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 IMA No Hair Style Gal
Posts: 2594
  
| I have put time on a few horses here and there, but it has been a few years since I have done so.
I have my 3 year old I am putting some rides on that had a few rides (under 30) as a two year old about a year ago. Although when you buy them after the fact your never really sure of the kind of rides they received so I figured I would start her over. I am an actual 7 rides in, plan on doing a little trail ride tonight and have been working on body control and softness. Rode her after a show last weekend, have hauled her to new environments and had her stand tied with the saddle on in the past (when school was in session and coaching track I didn't have time to put consecutive rides on her so this was what I aimed for), and have a 3 day weekend camping trip scheduled for Labor day weekend with her.
What are some other things you do in your first 30-60 rides? It is fun to hear what others do so that I can improve what I do! |
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Expert
Posts: 2122
Location: The Great Northwest | I do a lot of training on the ground to get the horse tuned to me. When, I feel it is time to ride the cues and all won't be something that is new. I feel they are so much more calmer when I take those pre-ride steps. It is so worth the extra time. I will put any horse I get through the pre-ride steps to just be on the same page. Much safer! |
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IMA No Hair Style Gal
Posts: 2594
| skye - 2016-07-21 4:12 PM I do a lot of training on the ground to get the horse tuned to me. When, I feel it is time to ride the cues and all won't be something that is new. I feel they are so much more calmer when I take those pre-ride steps. It is so worth the extra time. I will put any horse I get through the pre-ride steps to just be on the same page. Much safer!
Agreed! I spent the majority of this winter doing nothing but groundwork. Taught her to ground tie and come to me on command.
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 Expert
Posts: 1612
Location: Cocoa, Florida | I like mine just saddle broke, I can do everything else from there...although now that I'm getting older I may start considering sending them off but I've learned so much doing it myself, plus it's cheaper. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 378
Location: Saskatchewan | I like to get all of my horses as yearlings and do all the work from there, unless I am not around to do it, then I'll send them away for 30 days, after I rode them a time or two in the round pen. |
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 I Want a "MAN"
Posts: 3610
Location: MD | There is a new ad on here of a yearling who is exceptional I think. I would have never thought to get them that broke. |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | I have started them myself but with my course load with school this year I sent mine off for 60 days. The first 30 days she had a guy just ride them out in the pasture, down the road, with cattle, etc. He just gave them some exposure to things. The second 30 days was spent with the lady I sent them to, and she taught them their leads, to move off leg, break at the poll, gait transitions, etc. |
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 Nothing Comes Easy
Posts: 2353
Location: Texas | I put 60 to 90 days on horses for my friends. Generally when they leave they've been hauled all over. Usually where ever my riding horse goes, they go. I ride after barrel races or in the warm up area, then stand and watch. They are to walk, trot, lope, back, side pass, pivot, collect up, stop nicely, open gates, etc. I do a lot disciplines with my horses so my younger ones often see cows, barrels, the trail or arena trail obstacles. They should open gates or start to, work over ground poles, bridges, let me pick items like jackets and water bottles up from other surfaces, go through water, and tolerate something being thrown off of them. I also use them to pony my personal horses. I've been known the haul to barrel races or cow sortings and use my babies to pony my running horses to cool out or cruise around with. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 878
Location: "...way down south in the Everglades..." | OP - Sounds like you're on the right track. Pre-first ride, I like to have had them fairly broke so they've already been hauled, used to tack, ponied (when I have a good pony horse around!), lunged, round pen work. It makes the first couple rides so much easier. Typically I spend the first week or two in the round pen, then I'll do some arena and pasture riding at slower gates. I keep increasing the challenges but ride short periods of time frequently. If one's being difficult or not listening, I'll usually tie them and go work another then come back. Granted, you need to make sure you have set aside enough time to do so.
I also am a huge fan of trail riding, riding in fields, going over obstacles. Don't bore the young ones to death doing circle after circle over and over. I do try and get them used to water and stepping over logs too. Just any overall, trail/ranch type of work. I'll throw a rope off of them, too (just at a dummy or even nothing at all) just to desensitize them to other things. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1631
Location: Somewhere around here | Something I picked up in college, working with a roper and reining cow horse trainers, is perfect circles. There are pretty underrated but it makes all my colts and older horses softer, listening to your hands/legs/body, and makes them a little rounder too.
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