Starting a Young Horse Under Saddle: Day 1

I was asked to talk about my methods for starting a young horse under saddle and what I expect to get from that horse for the first 30 to 60 days. Well that varies from horse to horse as every horse has a different idea of how things will go.

There are a some things that I feel have to be mentioned before we start.

1) I have been starting young horses for 35 years. I am very comfortable doing so and I am a professional trainer. I still get a little bit of a 'rush' every time on every horse. That rush keeps me on my toes and keeps me from becoming complacent. When you start becoming complacent, you start to make mistakes. Those mistakes can get you hurt.

2) The way I have been starting horses has been working for me for 35 years and may not be the best way for you. Always trust your instincts and only do what you are comfortable with. If you aren't comfortable getting on for the first ride or the 10th, don't do it.

3) If you are not comfortable starting young horses, have a professional do it for you.

4) In all my years in the horse industry as a professional, I have learned to read horses. I am able to tell when they are ready for the first ride. If they are not ready, I do not get on.

5) WEAR A HELMET! Personal safety and safety for the horse are to be considered foremost. If you get hurt, you may not be able to ride another day, if the horse gets hurt- their career could be finished before it even starts. Remember, when it goes wrong, it goes wrong quick and big. No time to second guess or try to undo anything.

The most important thing to remember when starting a young horse, everything you do with that horse the first day will set the tone for the rest of that horses career. If you allow that horse to buck, then he has learned to buck with you on him and he will continue to do so. If he bolts, there again he has learned to bolt with you. Now these problems are not hard to deal with, and the horse wont buck or bolt every time, but when the wrong buttons are pushed, the horse will go back to what he knows best and what is easiest.

So lets get down to the nitty gritty and tack this young horse for the first time shall we.........

First of all, the prep work. Before I even get the horse out of his stall, I really like to check my tack. And I mean everything, because when it goes wrong, it can really go wrong. I check the cinch, billet, latigo, fenders, and then I thoroughly check the bridle as well, bit, reins, headstall and everything holding it together.


Now that I am done with my inspection, I will take my saddle, bridle and pad and put them in the round pen so I can tack that horse up the first time where I have a little more room.

Then I go get the horse!

To prep the horse, I take them to the grooming area and groom them like I do every time I am going to work them. I check their backs to make sure they are not sore before the first ride. Now it is time to go to work.

I like to lunge my horses before I tack them for the first time and I prefer to use a lunge line, because when I tack the horse, he is going to be on a lunge line. I will only lunge that horse until he relaxes, not until he is tired. Very important to remember!

Once the horse relaxes, he has his ear on me and stops when I say whoa, I am ready to tack him.

I do not like to take a lot of time tacking the horse, if I am going to tack him, then I am going to tack him. I am not going to make a big deal out of it and sack him out with the pad for two hours. I am not going to take ten minutes and let him sniff the saddle and the pad either. I will not tie the horse the first time I tack either.


When I approach the horse with the pad, I approach from the front where he can see it and then I place it on his back. If he starts to back up, I will stop and say 'whoa' and continue to place the pad on the horse.


Now for the saddle, I will put stirrup over the horn but not the cinch, I will approach the horse from the front and then go to the horses side. I will slowly swing the saddle over the horse back, and let it land gently. Once the saddle is on the horses back, I will wiggle it a few times and then go to the other side to drop the cinch and the stirrup.


When cinching this horse for the first time, there again, I do not make a big deal out of it. I reach under the horses heart girth where the cinch will go and grab the D-Ring of the cinch and pull it up, then like I am going to do every time I cinch the horse up, not too tight at first, just gradually. Once it is snug, I buckle the flank cinch.

Once I have tightened the cinch and checked to make sure it is snug, I will let the horse out on the lunge rope. I will not force him to go forward but rather let him go when he is ready. If the horse wants to buck and run for a little bit, I will let him, that way he gets all of the buck out before I step on. Letting them get it out of their system, really only takes a few minutes, and soon they start to relax and start to work. Better they buck with the saddle and not me!

After they have accepted the saddle, and are relaxed and "whoa" when I ask, only then will I put the bridle (snaffle bit)on and only then will I consider getting on. If I feel the horse needs another day, then I will wait until he is ready. They are young and have their whole life ahead of them. There is no reason to rush anything.