Horses. What Is The Best Age To Start Breaking A Draft Horse Under Saddle?
Horses. I Have A 13 Month Old Shire Clydesdale Cross Stud Colt That Is Already Over 15 Hands. I've Heard Conflicting Information On What Age To Start
Horses : What Is The Best Age To Start Breaking A Draft Horse Under Saddle
I have a 13 month old shire clydesdale cross stud colt that is already over 15 hands. I've heard conflicting information on what age to start a draft horse under saddle. I start my quarter horses under saddle when they are at least 2 years old. ~~~ kingcr9256 ~~~
Best Answer To Horses Question
drafts mature much slower. I wouldn't until it was at least 3 yrs old. I would ground drive the baby Huey until then. I would add a saddle at 2 yrs old and work with desensitizing and verbal commands.
All Answers To Horses Questions
Answer 1The sooner the better, If you wait to long the horse won't be so easy, And liley won't be trainable, you should start as soon as they can support weight,
Answer 2the larger the horse, the weaker the bones. i'd wait until at least 2 and a half before backing him and three before i'd ride him more than 10 or 15 minutes at a time
Answer 3drafts mature much slower. I wouldn't until it was at least 3 yrs old. I would ground drive the baby Huey until then. I would add a saddle at 2 yrs old and work with desensitizing and verbal commands.
Answer 4Definely wait. 13 months is way too young. We always teach our horses to lunge and do a ton of ground work with them before anyone ever gets on- and the are usually always about 3 when we do it. They need time for their bones to grow and become stronger. They may look fine but if a horse is backed too early serious damage can be done to the joints and bones. It is so worth it to be patient- don't risk the health of your horse. There is an infinite amount of ground work that can be done and needs to be done before a horse is ridden for the first time- work on those things and don't rush. Good ground manners will make riding easier- especially on the horse. A horse who knows his handler, knows what to expect from him and is familiar with the learning process with have an easier time of adjusting than a horse who is thrown in into the thick of it.
Answer 5These gentle giants take a long time to mature in joint and ligament growth and need a sound body for all that weight. Wait until he is at least 3 to put him under saddle you can handle and groom and teach to lead and stand; train for halter. Sack him out. Tack him up and drive in straight lines and serpentine. Go ahead and crawl up on him but don't ride him till he's well muscled up. Excerpt from Shire trainer: Dona€™t be afraid to WALK AWAY if it doesna€™t fit: Dona€™t settle for less than the horse you envisioned. Draft horses, especially the a€śhitch-typea€ť horses, can be hotter in temperament than most people want to deal with after you get him home. Make sure that you get the horse thata€™s right for your comfort level, especially with a draft horse. Dona€™t take on a fixer-upper or rescue that is beyond your skill level. If you want a horse to ride now, dona€™t look at yearlings or two-year olds. Although a 2-year old may be tall to the casual eye, they are not physically finished and ready to start under saddle until at least the following year. Dona€™t be afraid of an older horse. Nocturnal Star, my 8yr old Percheron gelding was formally started under saddle this spring and he rides great!
Answer 6Dear Fellow Horse Lover, If you have a young horse thata€™s ready to start under saddle (maybe even several young horses), youa€™ve probably been agonizing over whether to send it off to a trainer. Not only is that option expensive, but ita€™s hard to know if you can really trust someone else with your prized animal. Or maybe you just want to be able to say, a€śI trained him myself!a€ť If youa€™ve been searching for sensible, easy-to-understand, NATURAL Horse Training advice, Ia€™ve got some exciting news! The horse industry sometimes has a lot of a€śsmoke and mirrors.a€ť You can watch a dozen different horse training seminars or videos and get a dozen different answers for the same problem. Maybe all dozen answers are correct a€“ but that doesna€™t mean those methods are ones that normal folks like you and I can easily understand and repeat. Or perhaps youa€™re frustrated because every time you reach for an answer to a question, youa€™re told to buy another video in a series or youa€™re told that you need to buy some outrageously expensive piece of a€śspeciala€ť tack. Now you CAN get a proven horse breaking system, explained in specific, easy-to-follow steps. A natural horse breaking system based on resistance-free concepts, with an emphasis on SAFETY for both you and your horse. And on this page, Ia€™ll show you howa€¦ Because, leta€™s face it, horses arena€™t just a money investment. For folks like us, theya€™re family. We agonize over them like we do our children. And we want the best for them. Ia€™ve been around horses just about all my life, since my father brought home a pony in the back seat of an old Buick car when I was 3 years old. I trained our familya€™s ponies when I got older, based on nothing more than advice from my older sisters (who also had no formal training) and what a€śfelt right.a€ť I made a lot of mistakes. And I dealt with the results of other peoplesa€™ mistakes in ponies and horses that were scared, aggressive, barn sour, boltersa€¦the list of poor a€“ even dangerous -- behaviors caused by mishandling and poor training is almost endless. Even as a child, I realized there ought to be a better way to do it. In recent years, because of physical problems, I can no longer start my own young horses under saddle. Since I breed horses, I suddenly found myself with several young horses that had no job in life. In other words, a lot of expensive pasture ornaments. a€śWhoa!a€ť I said to myself. a€śIa€™ve got to find a trainer for these guys.a€ť But when I started to research horse trainers, I got a whole new kind of education: The horse industry, like everything else, has gotten very specialized. You can find advice on training your horse to rein, rope, halter, western pleasure, or barrel race. Good general, all-around, basic advice for just getting colts started riding is harder to find. Trainers are expensive! Costs can range anywhere from $400 to more than $1,000 per month. And thata€™s usually just board and training fees. You also have transportation to and from the trainer and the other standard expenses such as farrier and vet work. Then therea€™s the big issue of how to find the RIGHT trainer for your horse. There are lots and lots of good, honest, dependable trainers who do an excellent job. But there are also a lot of so-called a€śhorse trainersa€ť who talk a good game and have no clue what theya€™re doing. I know a number of people who have horrifying a€śbad trainera€ť experiences, ranging from horses being starved into submission to horses being beaten or spurred to the point of having permanent scars. So, I was starting to feel a bit like one of those book characters lost in a deep Southern swamp, with no clue what direction I needed to go. Then I stumbled up on Trainer Tim Matthew. Tima€™s a soft-spoken guy who spent years working as a cowboy in Montana and other western states, breaking out ranch horses. Hea€™s adjusted his training methods over the years into a resistance-free, logical, step-by-step system. The more I talked with him and heard his theories, and watched him put those theories into action a€“ the more I wished other horse people could benefit from his horse breaking wisdom. Well, now you CAN benefit from that wisdom with Horse Training Advice: Trainer Tim Matthewa€™s Step-by-Step Guide. In this 43-page book, Tim details each step of his horse breaking system for starting colts in every-day language. More than 20 close-up, high-quality photographs illustrate the various stages of his system. Therea€™s NO GUESSWORK with Tima€™s method a€“ youa€™ll know exactly what to do, when you should do it, and how you should do it -- every step of the way when youa€™re training your young horse. Youa€™ll learn the following from Tima€™s horse breaking system: The single most important command youa€™ll teach your young horse. (You may well be surprised at the answer to this one a€“ I was!) Why you must establish a a€ścontracta€ť with your horse every time you interact with it. This is a unique concept a€“ and ita€™s the basis for everything you do with your horse. What tools and tack youa€™ll need. (Hint: ita€™s nothing more than basic items you already should have in your tack room.) Why you dona€™t need any tricks, toys, games, or expensive, a€śspeciala€ť tack. Nada, zilch, zero. Just you, your horse, and the basic items mentioned in the bullet above. Why you dona€™t ever set a time frame for training your horse. This goes against a lot of standard theories a€“ but it allows you and your horse to progress at a pace thata€™s comfortable for your young horse. Whose fault it is when your horse cana€™t seem to learn a certain lesson a€“ and what you must do to correct the problem. Ita€™s all just a matter of finding the proper way to communicate with your horse. How to know if your young horse is ready to train under saddle. Therea€™s no magic age when a horse is ready to ride. So, how do you know when to start? Why consistency, patience, and consistency are so important in starting young horses. Losing your temper, lack of patience, and inconsistency are the a€śdeal killersa€ť in horse breaking. How to get your young horse to respect your personal space. Do you have one of those horses thata€™s always stepping on you, bumping you, and otherwise showing no respect? Tima€™s system is built around the concept of maintaining a safe personal space when working your colt! What is the most dangerous thing we, as handlers, do with horses on a regular basis? Tim explains, and demonstrates ways to do it more safely. What is the most dangerous step in saddling a horse? Again, Tim explains what this is and why, and describes the safest way to carry out this task. Why you shouldna€™t worry if your colt bucks on the lunge line the first few times hea€™s saddled. In fact, this behavior might be beneficial in the long run a€“ Tim explains why. How to teach your horse to ground tie, and why this lesson is vitally important to your entire training process. This isna€™t just a a€śmovie horsea€ť trick a€“ ita€™s something every well-started riding horse should do. Okay, so your colt is lunging under saddle a€“ now what? How can you tell when ita€™s time to get actually get on him for the first time? Why working your young horse in repetitions of three during a training lesson is important. Tim explains how he developed this process, and explains exactly how to do it. How do you teach your horse to flex its neck a€“ and why is that important? (And no, you dona€™t leave your horse with its head tied around to the saddle for hours on end!) Why should you limit the amount of time you lunge your horse before a lesson? Tim has a common sense explanation that ties in with his whole training process. Why you want your horse to face you on the lunge line when you a€śwhoaa€ť him. Some trainers say you should never look a horse in the eye a€“ Tim explains why thata€™s a fallacy. What the a€śheart attack zonea€ť is when youa€™ve got your young horse in the round pen. This is an important safety measure to help keep both you and your horse safe during training lessons. How you develop enough control over your horse that grooming, handling hooves, bathing, clipping, etc., dona€™t become major wars. Wea€™ve all seen those horses that have to be drugged to have their hooves trimmed, or to be clipped, right? Tima€™s training process shows you how to get your horse to calmly accept these activities. Learn an easy, simple method for sacking out your young horse. You dona€™t have to scare your youngster to death flapping tarps or garbage bags around him. Sacking out is a much less stressful event, using Tima€™s process. Learn why you should always a€śsenda€ť your horse to the left first when working in the round pen. Again, this becomes a safety issue when youa€™re ready to start riding your young horse. Learn how to take your young horse from green to well-started in simple, logical stages. Tima€™s training process explains how in easy language. Youa€™ll feel like hea€™s sitting there talking to you. a€¦and more! If you follow Tima€™s horse breaking process step by step, youa€™ll have a well-mannered, well-started young horse when you finish a€“ a colt that has confidence in you and thata€™s safe and a pleasure to ride. Your young horse will then be ready to move on to whatever discipline you want a€“ roping, reining, barrels, trail horse a€“ wherever its athletic talent and your interests lie. What does Tim mean by well-started? He says ita€™s a horse that a€śanyone who has a basic aptitude for horses will be able to ride.a€ť Although the term breaking is used to describe the process of training a young horse (usually a two year old) to be ridden, I prefer to think of it as "building" instead. Like building a model airplane, training a young horse can produce a work of art if assembled with patience, but will fall apart if you try to fly it before the glue is dry. Too often progress is determined by how many rides it takes the trainer to be cantering or jumping. In reality, slower is actually faster when it comes to training horses. Breaking two year olds at my barn is mostly a boring process. There is very little bucking and it is rare that anyone ever falls off. We do lots of groundwork before we actually get on a horse. I make sure I have the following concepts in place before I climb aboard for the first time. Respect my space": As a herd animal, a horse expects to follow a leader, and Ia€™m it. He must always be aware of me and I can observe this by the way he continually has an ear turned in my direction. He stops right by my side when I stop, and walks carefully beside me at the pace I choose. Just as he would never touch the alpha mare of the herd, I wona€™t allow him to push against me, or be oblivious to me. Give to Pressure: It is against a horsea€™s nature to give to pressure. As a flight animal, what is his first reaction if he catches his blanket on a door latch? Flee! The training process counters this instinct by teaching a horse to thoughtfully submit to any resistance. I push my finger into the horsea€™s shoulder, ribs or hip and teach him to calmly step away from the pressure. I teach him to soften his jaw to rein pressure when I pull on each side of his mouth while I stand on the ground. Ia€™ll reach my arm over the saddle to hold the far rein and ask over the saddle to hold the far rein and ask him to bend to that side, and then pull on both reins to teach the back up. Pressure from the halter behind his ears means to come forward to find relief, whether he is being led, tied, or ponied from another horse. Lunging: As detailed in previous articles, lunging teaches the horse to respond to body language and to learn balanced gaits and transitions. My two year olds learn to travel in a frame with the use of side reins while going back and forth between the trot and canter on a large circle (never a tight circle). Voice Command: I recommend keeping talk to a minimum with horses. Nattering away to horses is like the boy who cried "wolf"! When you really do want them to listen to a specific command, they will tune you out. I have approximately five words/sounds which, when learned in the groundwork phase, ease the transition to leg and rein aids under saddle. One of these is "whoa" which means stop without taking another step. Desensitization: The cowboy term for this is "sacking out". Using a saddle pad, lunge line, or rope, Ia€™ll gently and rhythmically slap it against the horse side, shoulder or legs until he no longer shows any reaction. Gradually the horse becomes accustomed to grain bags, filled with noisy, jingling items, tied to the saddle as hea€™s lunged around. I make it my goal to never skip steps in the training process. I only make a request of the horse I know I can win, because if you ever lose, you can go backwards in your training, and can possibly cause fear and confusion. Ita€™s kind of like picking up the pieces of that smashed model airplane and gluing it together again! Horse breaking, sometimes called starting or gentling, refers to the process used by humans to get horses to let themselves be ridden or harnessed. Before such a learning process is accomplished, a horse will normally reject attempts to ride it. Once a horse has accepted basic handling by humans, additional forms of horse training can be used to teach the horse any number of specialized skills. General Background Some people believe that in order for a horse to submit to the will of human beings, violence must be used to break the will of the horse. Others, based on experiences which are consonant with the words of Xenophon, John Solomon Rarey, and other "humane" horse trainers, argue that there is no point (outside of a rodeo contest) in engaging in "rough breaking" or "bronc riding" if the cooperation of the horse can be secured by kindness. All horse breaking methods have adherents. [edit] Earning Trust vs. Force Horse trainers as early as the Greek equestrian Xenophon have questioned the method of using force to a€śbreaka€ť a horse. While some trainers believe that force is an appropriate and necessary means of securing a horsea€™s submission to humans, others believe that the trust and cooperation of the horse should be gained through gentler means. Horses are large and extremely powerful animals. They owe no automatic deference to human beings, and before some ground rules have been established a colt may nip a human to test his dominance in the same manner as will nip a pasture-mate. A horse may also contend with a human for dominance in the pasture, and in so doing may charge at any humans entering the pasture in order to force the human to submit to the horse. Horses work out their own dominance order among themselves, and they must learn to be civil both among themselves and with human beings. It is easier for humans to deal with a young horse that has been civilized by older horses (who will retaliate in kind if the youngster bites or kicks), but in any case the horse must learn that the cost of an attempted bite or kick at a human is prompt and measured retaliation. That generally means a cuff on the muzzle for an attempted bite, and a swat with a switch of some kind for an attempted kick. [edit] The Earliest Master Trainers Xenophon argues that it is better for the average citizen or military man to take his young horse to a professional trainer to start the horse's career as a mount for human beings. "It seems far better for a young man to give heed to his own health of body and to horsemanship,or, if he already knows how to ride with skill, to practising manouvres, than that he should set up as a trainer of ; (For this quotation and further details, see the entire Project Gutenberg text of "On Horsemanship" by Xenophon at this site). His arguments indicate that he feels the basis for a successful relationship between human and horse to be other than for a wild animal, frantic with fear of the unknown, to be taken into confinement and bullied until it no longer resists. Instead, he clearly directs that the owner of the young horse shall have established a loving relationship with the horse before it ever sees a trainer. He advises the owner to establish a clear understanding with the trainer on what the horse is to be taught, and then continues: At the same time, pains should be taken on the owner's part to see that the colt is gentle, tractable, and affectionate when delivered to the professional trainer. That is a condition of things that for the most part may be brought about at home and by the groom, if he knows how to let the animal connect hunger and thirst and the annoyance of flies with solitude, while associating food and drink and escape from sources of irritation with the presence of man. As the result of this treatment, necessarily the young horse will acquire -- not fondness merely, but an absolute craving for human beings. A good deal can be done by touching, stroking, and patting those parts of the body that the creature likes to have so handled. These are the hairiest parts, or where, if there is anything annoying him, the horse can least of all apply relief himself. The groom should have standing orders to take his charge through crowds, and to make him familiar with all sorts of sights and noises; and if the colt shows sign of apprehension at them, he must teach him -- not by cruel, but by gentle handling -- that they are not really formidable. [edit] 19th Century Humane Training Once this basic trust is established, it requires only tact and patience to let the horse understand, by gradually accustoming it to bearing greater and greater portions of the weight of its human friend, that no harm will come to it through letting itself be ridden. The horse needs to learn that the presence of a human rider is not the same as the springing of a lion or tiger onto its back. John Solomon Rarey, in his book The Complete Horse Tamer, quotes from an earlier writer in a section called "Powell's Management of Wild Horses," and gives extremely detailed and considerate instructions on how to secure the willing agreement of a horse. [edit] Forceful Techniques Other techniques have been used since Xenophon's time. Frederico Grisone, writing in 1569, detailed many techniques for using force to subdue horses, including "pushing the horse's head under water and nearly drowning him if he shows fear of crossing streams, to say nothing of the various [harsh bits that] he ; (Margaret Cabell Self, Horsemastership, p. 5) La Broue wrote a book on horse breaking in 1612. "One learns from his text that his horses were constantly becoming lame, or so vicious that they could not be ; (Op. cit.) [edit] Less Forceful Techniques Still in Use Today There are several techniques that diverge from the Xenophon tradition, and which have continued to be used down to the present, the most well known being simply to throw a saddle on an unwilling horse and then to contest with it until its will to resist is finally broken. In addition, some people follow the practice of tying a frightened animal to a barn or tree until its struggles cease. A less costly way of "rough breaking," from the standpoint of time and injuries, is to mount the horse in water sufficiently deep to impede its struggles. The practice of "sacking out" is fairly widely used, and, in the practice of some trainers, differs only in details from the way that Xenophon advises grooms to lead their horses through many potentially frightening but actually innocent situations. Other trainers advocate more vigorous use of this technique. [edit] Rarey Technique The Rarey technique is designed to be used in extreme circumstances in order to restore trust with a traumatized horse, and was dramatized in the novel and the motion picture The Horse Whisperer (Nicholas Evans, Delacorte Press, 1995). [edit] The Foundations of Modern Training Methods: Powell and Rarey In his book, Rarey quotes the work of an earlier author, identified there only as a€śPowella€ť. (Read here.) Willis J. Powella€™s instructions for handling the task of establishing a positive relationship between horse and human, and Rareya€™s own observations and special training methods, have summarized the elaborations of Xenophona€™s basic instructions made so many centuries earlier. [edit] The Continuation of Gentle Training Down to the Present The argument over whether horses are creatures whose will needs to be broken to suit them to the wills of human beings, or whether they are creatures with whom it is possible to form cooperative, even symbiotic, relationships still persists into the present. There are present-day proponents of subordinating horses by force, but these individuals generally rely on skills handed down via oral tradition from older sources and seldom put their techniques down in writing, sometimes because they are aware that such views are often considered socially unacceptable, but other times because they may consider their methods humane but a "trade ; However, browsing through any tack store or catalogue of horse equipment reveals certain types of equipment that could be considered inhumane, such as thin wire or sharp-edged bits, sharpened spurs, elaborate restraint systems and other tools are still being manufactured and sold. On the other hand, some equipment, such as a spade bit, may appear harsh and can be cruel in the hands of an inept handler or on a green horse, but is a sophisticated tool of subtle communication when used by a skilled trainer on a polished horse. In general, most methods of possible inhumane use are substitutes for taking the time to properly train a horse, using force to get fast results. Some inhumane techniques are also dictated by competition fads or trends, an urge to win at all costs, and education of both judges and exhibitors is usually required to discourage such tactics. There are several present-day proponents of establishing cooperative relationships between humans and horses (see dressage and Horse whisperer). The psychological studies of Ivan Pavlov and Burrhus Frederic Skinner have been applied to horse training through the use of techniques such as clicker training. But, for the most part, there is not much fundamental knowledge today that was not already present in Xenophona€™s essay on the subject. There is a great deal more elaboration present in currently published books, but after over 3000 years of observation by interested and intelligent people, there has not been much more for humans to learn. [edit] The Effect of Breeding Practices Horses that are selected for tractable and trainable dispositions are especially rewarding for the horse trainer to work with. Today, many breeders select for intelligence and trainability along with correct conformation and beauty. A horse that is naturally friendly, companionable, teachable and willing is sometimes referred to as "born broke" because he learns so easily and accepts new things so phlegmatically. Within the species, there is a wide range of temperament types from nervous and excitable to calm and placid. Individuals vary also in their intelligence and ability to learn. An individual horse's physiology has much to do with his trainability as well. An intelligent horse that has a "big motor" may need more exercise and relaxation exercises before he will perform at his best. A quiet, calm horse may need only enough work to maintain fitness in order to be ready for optimum performance. Weather also affects a horse's temperament. Chilly, windy weather or changing weather is often observed in conjunction with increased playfulness or nervousness of horses. Rather than list the common errors committed during horse breaking I'll cut straight to the chase since such errors pale in comparison to the overall fatal flaw inherent in breaking a horse: the act itself! Contrary to the belief of some, when preparing a horse for saddle our goal is not to break a horse's spirit, but rather to create a willing and accepting partner. Ruling a horse via fear and abusive treatment is not only reprehensible by its very nature, it is also highly unnecessary as horses can easily become willing partners if shown kindness, patience and compassion. Some people possess the belief that horses are willful beasts not capable of exhibiting loyalty or reasonable behavior. As such, they believe horses should be dealt with using extreme force until the human breaks and conquers the horse's spirit. Frederico Grisone, a handler that lived in the mid-1500's and has also been credited with laying the foundations of modern dressage, was one such individual. Although I do believe the horse world has become more enlightened in modern times, unfortunately there are those who still to this day adopt violent training techniques. While I will not provide any names or specifics since the goal of this article is to criticize an overall behavior rather than an individual, I would like to share an example of how futile violent horse breaking can be. There is an individual that is, oddly enough, respected by some as an accomplished horse trainer. He breaks these horses fast and furious; groundwork and developing a mutual relationship is irrelevant and only serves to delay things. If a horse is deemed to be stubborn he has been known to pull out a 2x4 and beat the horse, not caring whether the "stubbornness" is actually born out of defiance, fear or confusion. There is no doubt about it a€“ all signs of spirit or will must be broken. One year I was able to observe much of his prized stock at a multiple-day horse show, and he owned some beautiful horses to be certain. Each was certainly a strong contender to take home a ribbon. Whereas one or two of his horses did manage to place in an event, a greater majority not only failed to take home a ribbon, but also failed miserably. Once the crowd would start applauding the deafening outbursts would scare a majority of their horses, causing them to sidestep, dance around, reverse and generally fail to perform. One was reacting so poorly it needed to depart the stadium before the conclusion of the event. There is an important lesson to be taught by this example. While it true that horse owners must be firm leaders to their horses, going overboard and ruling by fear rather than respect can only go so far. Yes, this trainer was able to "break" his horses. Yes, they were forced to perform under saddle and would accommodate most of his requests. But the moment some of the horses were placed in a situation they feared even more than their trainer, the new fear took complete control over them. Had the trainer been a partner rather than a dictator, the horses may have drawn strength from him. Had the trainer taken a slow and methodical approach towards training, the horses may have been trained ahead of time not to fear clapping and cheering. In the end the trainer not only failed his horses, he failed himself. A less offensive example of horse breaking would be the infamous "bucking bronco" routine popularized by old cowboy movies and legends. This is when an unwilling horse is saddled and ridden until either the rider(s) or the horse gives up. Such a battle of wills is not inherently violent or cruel as the abovementioned practices are, but once again is it really conductive or necessary? When a trainer attempts to break a horse there is a small chance that the horse may be injured and an even greater chance that the trainer may be seriously injured if he is tossed. Personally I would reserve the bucking bronco antics for the rodeos and stick to sound, measured training practices when preparing a show or pleasure horse for saddle. Just a couple days spent with round pen work can make a lifetime of difference. In the end if you attempt to break a horse rather than train a horse, you just may succeed despite your disservice to the horse. But you also run a chance of turning an otherwise potentially great horse into an equally violent, unmanageable monster at the worst, or a spooky, untrusting horse at best. Is either result really worth it? Many horse riders will know the problems that come with owning a lively horse. They wona€™t stand still when you want to mount, they jog everywhere rather than walk, and catching them in the field can be a real headache. However, there are a number of ways that you can help to calm your lively horse. When leading a lively horse in hand, there is always the worry that they will try to run off with you. The problem is that horses are very much stronger than people. Therefore you have to overcome the problem without using strength. When leading a horse you should always put them in a bridle and bit with the reins over their head, rather than a headcollar. This will give you more control if they do play around. If you are on the road you should walk on the outside of the horse between him and the cars. That way if he tries to swing his back end into the road you can push it back with your body. A good tip to stop your horse from running away is to keep your elbow in the groove of his shoulder. If he attempts to barge, you can push your elbow in gently which will disable him from being able to get past you. This will enable you to stop him without having to use any strength. Many horses are reluctant to be caught from the field and will play cat and mouse with you. Some useful tips should stop you from having to play his games. Firstly you should not let him see the headcollar or bridle. Walk towards him with it behind your back. That way he wona€™t be alerted to the fact that you are intending to take him out of the field. Secondly, your body language can help. If he is a nervous horse, walk towards him slowly with your shoulders slightly tilted and your head to one side. Do not make direct eye contact with him as this is an aggressive move for animals. As you get close to him, hold out your hand. Do not grab at his head. It is best to pat him first before taking hold of him and leading him out of the field. If, on the other hand, he is a playful horse who would just rather be eating grass than going out for a hack, it is best to walk towards him confidently so that he knows you mean business. As you get close, walk alongside his neck and purposefully take hold of him. If you have real trouble even getting near him, then it might help if you take along a small amount of feed in a box and shake it to attract him. However, you should not do this every time you catch him because he might begin to nip at you when you dona€™t have food. Trying to get onto a lively horse can be a nightmare and can result in some embarrassing bruises. It might be helpful to find something that you can use as a mounting block so that you are nearer to the saddle. If you cana€™t, then the best thing to do is to line the right hand side of your horse up near to a wall, take hold of the left cheek strap gently pulling his head towards you and then mount. He may want to walk round in a circle but because he is next to a wall he wona€™t be able to. As you mount, make sure it is one swift movement, and dona€™t land heavily in the saddle. This will startle him rather than calm him! Once you have successfully mounted your horse, the best advice is to keep calm, sit deep in the saddle and ride quietly. By this I dona€™t mean that you must not talk but rather that you must sit softly. Try to keep your legs away from his sides so as not to kick him on at all. Keep your rains taut so that you have good control but dona€™t pull on his mouth. If you have problems with getting him to stand still, you should try to make him stand every now and again. Have patience and dona€™t give up until he has stood completely still for 3 seconds. Then you can reward him for being good. Finally, here are some general tips. Check that you are giving your horse the right amount and type of food. If he is eating too much this may be making him more lively. Ensure that he is having enough exercise. If you are not riding him enough this may be a cause of his itchy feet when you do take him out. Try to always act calmly around him. Spend a lot of time grooming him and talking to him so that he trusts you. And be patient - it will take time to build up a good understanding between the two of you. You need to teach him that you want him to be calm, so you must reward him when he is, but dona€™t get angry when he isna€™t Helping Horses Humans Around The World Quickly Past Attention, Trust, Fear Respect Issues ~~ Breaking A Horse To Saddle In Under 30 Minutes ~~ From a conversation discussing a demonstration by a well known clinician... "It was an interesting demonstration, however I did have reservations about his techniques especially since he seemed to put so much emphasis on doing the whole procedure in less than 30 minutes. I sure wouldn't want to climb on the student the next day! I much preferred John Lyons and know I would be able to climb on his student the next day with little to ; "That's how I feel, too. What ever happened to not rushing the horse? What good does chasing a horse around a round pen dogt; How does something like that demo affect its mind in the long term?" When I perform this technique in public I stress that saddling a horse in 30 minutes is NOT the point. The point is to demonstrate how quickly you can develope a cooperative horse with an abnormally high trust and acceptance level. The saddling and riding is but a demonstration of that trust and acceptance. I know very little about the clinician other than who he is, but I do know that he has no illusions he produces a saddle horse in 30 minutes. No true horse reader thinks that. If he tells you otherwise, he simply doesn't know what he is talking about. While you *CAN* have a previously unhandled and unsaddled horse under saddle and carrying a rider in 30 minutes it is BY NO MEANS BROKE. "Breaking" a horse requires a careful well thought out systematic approach with considerable ground work before getting into the saddle. "Breaking" a horse CAN take years to accomplish. Because putting a horse under saddle for the first time is often spectacular, a clinician may do it as a demonstration of the horse's compliant state of mind. However, the clinician usually has a lot of experience reading horses and instinctive skills in implementing his methods. Anyone who promotes this practice in courting disaster. We must be careful not to throw out the baby with the wash water here. I hear people discounting things simply because these things do not agree with how they perceive things to be. "What good does chasing a horse around a round pen do?" Very little. However, moving a horse around a round pen, or similar enclosure, for a few minutes in a calculated intuitive scenario will cause psychological changes in a horse and produce a much deeper level of understanding and cooperation between human and horse. "What ever happened to not rushing the horse?" I think nothing happened to it. At least, my motto and aim anyway is to not rush the horse. From what I've seen of the horse readers who I feel have the touch, I believe for the most part, it is also their motto and aim as well. We all know, rushing accomplishes nothing. How do I reconcile what I just said to 30 minute saddling, or 30 minute despooking, or 30 minute loading or any of the other rapid changes we effect in a horse? And 30 minutes is a long time to work on some of the things we do. Is THAT rushing the horse? If the horse isn't ready for it, you betcha, Red Ryder. It sure is. I, and any of the others will be the first to tell you that. If the horse is ready for it, it isn't rushing. If the horse is ready for it, and you don't do it, what condition does THAT set up? Boredom? Inattention? Impatience? The secret is to progress at the pace the horse is ready for. How do we judge the speed? We communicate with the horse. We immediately establish dialouge and set up a two way connection with the horse. Everything we do says something to the horse. Everything the horse does says something to us. The horse tells the reader, whisperer, communicator or whatever term you use, the moment it is ready for the next step. There is no doubt, no confusion, no delay, no wasted time. "I sure wouldn't want to climb on the student the next day!" Well, I'd rather climb on him the next day than the first. The next day, he will be even more compliant. The third, even more so. Will he be a full blown reiner, cutter or roper, what have you? Nope. Not at all. But he will be so much closer toward being one than the horse that is dawdled and dabbled with. Will he be a better, more capable horse? Don't know. I only know he will be a more focused, more willing, less troublesome horse to train. "How does something like that demo affect it's mind in the long term?" Because the demo is rooted in many milennia of highly refined herd dynamics it gives the horse a sense of place and order and reaffirms its instincts as an equine. A large percentage of horse problems come from trying to instill human qualities . love, pleasure, satisfaction, the ability to chose between right and wrong, in the horse. Something like that demo not only settles and calms the horse's mind, it settles and calms the human's mind as well. It bonds them together in one mentally connected unit. Many people who are training horses will ask them questions that the horse has no way of understanding or answering. Then they will fight with the horse or hold him hostage until the horse either gives in or gives up. The so-called trainer walks away feeling like he or she has won the game because the horse finally did what they wanted him to do. But no actual communication took place. What happened was "breaking" not training. When you break a horse rather than train it, you get a trained flea. What do I mean by that? Well, you start training fleas by putting them in a jar. You know they are going to jump and if they do that, they'll jump out of the jar. So you put a lid on the jar. Now when the fleas jump, they hit their heads on the lid. Being smart fleas, they learn not to jump so high. Now you can take the lid off and they won't jump out. Voila! You have trained your fleas not to jump so high. That is exactly what you do when you "break" a horse. A lot of people train horses this way. They condition the horse to random tasks one by one. They do not do it in a systematic way that is logical to the horse. Remember that horses have very simple minds. They can only connect a cause-and-effect sequence of about two steps. To be horse logical, the next thing you teach a horse can never be more than one step away from the thing you just taught him and not more than two steps away from the thing before that. It should be easy for the horse to understand how to do the next thing you want to teach him because it should flow naturally from the last thing he learned. It should be horse logical for him to behave in a certain pattern. He shouldn't have to guess about what you want until he accidentally gets it right. He shouldn't have to stress himself mentally or physically until he learns to do the "correct" thing by avoiding the "incorrect" thing. At Meredith Manor we teach our horses a "language" based on their body position relative to ours. The horse first learns on the ground that certain body language on our part calls for him to be in a certain position relative to our own. With this as a basis for understanding, we gradually shift the concepts of mirroring the trainer and working in a corridor of aids from ground work to under saddle work and eventually to whatever game we ultimately want the horse to play. Horse showing is a game a lot of people like to play with their horses. Someone defines some rules, prescribes a set of mannerisms, and the guys whose horses come the closest to those prescribed mannerisms are the winners. When it gets too easy to win, the somebodies change the rules so it takes something different to win the game. And everybody's off again. Horse show rules are no more logical than the rules we make up for football or basketball. They're all just artificial rules that can get changed at any time. We teach our horses to perform according to these prescribed mannerisms to make them competitive at the horse show game. When you are training, it is important to remember that producing a prescribed mannerism should not be your highest goal. The way you mentally and physically gymnasticize the horse is the real game. The horse show mannerisms are only a way for you to demonstrate that you and your horse are physically and mentally prepared. If you've only learned to duplicate the mannerisms, you and your horse are going to be left behind when the somebodies change the rules. If your horse was properly trained, horselogically gymnasticized both mentally and physically, you'll be able to adjust to the new game rules. As your horse's trainer, you mentally take command of the horse's muscle and strength and use it to play whatever the game you want to play with your horse. Whether it's polo, cutting, reining, jumping, pole bending, barrel racing or whatever other game you're playing, the real game is the interaction between you and the horse. It is about mental, not physical control. And that control has to be methodical and horse logical for you and the horse to play the game as well as you can. Training horses is about developing the horse's mental attitudes to the point where they enjoy playing the same games that you do. That means taking mental control of your horse. The controlling factor is not strength, not size, not speed. The horse is ten times stronger, bigger and faster than we are. Let other people be the ones who jerk on horses and slap them around or hassle them until they've "learned" something. You want to be the one who can communicate with the horse using horse logical emotions, horse logical shapes and change them from what they aren't into what they can be by using what they are to start with. Training is about what to do rather than about what not to do. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here are some resources: AUSBREAKING Horse Breaking And Training Bush Track Work, Horses Educated to Jump, Horses brought sold. David Kerry Leek Elmhurst Ph. (03) 5354 8370 Mobole 0407 524 883 AVALON REIGN TRAINING CENTRE - AUSTRALIA'S MASTER HORSEMAN JASON MCINNES - Performance Training and Horsemanship Where a horses future is shaped not broken. An unstarted horse is like a blank canvas waiting to be transformed into something more. The humans quest is for better, clearer communication between themselves and their horse, in a kind, safe and natural way. Jason McInnes is a certified trainer. Starting young horses, re-education, problem solving. Horses, ponies and youngstock often for sale. Situated 90min from Melb CBD on 130 acres at the base of the Strathbogie Ranges. Contact: Jo or Jason (03) 5773 4236 Mobile 0438 906 872 Email: jmcinnes@.au Website: .au BEST PERFORMANCE HORSE Breaking in and Training of Performance Horses. The proof is in the performance. Robert Goodwin Ebony Tucker Old Princes Hwy, Beaconsfield, Vic. 3807 Ph. 0408 871 768 Fax (03) 9540 3522 Email: info@ TARA BONDARENKO - Breaking and Training performance horses. - Specializing in ponies and preparing them for the show ring. - Very experienced and reasonable rates. Tara Bondarenko Bullengarook, Vic. 3437 Ph/Fax (03) 5428 9365 Mobile: 0419 048 944 PETER BEZZINA Inga Boeill Creek, Mildura, Vic. 3500 Ph. (03) 5023 3018 BRENTON PARK STUD We#92;'d like to introduce our future sire: Myscal Hattrick, Blk Brown R/P Imp blood lines Sire and Dam. Brenton Park Combines years of experience with a modern outlook. Commencing the season 2007 breeding a small number of top quality Riding Ponys and Galloways from our selected mares. Some young stock available for sale or would be found for you! Geelong, Victoria 3220 Contact: Mark Ph. 0412 698 201 or email: mjo16506@.au CHEVAL LODGE Todd Rawiller, Horse breaking pretraining Facilities at Bendigo racecourse used Ph. (03) 5448 8115 Mobile 0407 51 3082 GRANT DALZIEL PROFESSIONAL HORSEBREAKING P/L Providing profesional horse breaking and educating services to the racing industry. 'Nothing beats a great start.' Ph. (03) 9782 2875 Fax (03) 9782 2890 EQUINE EDUCATION AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre, K Road, Werribee Vic. 3030 Breaking, Training, Management, Lessons (Riding, Polo) Ph. (03) 9741 7180 Fax (03) 9731 0829 Email bndandmad@ Email vicpoloassoc@ EQUUS BREAKING TRAINING Horse whisperer Ph. (03) 5174 6256 RELENA GILROY Fenton Ave, Campbells Creek, Vic 3451 Ph. (03) 5470 5320 BRENDA HUMPREYS Rhodes Lane, Cardross, Vic. 3496 Ph. (03) 5024 1410 ROSS JACOBS - GOOD HORSEMANSHIP Hylton Park, Garfield, Victoria 3814 Ph. (03) 5629 2045 or 0409 414 564 Email: rossajacobs@ Website: .au MARK JONES TRAINING STABLES a€śMARELLE LODGE TRAINING COMPLEXa€ť is based in Macclesfield Victoria on a beautiful 20 acres in the heart of the Yarra Valley! Mark Jones performance Horse Training is suitable for all equine disciplines. I have an experienced understanding of starting young horses, with a clear approach to your horsea€™s needs and more!!! We are specialize in a kind, safe and great horse training environment for your horses training needs. Starting Horses, Re-Education, Problem Horses. Young Stock available. Contact: Mark or Michelle on (03) 5968 8019 or Mobile 0448 001 547. Email:: mark@.au Website: Coming Soon KATABATIC EQUINE SERVICES Horse Breaking / Pre Training, Calm, Confident handling by experienced trainer. All new facilities- stables/ menage/ yards etc. All breeds catered for. TB specialist. K V Edgar, Woodend, Vic. 3442 Ph. 0417 128 244 or email: vanny@.au ROY MARCHINTON TRAINING STABLES Lot 1 Olsen Road Nar Nar Goon North, Vic. 3812 Phone 0407 021 350 OAKFORD THOROUGHBRED FARM Breaking, Training, Agistment etc. RSD Bridgewater Road, Maldon, Vic. 3463 Ph. (03) 5475 2810 Fax (03) 5475 1276 RWH HORSE BREAKING PRE TRAINING Profesional Horse Breaking. All enquires welcome Phone Rick Harrison (03) 5941 5662 or Mobile 0417696677 Fax (03) 5941 5662 Email: rwh@.au SAROWAN PARK EQUESTRIAN CENTRE Rick Brown 160 Birregurra/Yeodene Road, Yeodene, Vic. 3249 Halter training, Breaking and Showing Ph. (03) 5233 4556 Email: sarowan@.au Photo Coming Soon SHARVALLEY RACEHORSE EQUESTRIAN TRAINING For the love of horses! Breaking in and pretraining. Spelling. All horse types catered for. Re-education of problem horses. Agistment available. On 40 beautiful undulating acres in Nar Nar Goon North with established trees and excellent pasture. Private track 60x20 menage, jumping facilites, country roads. Licenced Pakenham trainer. Contact: Sharen ph. (03) 5941 5190 Mobile 0408 581 732 Email: sharengotts@.au DAVID SIMONS TRAINING P/L 185 Murradoc Road, Drysdale, Vic. 3222 Ph. (03) 5253 1504 Email: david@.au Website: .au HUGH O'SULLIVAN RMB 6296, Wal Wal, Vic. 3381 Ph. (03) 5359 6234 THE STABLES Jim Taylor and Emma Johnson breaking and training of all breeds Taggerty, Vic. 3714 Ph. (03) 5774 7592 BARRY TORNEY Western 57A Dalgleish Road, Beaufort, Vic. 3373 Ph. (03) 5349 2911 JACK TULK Havelock horse breakers .. broken; the gentle jack method. For all types of horses.. when finished training, all are quiet, well handled, well mannerd, float trained, shod and light mouth. Jack Leoni Tulk 5246 Bendigo Road, Havelock, Vic. 3465 Ph.(03) 5468 7345 Mob 0429 687 345 VANCOUVER PARK STUD Horses Broken in for showing, performance or hunting. Box 125, Chiltern, Vic. 3683 Ph. (03) 5726 1937 Email: jennah@ WINDSOR FARM Windsor Farm offers first class facilities service. Agistment for all horses, private and semi private. - Breakin In - Dressage Showjumping Cross Country Education - Lessons - Dressage, Showjumping Cross Country - Re Education of problem horses - Float and Transporting Problems - Preparation of horses for Competition and Sale 636 Darnum Shady Creek Road, Darnum, Vic. 3822 Ph. 0417 118 817 or 0408 871 768 Website:
Answer 7Though he'll get big, you should wait at least until 2yrs, probably three because his bones need to develop...
Answer 8draft horses knees dont fully lock up untill they are four or five and they dont fully mature untill they are seven years dont start riding my drafts untill they are four years old because of their dont want bad joint problems on a 2000 + pound start ground driving at three years old and do it very slowly thru out the years but untill then work with him with the halter and teach him to lower his head for the halter(makes it easier when he reaches 17-18 hands).you will need a high port saddle for drafts due to the tall whithers and a draft snaffle to may ant to get him cut at 3 years old unless you want to breed him otherwise you have a 2000 + pound horse that throws a 200 plus pound person around like a dog with a toy(my 2300 pound clyde went thru three 2 x 12 fence rails like they were balsa wood)also if you keep him corral'd you may want to invest in a pipe corral or use bull pannels(a standard horse pannel will fold in half when he leans on it)work with his hooves and get him used to working with than that buy a strong brush and comb(you will need them)and search out a draft farrier or learn how to trim his hooves yourself(almost double for a draft farrier to trim and shoe than light horses)other than that you will be suprised how smooth drafts ride under fun and get a step stool.
Answer 9Wait until 3yrs. MuleR is correct! I have been riding for 30 yrs Training for 19yrs. I would wait!!!!
Answer 10Mulereiner is right. Drafts mature slower. I do not know when Clydesdales or Shires are fully grown. It is good to start them right when there main muscles are fully grown. Especially with big drafty types. It could take a long time. I've known people who have had to wait until their draft horses where 5 or 6 to start training them! I would at least wait until they are three. You could probably lunge them earlier though..but truly only time will tell! Good Luck Happy Holidays!
Answer 11Probably 2 or 2-1/2, maybe even 3, if they are like other horses make sure he has no soft spots in his knees and they are all healed up.
Answer 12I would wait till he is 2 1/2 yrs and only give extremely light work till he is 3 1/2 yrs. If the rider is over 50kg I would even wait till 3 years to start. Better to be safe than sorry.
Answer 133 to 5 years
Answer 14MAN, I thought that I held the record for the longest answer! Now, I don't feel so bad, LOL I absolutely agree with MR...just because they are big, doesn't mean that they are mature enough to ride, they are not...but, you can begin early ground driving in a round pen, but try to graduate as soon as possible to straight away, it is easier on them (not on you though) than in a round pen. I wouldn't begin riding one until close to 3, and then have the knees checked before you climb on (literally). Clydes, for example can continue to grow until 7 yrs.
Answer 15I hope you listen to the people who are saying at LEAST 3yrs!!!!! Do NOT start them at 2 yrs. They grow much slower!!!!! They are not ready to be riddin at that age!!!! At Least 3, I would wait until closer to 4yrs!!!!!
Answer 16i am a clydesdale owner, i bought my mare as a yearling and as a lifetime commitment, i have asked questions every step of the way and my opinion is based on answers given. i am lucky to have a large community of heavy horse riders, drivers and breeders around my area and have never been shy to ask when unsure.. do all the in hand stuff from start, harness your horse as soon as possible and long rain as often as suitable. heavy horses take time to mature and time is the commitment you will need opinion says three but i say do not back your horse until rising four and do it little at a time the time i allowed my horse to mature, in my opinion was the best start i could give her! she is rising six now and as fit as she can be, and as keen as mustard!
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