Training a pre trained horse

horsefreek13 · 06-30-2009, 06:14 PM

Ok,
Im suppose to be buying a horse.Shes 15 and hasent been ridin in 6 years.I belive I now how to start her off with her new training,but I need to make sure.I need some tips on what to do and mainly what to not do.

horsefreek13 · 06-30-2009, 08:16 PM

please help

pittmd · 07-01-2009, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by horsefreek13

please help

Do lots of ground work, then do a lot more. Get her respect then earn her trust. Then try riding.

PUtNEE · 07-01-2009, 05:54 AM

Are you sure this is the right horse for you? Don't think I'm being critical - I'm kinda blunt!! There are hundreds of horses out there who won't need the extra effort and potential downfalls.

If you do get her - plan on making it a long project to get her back into work. Set realistic goals for your groundwork and starting work under saddle - that way you both will benefit.

JBandRio · 07-01-2009, 07:09 AM

Who are you buying her from? Will they show you what she supposedly knows? How do you KNOW what her previous level of training was?

If you have not ridden this horse, and presumably have not seen her ridden, how did you decide to buy her?

horsefreek13 · 07-01-2009, 09:26 AM

The dude behind were I live Is moving and giving us a peace of his land and the horse is coming with that land.I wanted a project and Im afraid he wont beable to sell her abd shell end up at the slauter.

JBandRio · 07-01-2009, 11:15 AM

Ok, so you're buying a "pity" horse, not one you went search for. Ok, that helps.

So, you start as if you don't know the horse's history, because you really don't. Basic groundwork, starting with simple catching and haltering and leading and halting. From there, you work on moving his body parts - front end away from you, hind quarters away from you, always establish "away from you" first. Backing away from you, sideways away from you, all that gives you a base on which to draw from in SENDING him away from you if he's being pushy/bargy (gee, wonder if MM is reading this...)

Then see what he knows about lunging.

Then see what he knows about being saddled and bridled. Don't act like you might startle him, do things like you normally would, ie tossing the saddle pad on him, as opposed to being slow and careful. You want to know NOW, rather than later, if he's jumpy about things being tossed around him.

Re: tossing things - put a lunge line on him, so he has some drift, and start tossing objects at/around him - brushes, boots, a bucket or two - to judge whether he reacts mildly or strongly or not at all, and what his reaction is - does he jump backwards, or sideways, or does he just sort of startle and stand there. That's always a good thing to know before you get on. You don't want to get on a horse whose first reaction to something scary is to scoot and keep scooting.

Then, with your helmet on

and someone present, get on him. Like normal, don't assume he will stand there, but also don't assume he's going to buck/bolt/rear unless you have seen some of those predispositions beforehand (and then don't get on!). Get on and off a few times just as a precaution.

Then ask him to walk. In your groundwork you would have judged his knowledge of lateral flexion at the very least; preferably vertical as well. But at the walk, test his whoa and his go and his ability to go where you ask.

If things are still good, then ask for the trot, and repeat all of the above.

*I* would stay at the w/t for a while so you can judge his demeanor. Sometimes Day 1 is all "oh this is new this is cool this is different this is fun" but if he's not had particularly good experiences in the past, he may take a few days to go "well, yep, like I rembered, fun has worn off, I'll start pulling out my tricks" - maybe he just stops, maybe he goes where he wants to, etc. Better to find those things out at the walk and trot

And, he's not been worked for 6 years. He has no fitness. So walk and trot is where he stays for a while, mostly walking at first (and WALK, don't just putz along), then slowly incorporating trotting. You can ask for the trot on Day 1 or 2, but that's just a training test - he should build some walking fitness before really working on the trot.

And go from there. By that point you'll have a pretty good handle on what he's all about.

mftx4 · 07-01-2009, 11:29 AM

Good advise JB.I bought a pair of part Arabs some years ago that hadn't been riden for many years. They had been handled though and that's part of the key too. If the horse was well trined before the 'lay-off', it usually doesen't take them as long to 'get back in the groove'. I guess I would want to know why the horse hasn't been used for so long. Loss of interest or problem horse.

horsefreek13 · 07-03-2009, 06:49 PM

Jb:Wow,Thanks for your time and advice.

M4:The guy bought her for his baby son to learn to ride,but I gess they just didnt get into it.Im sure she was a fantastic horse in her days.

06-30-2009, 06:14 PM	#1
horsefreek13 Full Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 112 Images: 37	Training a pre trained horse Ok, Im suppose to be buying a horse.Shes 15 and hasent been ridin in 6 years.I belive I now how to start her off with her new training,but I need to make sure.I need some tips on what to do and mainly what to not do.

07-01-2009, 05:54 AM	#4
PUtNEE Full Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: hillcountryhorseworks.com Posts: 224 Images: 4	Are you sure this is the right horse for you? Don't think I'm being critical - I'm kinda blunt!! There are hundreds of horses out there who won't need the extra effort and potential downfalls. If you do get her - plan on making it a long project to get her back into work. Set realistic goals for your groundwork and starting work under saddle - that way you both will benefit. __________________ ...breathe...!

07-01-2009, 07:09 AM	#5
JBandRio Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NC Posts: 32,000 Images: 196 Blog Entries: 12	Who are you buying her from? Will they show you what she supposedly knows? How do you KNOW what her previous level of training was? If you have not ridden this horse, and presumably have not seen her ridden, how did you decide to buy her? __________________ - JB Acres, owned and operated by Dynamite animals. - It's a wonder horses as a whole don't just kill us all and be done with their misery. - Keep your voice soothing and low - even when things get western (buck1173)

07-01-2009, 11:15 AM	#7
JBandRio Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NC Posts: 32,000 Images: 196 Blog Entries: 12	Ok, so you're buying a "pity" horse, not one you went search for. Ok, that helps. So, you start as if you don't know the horse's history, because you really don't. Basic groundwork, starting with simple catching and haltering and leading and halting. From there, you work on moving his body parts - front end away from you, hind quarters away from you, always establish "away from you" first. Backing away from you, sideways away from you, all that gives you a base on which to draw from in SENDING him away from you if he's being pushy/bargy (gee, wonder if MM is reading this...) Then see what he knows about lunging. Then see what he knows about being saddled and bridled. Don't act like you might startle him, do things like you normally would, ie tossing the saddle pad on him, as opposed to being slow and careful. You want to know NOW, rather than later, if he's jumpy about things being tossed around him. Re: tossing things - put a lunge line on him, so he has some drift, and start tossing objects at/around him - brushes, boots, a bucket or two - to judge whether he reacts mildly or strongly or not at all, and what his reaction is - does he jump backwards, or sideways, or does he just sort of startle and stand there. That's always a good thing to know before you get on. You don't want to get on a horse whose first reaction to something scary is to scoot and keep scooting. Then, with your helmet on and someone present, get on him. Like normal, don't assume he will stand there, but also don't assume he's going to buck/bolt/rear unless you have seen some of those predispositions beforehand (and then don't get on!). Get on and off a few times just as a precaution. Then ask him to walk. In your groundwork you would have judged his knowledge of lateral flexion at the very least; preferably vertical as well. But at the walk, test his whoa and his go and his ability to go where you ask. If things are still good, then ask for the trot, and repeat all of the above. I would stay at the w/t for a while so you can judge his demeanor. Sometimes Day 1 is all "oh this is new this is cool this is different this is fun" but if he's not had particularly good experiences in the past, he may take a few days to go "well, yep, like I rembered, fun has worn off, I'll start pulling out my tricks" - maybe he just stops, maybe he goes where he wants to, etc. Better to find those things out at the walk and trot And, he's not been worked for 6 years. He has no fitness. So walk and trot is where he stays for a while, mostly walking at first (and WALK, don't just putz along), then slowly incorporating trotting. You can ask for the trot on Day 1 or 2, but that's just a training test - he should build some walking fitness before really working on the trot. And go from there. By that point you'll have a pretty good handle on what he's all about. __________________ - JB Acres, owned and operated by Dynamite animals. - It's a wonder horses as a whole don't just kill us all and be done with their misery. - Keep your voice soothing and low - even when things get western (buck1173)

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06-30-2009, 08:16 PM	#2
horsefreek13 Full Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 112 Images: 37	please help

07-01-2009, 09:26 AM	#6
horsefreek13 Full Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 112 Images: 37	The dude behind were I live Is moving and giving us a peace of his land and the horse is coming with that land.I wanted a project and Im afraid he wont beable to sell her abd shell end up at the slauter.

07-01-2009, 11:29 AM	#8
mftx4 Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Cordova, Ill. Posts: 2,091 Images: 48	Good advise JB.I bought a pair of part Arabs some years ago that hadn't been riden for many years. They had been handled though and that's part of the key too. If the horse was well trined before the 'lay-off', it usually doesen't take them as long to 'get back in the groove'. I guess I would want to know why the horse hasn't been used for so long. Loss of interest or problem horse.

07-03-2009, 06:49 PM	#9
horsefreek13 Full Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 112 Images: 37	Jb:Wow,Thanks for your time and advice. M4:The guy bought her for his baby son to learn to ride,but I gess they just didnt get into it.Im sure she was a fantastic horse in her days.