Solving Problems through Foundation Training

In the first series of columns, I covered foundation training basic exercises using real life examples of horses that I have had in for training at my ranch. And then last year we held a contest and used winning entries from Ride! readers to cover a wide range of specific problem-solving topics. Well in this upcoming year, we are going to do something completely different yet again -- and a project I hope you will be as excited about as I am!

Over the next year I will be doing a series of columns called “Ultimate Colt-Starting” that catalogues starting one young horse from the very beginning all the way through its first few rides. We are currently in the process of selecting a youngster that has barely been handled. We will either be using a yearling, or are considering a two-year old that has been much too physically small to start any earlier. Either way, I will be working with the youngster 2-3 times a week, and we will be sharing with you exactly what are doing every step of the way. You will get a summary of all the work we did in the prior month, why we did those specific exercises, the successes we experienced, and yes, any place we ran into problems (and why). Now left to my own devices, I would probably work with the baby more like 4 times a week. But, the intention of this series is to mimic as much as possible what you all will need to be doing with your own young horses. And I know better than most, between work and family, it is truly hard to find a lot of time to spend training your horses. Most people can commit to 2-3 times a week however, and so that’s what we will do to make the results work for you as well.

We will also include a few pictures every column, so you will be able to witness yourself the progress that is being made and see some of the many exercises that we will be doing. You will be able to watch the young horse mature physically, mentally and emotionally as the year progresses.

If you are a regular Ride! reader, you have heard me talk (endlessly no doubt) about how proper foundation training can solve any problem, and results in a horse that is light, supple, respectful…with the attitude and performance that you want and need. Well that same program is used (or should be at least) for starting horses. The key is, with a right start, you are much less likely to have problems later that need to be fixed.

The same lessons and exercises are used, and the principles are the same – what differs with a baby however, is the application of the training. You have to take things much slower and be very mindful of their immaturity – and again, on all three key levels: physical, mental and emotional. You need to be kind to their growing bodies, very aware of their short attention spans, and in tune with their juvenile emotional state. Like our own kids, baby horses are often a strange juxtaposition of strong curiosity with an equally powerful flight button. It can lead to very unexpected situations that often as not are as dangerous as they can be funny.

We will be selecting the horse in the next two weeks and will immediately go to work from there. Where will we start? In all likelihood with halter-breaking. We need to be able to move the baby around to start the training, and we do not want it to be a battle. And I mean “true” halter-breaking, not just that they accept a halter, but that they stand quietly while the halter is being put on, and also lead quietly. It is no fun fighting with a baby on a lead-line. It does matter if they are “only” 400 or 500 pounds rather than 1000, it’s very unpleasant unless they lead nicely.

Otherwise, we will start to cover in a methodical progression, all the basic training every young horse should get to provide her or him with the “ultimate” start. Just a few of the dozens of training exercises we will cover will include: picking up and holding feet, clipper-training, trailer loading, tying, shots and vet work, round penning, line work, de-spooking, crossing obstacles, accepting riding equipment… and ending with the first several rides.

The common thread that runs through all of the training exercises we will be doing, and will start with the halter-breaking, is that we will need to teach the horse to give to pressure. The more quickly and effectively we can master that fundamental training cornerstone, the more successful we will be with every subsequent lesson which relies on that basic response. Pressure and release, as always, makes the horse training world go ‘round.

Please note, I am inviting Ride! readers to be very participatory throughout this project over the next year! As we get going with the youngster, please send me e-mails with questions, comments or suggestions. On the West Coast alone there are thousands of people that have young horses that need to be started. Make our project your project. Join in and work your baby as we work this one. Stay in touch as we progress so we can offer help or suggestions if there are areas you run into problems.

My goal here is to give you every possible bit of information and knowledge so that you can do more with a young horse on your own that you ever dreamed was possible. So as needed, tell me how we can help!

Looking forward to next month when we have the baby started and can share our first pictures with you!