Horse trainers

[tcreeley]

Here we are with our unregistered full arab mare at the stables 5 miles up the road. We trailer her here to get her used to new places.
My wife rides her, She is 15 now and we have had her since she arrived as a boarder at 14 months. We got her after she was in effect abandoned by her owner in a mutual deal.
We have always had horses since school. Kalli has a hackney pony companion that my wife also rides. We've covered the breeds I always wanted - Morgan/quarterhorse, Morgan, Welch pony, Saddlebred, thouroughbred/quarterhorse and our current two. We've done our own training- harness and saddle. I used to keep them trimmed, but a farrier is easier now!
It used to be nice riding together. My arthritis cut that out. My wife still rides and has a good time.

 

[Dadnatron]

I'm not a trainer, although I've broken horses before and have had them for a large portion of my life. But I have to tell you something I saw the other day which literally blew my mind.

We have a yearling colt (thoroughbred) who is at the age of breaking and training. He will be going to the track sometime next spring/summer. We have had several other horses broken for racing and everyone who has done it were slow and methodical as to how they went about it. VERY slow, getting the horse used to bridle/bit/blanket/saddle/girth/etc over several days/weeks. That is how I just 'assumed' it was always done.

Well, we sent this yearling colt to a different trainer, just down the road from our new farm. He was recommended by the trainer with whom we intend to race this colt. Our colt has been handled almost every day of his life, so he is not unfamiliar with people. He has also worn a halter everyday of his life. He was sent to the trainer on a Thursday and we showed up on Monday, just to talk with the owner of the farm. While we were there, the Breaking and training guy showed up and began talking with us. Really nice guy from Ireland. About 60yo or so is my guess, but in great shape.

He said "We are going to begin with him (our colt) today, if you want to watch." We said sure and he proceeded to walk into the stall with a bridle. He walked up to our colt, pet him on the neck for a few seconds and bam... in went the bridle/bit and he was bridled. Then, within 5 more min of talking quietly to him and us (standing just outside the stall) he put on a saddle pad, then the saddle, THEN... HE cinched it up!!!

NOW!!! I am asking him had he been working with him before, and he assures me this is the first time he (or anyone) has been in the stall other than to just let the colt out into a paddock.

The trainer then wraps his arms around the colt's neck and hangs there for a second, and the colt doesn't flinch. The Trainer calls in a young (20ish) girl who was just outside the stall talking with us and says 'You're up'. She buckles her helmet and proceeds to go in the stall. He lifts her up on Romeo's (the colt's barn name) back, just laying over him. He doesn't flinch. She drops back down... the trainer then legs her up and all the way on Romeo's back, astraddle.

This all happened within 15-20min of the FIRST time the trainer walked into Romeo's stall.

To say I was shocked and impressed... and somewhat shattered in my belief of what 'had to happen' would be an understatement. A week later, Romeo is being ridden up and down the farm road every day. In another week he will be ridden in the pasture and in 3 weeks he should be being jogged in the pasture. I simply can not believe it... nor would I had I not seen it with my own 2 eyes.

This pic was taken within 20min of the trainer walking into the stall. I wonder whether Romeo was just in shock at all that was happening to him. But he never balked or batted an eye. The trainer said about 80% of his horses react similarly. 10% need a little more TLC at the beginning. And 10% take about 2-3days to get to that point. The whole 'training time' for that first day was 20min or so. And he went from 'never bridled to rider on his back.'

 

[tcreeley]

I'm not a trainer, although I've broken horses before and have had them for a large portion of my life. But I have to tell you something I saw the other day which literally blew my mind.

We have a yearling colt (thoroughbred) who is at the age of breaking and training. He will be going to the track sometime next spring/summer. We have had several other horses broken for racing and everyone who has done it were slow and methodical as to how they went about it. VERY slow, getting the horse used to bridle/bit/blanket/saddle/girth/etc over several days/weeks. That is how I just 'assumed' it was always done.

Well, we sent this yearling colt to a different trainer, just down the road from our new farm. He was recommended by the trainer with whom we intend to race this colt. Our colt has been handled almost every day of his life, so he is not unfamiliar with people. He has also worn a halter everyday of his life. He was sent to the trainer on a Thursday and we showed up on Monday, just to talk with the owner of the farm. While we were there, the Breaking and training guy showed up and began talking with us. Really nice guy from Ireland. About 60yo or so is my guess, but in great shape.

He said "We are going to begin with him (our colt) today, if you want to watch." We said sure and he proceeded to walk into the stall with a bridle. He walked up to our colt, pet him on the neck for a few seconds and bam... in went the bridle/bit and he was bridled. Then, within 5 more min of talking quietly to him and us (standing just outside the stall) he put on a saddle pad, then the saddle, THEN... HE cinched it up!!!

NOW!!! I am asking him had he been working with him before, and he assures me this is the first time he (or anyone) has been in the stall other than to just let the colt out into a paddock.

The trainer then wraps his arms around the colt's neck and hangs there for a second, and the colt doesn't flinch. The Trainer calls in a young (20ish) girl who was just outside the stall talking with us and says 'You're up'. She buckles her helmet and proceeds to go in the stall. He lifts her up on Romeo's (the colt's barn name) back, just laying over him. He doesn't flinch. She drops back down... the trainer then legs her up and all the way on Romeo's back, astraddle.

This all happened within 15-20min of the FIRST time the trainer walked into Romeo's stall.

To say I was shocked and impressed... and somewhat shattered in my belief of what 'had to happen' would be an understatement. A week later, Romeo is being ridden up and down the farm road every day. In another week he will be ridden in the pasture and in 3 weeks he should be being jogged in the pasture. I simply can not believe it... nor would I had I not seen it with my own 2 eyes.

This pic was taken within 20min of the trainer walking into the stall. I wonder whether Romeo was just in shock at all that was happening to him. But he never balked or batted an eye. The trainer said about 80% of his horses react similarly. 10% need a little more TLC at the beginning. And 10% take about 2-3days to get to that point. The whole 'training time' for that first day was 20min or so. And he went from 'never bridled to rider on his back.'

View attachment 530039

Some people have the knack! He and his rider do!


We started handling our boarding arab mare when she was young and the "owner" just ignored her. Then one day "the owner" showed up with a friend and "free-lunged" her (chasing her around the paddock with a lunge whip). It took about 3 months for us to undo the anxiety in her that that stupid move created. Horses like a steady calm hand.

 

[TheMan419]

Some people have the knack! He and his rider do!


We started handling our boarding arab mare when she was young and the "owner" just ignored her. Then one day "the owner" showed up with a friend and "free-lunged" her (chasing her around the paddock with a lunge whip). It took about 3 months for us to undo the anxiety in her that that stupid move created. Horses like a steady calm hand.

Yes the movement to "natural horsemanship" is good. Steady hand, no harsh methods. You get it back in spades from the horse.

My wife brought a horse back that was so abused it would not go in the dressage arena. It would literally just stop and refuse. Now a year later it is at the point it is doing first level movements pretty well. If you did not know the back history you would just think it was a horse in training that needed a bit more work to be truly proficient at first level.

 

[PJ The Kid]

I agree mostly with the methods of natural horsemanship. I don't veer as far as perrelli but more towards the Branaman side. Need to be firm, but not rough. I do believe there are times that some "old school" methods work best, depending on the horse.

 

[PJ The Kid]

Forgot to post the updates on this colt.
Goose week 2 - YouTube

 

[PJ The Kid]

Week three
Goose week 3 - YouTube

 

[PJ The Kid]

Last video for this colt. For now...
Thank you Allie for choose PJ seaboldt and I to start goose! We can't wait to see how he does in the future!

When this colt arrived, he was scared of everything, but also very willing to learn. I took my time and worked him hard but gentle and gained his trust by giving him a job. The owner was very happy to see the horse he had become, I wish I had more videos of what I could do with him but I was riding/working alone a big percentage of the time. I could run a rope across his rump and he wouldnt flinch, I could throw the rope at his back legs like a heel roper and he wouldn't kick. I could rope a barrel off of him and drag it around the arena, even crossing the rope behind him and he could care less. This is the type of product I like to send out. People asked why I was doing things with the ropes, blankets, barrels, all other spooky things as he is a show prospect, I like to send a horse back that you don't have to teach the basics and is not spooky. Sure, he may never see a rope again in his life, but he may pony another horse. Will he need a tarp draped across him? probably not, but when one blows across the arena on a windy day, he is less likely to run off. The owner of this horse went from not knowing whether she was going to keep him or sell him to absolutely loving this little horse.

 

[sseelhoff]

Last video for this colt. For now...
Thank you Allie for choose PJ seaboldt and I to start goose! We can't wait to see how he does in the future!

When this colt arrived, he was scared of everything, but also very willing to learn. I took my time and worked him hard but gentle and gained his trust by giving him a job. The owner was very happy to see the horse he had become, I wish I had more videos of what I could do with him but I was riding/working alone a big percentage of the time. I could run a rope across his rump and he wouldnt flinch, I could throw the rope at his back legs like a heel roper and he wouldn't kick. I could rope a barrel off of him and drag it around the arena, even crossing the rope behind him and he could care less. This is the type of product I like to send out. People asked why I was doing things with the ropes, blankets, barrels, all other spooky things as he is a show prospect, I like to send a horse back that you don't have to teach the basics and is not spooky. Sure, he may never see a rope again in his life, but he may pony another horse. Will he need a tarp draped across him? probably not, but when one blows across the arena on a windy day, he is less likely to run off. The owner of this horse went from not knowing whether she was going to keep him or sell him to absolutely loving this little horse.

I find horses are a bit easier to ride when you are sitting down. But to each his own, I guess.

 

[TheMan419]

I agree mostly with the methods of natural horsemanship. I don't veer as far as perrelli but more towards the Branaman side. Need to be firm, but not rough. I do believe there are times that some "old school" methods work best, depending on the horse.

Perrelli is junk in my opinion. Branaman is great.