Training Spotlights


FIRST RIDES


Starting your 2 year old. Contributed by Frankie Gaytan


The great thing about working


towards and taking that first ride on a 2 year old is that they are a blank canvas. There are no bad habits start- ed and it’s up to you to develop good habits from day one. You don’t need a fancy arena or a round pen to start working with your horse. For this ar- ticle I tied a soft cotton rope to the lead and worked her in the corner of the arena. There is also no time limit. Each horse learns at a different pace.


Before You Ride


The tone you set now will follow your horse through his career. Longing a horse has different meanings to dif- ferent people. I don’t want my 2 year old’s first experience to consist of be- ing chased around a round pen with the whip popping every other minute while he runs until exhausted and stands there because he’s tired. And then start the lesson.


I prefer a much quieter approach. One that calls on the horse to use his brain and focus on what is being asked from the moment you walk into the arena. Remember… at this point your horse is a blank slate. 1. At a walk, I want my horse to start walking a circle around me. I will then ask for his nose by increasing the tension on the rope. I hold this tension until he gives at the nose and I release the tension. You need to keep your body in position to keep the hindend moving. During this exercise the horse should be relaxed, focused, walking in his tracks and because we don’t keep tension on the rope at all times, both shoulders should remain up with no lean. Repeat and ask for nose a couple more times and release. 2. Next we will switch directions


by asking for the nose but instead of releasing, we ask him to follow it and


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SouthWest Horse Trader Presents A


CLINIC SERIES ON 2 YEAR OLDS


June: Starting the Right Prospect


July: First Rides August: Working Cattle


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walk through the center. As they pass center we quietly ask for the nose from the right side and like before, release as the horse continues now on a right cir- cle. Repeat this give and release exer- cise a few times this direction and when they are responding well, again have him walk through the center and go the other way. 3. When your horse is responding well at the walk, you can perform this figure eight exercise at the jog. Don’t do these exercises to the point where your horse isn’t paying at- tention to you. If you are going through the motions but your horse is staring off in the distance or watching the oth- er horses, you are sending the message that the horse really doesn’t need to re- spect you and focus on you. 4. I use these exercises before I step up on my horse. I want to send a message that it’s time to work and fo- cus.


The Ride We’ve all seen it on Facebook.


Cinch him up, jump on, spur him and let him rip. While this might impress a few people, I prefer my 2 year olds have a quiet uneventful start. See the Tack Fit sidebar to make sure your ad- justments are correct. 5. I want 100% focus by the horse before I swing a leg over. I want my horse to give me his nose and soften


Continued on page 17 July 2018 SouthWest Horse Trader 15


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