Basic horse training, whether starting a young colt under saddle for the first time or retraining an older "problem" horse, is the same, regardless of your riding discipline. If you ride dressage horses or reining horses, the fundamentals are the same. Horsemen of all styles want horses that are calm under pressure, stand still when needed and move out when requested. The fundamentals of training a horse to perform basic skills are the same, according to the late Bill Dorrance, a well-respected trainer and founding father of the "natural horsemanship" movement, in his last book, "True Horsemanship Through Feel."
Sacking Out
"Sacking out" is an old term for teaching a horse to not fear new stimuli. Traditionally, an old burlap feed sack was often used. Rubbing and flapping the sack all over the horse's body is a well-respected method for helping a horse learn to not react negatively when startling things appear. Sacking out should be the first task you perform when training a horse. The lack of fear developed is the cornerstone of basic horse training.
Basic Groundwork
Once a horse has been sacked out thoroughly and no longer accepts its flight instinct when pressured, you can begin the groundwork. Focus on teaching the horse how to yield different parts of its body. Classical horsemanship, as far back as the 15th century, agrees that a horse should move away from pressure. Francois Robichon de la Gueriniere, in his manual of horsemanship "Ecole de Cavalerie," taught the same movement cues that are taught in modern horsemanship. Teaching these cues from the ground first ensures that your horse will be accustomed to them once under saddle. Ground work should include teaching the horse to yield his forequarters and hindquarters to pressure, as well as how to respond to verbal cues for movement into and out of the walk, trot, and canter or lope.
Bridling and Bitting
Bridling a horse the first time with a snaffle bit is certainly part of the foundational training of a saddle horse. Once the horse is carrying the snaffle bit comfortably, teaching him to yield to the bit is critical. The horse should yield willingly and softly to both sides and vertically. Teaching the horse to yield to the bit can be taught by working the bridle reins by hand. Teaching this prior to mounting for the first time is critical to being able to stop the horse if he begins to run away or buck.
Saddling
Most modern horsemen use a saddle when they ride. A saddle makes riding easier and safer. The first time a horse is saddled can be a solid part of his basic training, or it can be a catastrophic event. Saddling should be done the same way that you sack the horse out. Touch the horse all over with the saddle and blanket before putting it on. Allow the horse to grow accustomed to wearing the saddle before you tighten the cinches the first time.
Mounting
Getting on a horse for the first time can be a nerve-wracking experience. With no way to know whether the horse will buck, it's a gamble. The horse should be thoroughly sacked out with the saddle on before you step across his back. In the end, though, you have to ride the horse to complete its basic training. "No one ever broke a horse to ride by not riding him," says an old horseman's adage.
References
- "School of Horsemanship"; Francois Robichon de la Gueriniere, trans. Tracy Boucher; 1993
- "True Horsemanship Through Feel"; Bill Dorrance; 2001
- "Ranch Horsemanship"; Curt Pate; 2004
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