocks (are any loop holes missing in training)
Our goal is to create a safe and happy horse, for you and the owner/rider.
With a comprehensive assessment, we know exactly where to begin, and can build a training path that best benefits the horse and rider alike.
Acknowledge simple accomplishments as a job well done!
This will reinforce that the horse is doing exactly what is asked of him/her and boosts confidence.
Step 4: Saddle Starting
Goals:
- Horse should have a solid grasp of the base commands.
- Horse should respond to weight weight in stirrups, mounting body movement, etc. prior to riding.
- Horse should be attentive and understand ground cues, prior to mounting.
- BASIC Movements: Walk, stop, back, turn right, turn left.
Though your horse may have these movements down while doing ground work, balancing a rider’s weight, hearing commands from a new/scary perspective, and performing these simple tasks is a whole new skill set and requires adjustment.
Acknowledge simple accomplishments as a job well done!
This will reinforce that the horse is doing exactly what is asked of him/her and boosts confidence.
Step 5: First Rides
Goals:
- Horse should have a solid grasp of the base commands.
- Horse should respond to weight weight in stirrups, mounting body movement, etc. prior to riding.
- Horse should be attentive and understand ground cues, prior to mounting.
- BASIC Movements: Walk, stop, back, turn right, turn left.
Though your horse may have these movements down while doing ground work, balancing a rider’s weight, hearing commands from a new/scary perspective, and performing these simple tasks is a whole new skill set and requires adjustment.
Acknowledge simple accomplishments as a job well done!
This will reinforce that the horse is doing exactly what is asked of him/her and boosts confidence.
