When to start training a horse?

Question

I have a 7 month old Chincoteague Pony, and I was wondering when I should start training her. She is halter broke and leads well, but when do you think I should start lunging, saddle breaking, ect?

Answer 1

I actually have a 7-month mustang/appaloosa filly also so we're in the same boat =) What you want to concentrate on now is bonding time while they're this young. Take her for walks down a road where she'll get used to scary objects such as cars, mail boxes, garbage cans, etc. This will also teach her to turn to you when she's scared and this will develop trust.

You can introduce her to lunging. Take her in a round pen and practice circles and straight lines. Make it an easy and relaxing experience that should last from about 10-20 minutes. Also, don't worry about the saddle at all now. This doesn't come until you break/start her at around 3 or 4 yrs.

Keep practicing leading, don't abandon that. Spend time with her, but dont make her spoiled. Another suggestion I can make that I do with my filly is take her away from the herd (if you have other horses) and tie her in a safe area such as her stall where she can't hurt herself. Leave her tied for 30-60 minutes where she cant see the herd. Do it as often as you can. This will teach them patience and keep them from becoming herd-bound.

Keep it going steady, don't rush things, be soft around her, and you will be pleased with an awesome pony when she grows up. Good luck!

Answer 2

I would put off lunging for a few more months( 2 to 3 ) in the mean time get her used to seeing the tack and working horses. I would start at 2-3 years for under-saddle work. If in doubt hire a trainer! Any specific discipline work should be put off for 6 months or more after the undersaddle training so she gets the hang of things. Then once you figure out what she'll be doing educate yourself! Books, horse friends, Internet, etc, are great sources to start with. If you know horse people who ride what discipline you're wanting to do ask if you can watch them and try out their horse to get the feel of things. Have a routine. Horses Love routines. They'll know when it's time to work this way. Example : If you turn out at 7:30 am and come back around 5:00 pm and catch the pony then ride every day the horse will know around 5:00 she's going to be worked and more willing. Best of luck! Any questions e-mail me at [e-mail]

Answer 3

Lunging is not good on their legs. I wouldn't do that just yet. You could ground drive her though. Or just lead her around and make her stop when you stop, go backward when you go back, move out of your way when you move into her. I wouldn't put a saddle on her, but maybe a pad. When my horse was that age, I took him in the arena, and let him run around. I was noisy, jumped up and down next to him, got him used to go over a tarp. He isn't spooky at all now. I can do pretty much anything with him. I didn't put a saddle on him until he was almost 3. No problem, because the horse trusted me.

Answer 4

Never had a pony per say but have the other guys. They say 3-4 years, starting ground work at 2 (halter,lead,grooming,socializing) sacking out you can do that right away. My little girl paint is around 2 (need to look at her papers), she has not had to much work done, have not been feeling well, some round pin work. My paint/cross gelding I was riding him at 2 1/2, maybe three? He does some tricks as well...
These guys are our big pets is about it lol!

BTW You get on a to young of a horse can ruin there legs, hence why race horses do not race long.....horses have been known to live for over 30 years!

Answer 5

Start playing with her now. I would spend time with her. When my colt was 2 months old I would take him and him mom to the round pen and have the mare trot around for about 10 min. Of course the foal would follow and he eventually learned to lunge. It was easy.. We NEVER PUSHED HIM... and he never was worn out from all the exercise. We also put blankets, saddles, boots, and things on him so he would get use to them. Now our colt is 2 yrs old and we are going to start riding him as a 3yr old, but we get on him every now and then. He is SO calm and has been use to all the things we have done to him. I Would do everything that you normally do with an older horse, but for shorter amounts of time.

*pick up feet
*saddle (no girth.. just let her have somthing on her back for a while
*Blankets
*shipping boots
*bathe
*Clippers
*Fly Spray (put water into an empty bottle so you dont waste)

Hope this helps

Answer 6

Play with her. You could throw a saddle blanket around her to get her used to flying things. But remember she is still a baby, and will not have solid bone structure until at least around 2. You could start her lungeing, but never anything faster than a fast walk or you may hurt her joints, unless it is her idea to run. She will stop when she gets tired. Ground driving would be good. It would teach her to yield to pressures. I never ride my colts until the end of their second or the beginning of their third year.

Answer 7

Now...... it is a good time to start ground training sacking out, bridling, picking up feet, etc.... the only thing that you should remember is that keep you lesions short and sweet make it fun and enjoyable to her. Don't fry her brain don't over load her in the brain. Saddling should be after all the other stuff is done.

Answer 8

I started to train lunging at 5 months and saddle at 1 year (just placing on and off). Then about a 1.5 year, I started walking him around, light trotting. At 2 years old, I was getting on and off of him, lightly walking him around. Beginning to start the basics of trotting as vet check declared his knee's to be closed and in excellent health.

Make sure your horse is fit as age isn't just the factor in training. it is also the horse's health and individual level ability.

Answer 9

Start now teaching her to lunge. Also begin exposing her to as much as possible. For example: walking on a tarp, sacking out, loading in a trailer, dealing with water, etc. etc. I usually don't introduce a saddle and bridle until they are a yearling. This gives them time to finish developing and prevents injury and early souring. Just remember to take it slow.

Answer 10

the age of 3 and if you didn't know that you should get a trainer to do it for you.. well i lunged my colt starting at 1 year and put one of my light weight english saddles on him and just let him walk around in it for a few mins. but that is it.. youshould worrk on ground work.. you have tons to do before he is ready to saddle train..like picking up feet,he head move ment.. long reining , getting use to bits,getting in and out of a trailer, every thing that can be done on the ground with a horse needs to be done before you get on their backs