Helping horses and helping those who love them. Day 1, Session 1.
At Sells Lake Ranch we think horsemanship is a display of the character of the trainer or the person working with the horses. At the ranch we dedicate our program to helping not just the horses but the people as well! Over the next thirty days we will be giving you some of the tools needed to help you progress with your horsemanship as this palimino filly progresses far enough along to be started under saddle and be listed on our available horses page! Theres nothing more important than the first sessions in a horses life so in this article be sure to pay attention to things such as your body language and how subtle to are capable of communicating with horses in training.
You may be wondering when does the training of a horse begin? It starts immediately….with your very first interactions. Here is how our first interactions went with this palimino filly. It was in a large pen without a halter, so training began with putting a small amount of pressure from our hand and body to get her to move away as we knew she was going to move off from the behavior she displayed. After she moved away we took a step backwards, this if done correctly creates a draw to make the horse curious as well as engage in what we are doing. We aren’t ever in a rush when working a horse so be sure to take your time. Keep in mind this is an unhandled colt so we want everyone to remain safe. As the young filly began stay focused we worked towards her and away from her until we were able to put a hand on her neck, immediately pulling it away so she knew it was ok. Interactions with humans is an emotional experience for a horse so we always want to be sure the horses response is a good one.
Moving on we did what we could for about ten minutes and the filly was too frightened so we brought a seasoned saddle horse in and used the presence of the saddle horse to remove the pressure off of the filly. We were soon able to set the lead rope over the filly’s neck and apply the smallest amount of pressure and she remain still so we were able to the rope to put the halter on. With the seasoned saddle horse we let the filly follow behind and she did pull back a few times but we allowed her to step back, realizing everything was ok and proceeded forward.
Indirectly looking at the young fillies eye and body positioning it was obvious she was nervous but accepting of the interactions with the trainer and the saddle horse. Before long the palimino filly was leading around without hesitation and was drawn to the trainer. Establishing a positive connection is critical within the first session of working with a young horse.
Next we loaded the seasoned saddle horse into the trailer and had it tied in the first section of the slant load horse trailer. Here the first horse stood quietly eating from the full hay bag that we had already prepared. It was time to load the young palimino filly in as well. As we approached the back of the trailer and stepped inside we didn’t look back or turn our body as this is often when a horse looks to us for leadership and if we turn back it makes them think to turn back as well. The filly hesitated and you could here the anxiousness in her breath. Taking our time allowing the young horse to sniff the back of the trailer, see the quiet saddle horse in front of her, and realize this was another experience similar to the haltering process, she stepped right in and began eating from the hay bag. We gave the filly enough time to relax and settle in before hitting the road.
She hauled back to the ranch in Minnesota quietly and it was time to back her out of the trailer. We backed her up and her steps down were exciting as the trainer petted her neck and praised her for her efforts. Working with young horses in the first stages of training are critical to their future as saddle horses and we were glad these experiences went well. Using a seasoned saddle horse has always proved successful in the young horses we’ve started under saddle.
Remember the first days are about being subtle, having a conversation with the horse, asking it to be gentle and steady, and showing the young horse that everything is ok. Quietly working them away from the small ammounts of pressure of our body’s and discreetly asking them to draw in to us. This was a big day for the palimino filly but minimizing the pressures and stress levels sets us up for the next session back at Sells Lake Ranch. If you are looking for a well bred, good minded, young horse with our proven foundation training be sure to follow along and watch for them on our available horses page! Or email today levi@sellslake.com
