Breaking a horse in.

Question
Hi am thin about breaking a four year old in, i cant wait, but really, i dont know how to start the process! can you help?

Answer
Hi Hayley!  

Congratulations on making such an exciting commitment!  First things first though...I don't like to "break" my horses...I like to "start" them!  I know it seems like a picky thing the words I use to describe what I'm doing with my horses, but really it does make a huge difference in the mind set you have when approaching the horse.  I never want to break anything!  I want a whole, healthy, educated equine partner, and that is the way I treat the process.   So, lets start from there!

Starting a colt is a huge process.  If you have not started a horse before I'm going to give you an outline of what it takes:

GROUNDWORK:
    1.Hooking on in the round pen
    2.Working with the lass rope, teaching Hind
      Quarters/Front Quarters
    3.Roping up the feet, leading by the  
      front feet, stopping on a hind foot with the lass
      rope, teaching the horse to pick up feet
    4.Roping up the belly/flanks getting the horse
      comfortable with the rope under the tail and all
      over the body
    5.Leading by on the fence
    6.Getting comfortable with the flag, tarp and slicker
    7.Getting control of all four feet on the ground,
      ie:the dance, backing circles, bridges, walk over
      logs
    8.Leading with a soft feel
    9.Yielding to pressure in order to prepare to tie,
      tieing to the highline
    10.Preparing to bridle using the lead rope in the
       mouth

When you get each of these things great, not just good, then you start exposing your horse saddling!  Using the saddle pad like your flag, learning to saddle smooth and have your horse be comfortable with things going over his back and being able to stand relaxed and not being forced to stand.

This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to starting a colt well so that you can help the horse become a valuable saddle horse.  Too many people take scary shortcuts or just don't know what to do that they create problems in the horse that are not the horses fault.  

The best way to learn how to start colts if you have never done it is to find a master and learn from them.  I would look for someone that has spent time with Ray Hunt or Walter Zeitel for starters.  Buck Brannaman will be back on the road in '08 teaching people just like you how to start colts and get right with their horses.  Ricky Quinn is traveling the country now and is making a swing through Arizona and will be heading toward Maryland in mid December.  Ricky will ride your horse for you and in 4 days will have your horse saddled and ridden with QUALITY.  

Do not think that you can get your horse ridden in four days.  Ricky is a very talented master horseman and does this for a living.  As a first timer in starting a colt this will take you months to do with quality IF you get good help! Colt starting requires that each horse be handled as an individual and will have different issues in millions of different combinations that only time and experience can help you solve.

Hayley, I want you to get the very best in help so you will have the horse you have always dreamed of.  I can help you solve some issues in this format, but I want you to attend a clinic with Ray Hunt, Buck Brannaman, or Ricky Quinn.  It will help you so much and refine the questions you will have for me.  I also want you to ride with one of my teachers for the sake of your horse.  This could be the best horse of your life!  I am trying to set you on the right path of really world class help.  Go to my website, I have Ricky's schedule posted there as well as links to Ray and Buck.  Buck and Ray both have DVD's that will save your life!  I highly recommend Buck's "Groundwork" DVD and I suggest every one have this in their library!  If you watch the DVD's you will have a much better idea of the concepts that I share with people here.

I'm so excited for you in this new adventure.  I hope you contact my teachers for help.  Be VERY picky with who you choose to listen to, so many people that call themselves "horse trainers"  will get you and your horse in deep trouble!  I want you to be safe and enjoy this process so that you can enjoy the equine partner of your life!

Keep me posted!  Keep asking questions, I'll help!

Smiles!  Denise