| Before the ultimate goal of saddle training can | | | | by side with you in the middle. The safest place |
| begin it is necessary to complete some important | | | | for you to stand is to the left of your student's |
| groundwork with your horse. You will need to | | | | shoulder, with the older horse to your left. A |
| take your horse from trailer or barn to the tack | | | | young horse could suddenly decide to bolt or to |
| area, tack up, and then you'll ride. You can't begin | | | | kick his heels, so make sure that you don't wrap |
| to teach point B if you've not first mastered how | | | | the lead rope around your hand or anywhere else |
| to get there from point A. The two of you can | | | | that makes you vunerable. The last thing you |
| only act as a team if your horse cooperates with | | | | need at this stage is complicating the process with |
| you. This cooperation begins with your ability to | | | | an injury for which you may need to claim on |
| approach, catch, and halter him first. After that | | | | your horse insurance. |
| you can use a halter and rope to lead your horse. | | | | You could also use the pony method if you have |
| Teaching a horse the boundaries of acceptable | | | | a calm horse which the foal will be comfortable |
| behaviour is done with the primary objective of | | | | following. This is done by simply towing the |
| safety in mind. He will need to be taught that his | | | | student horse behind using a longer lead rope. It |
| natural tendency to pull against the lead rope, for | | | | makes sense in fact to teach the lead in this way, |
| example, is not allowed. A horse should never be | | | | as it's natural for a young horse to follow an |
| allowed to invade the personal space of whoever | | | | elders lead. |
| is holding the lead rope. Accidents can easily occur | | | | If you don't have the luxury of having other |
| if proper consideration to teaching basic safety | | | | horses close by from which your student can |
| manners to your horse is not given before | | | | learn, you will need to rely heavily on your skills of |
| moving on to more advanced training. Whilst a | | | | patience, persistence and positive reinforcement. |
| good equine insurance policy may cover you for | | | | Don't be discouraged if it takes longer than you |
| accidents that happen in training, it's obviously far | | | | would like for your horse to understand what it is |
| more preferable not to have to find this out! | | | | that's expected of him. |
| The three Ps of horse training - patience, | | | | After satisfactory progress, it's time to try it |
| persistence and positive reinforcement - come | | | | alone. Again, standing to the left of your young |
| into play when leading your horse. You have | | | | horse's shoulder and with both of you looking |
| probably already discovered the 3Ps to be | | | | straight ahead, gently walk forward and as you |
| effective if you have accomplished haltering. | | | | step out, tug very gently forward, then release |
| Ideally you need to begin lead training with your | | | | any pressure on the rope as soon as the horse |
| horse when he is still a foal. Basic ground manners | | | | makes any motion to go forward. Understanding |
| should be taught from an early age, before the | | | | that release is a reward to your horse is a |
| horse is old enough to worry about saddles and | | | | valuable tip used by professional trainers. It tells |
| riding. Cooperation will still be required from the | | | | your horse he's doing something right. |
| young horse during vet or farrier visits, as well as | | | | When he can successfully walk with you in |
| for the various other people he may come into | | | | straight lines, try a slight left turn whist maintaining |
| contact with. | | | | the space bubble. If he crowds you, use your |
| If you happen to have the dam - the foal's | | | | right hand to push him out away from you and |
| mother - present, lead training will be easier as he | | | | hold your arm out to the appropriate distance. |
| will naturally copy her behaviours. If not, any | | | | Then try turning to the right with the same |
| horse with which the foal spends time will also | | | | safety distance between the two of you, still |
| work. Young horses naturally learn from the older | | | | using your right hand to guide him into the correct |
| ones in the herd. For example, you don't need to | | | | zone. You will need to reward him by releasing |
| teach a horse in the pasture how to graze or go | | | | the pressure on the lead rope each time he steps |
| to the water and drink. They watch the other | | | | in the right direction. |
| horses to learn these things. If your student is | | | | A large amount of patience is required to |
| older, you can still use another horse's example by | | | | successfully complete lead training with your |
| haltering and leading the other horse first. As you | | | | horse. Big improvements will soon be made if you |
| do this you will notice your student watching and | | | | can just stick with it. Work every day if possible |
| paying attention to these events occurring around | | | | for short periods and you'll be pleased with the |
| him. | | | | results; then you will be moving closer to the time |
| Start off by leading two horses - the foal and | | | | when you can saddle up and begin riding. |
| either it's dam or a more experienced horse - side | | | | |