Starting horses - green horses, foals, starting and 1st rides Archives

First Ride on Whiskey: watch the progress

11:52

This is the first ride I had on Whiskey where I asked her to move around - learn what I am checking for to see how well she understands the tools I am using. She is going well and shows a great example of a calm, thinking horse. This is also good for ideas to check your foundation.

First riding lessons on Beau: watch the progress

26:34

One of Beau's first rides. I introduce legs, work on freeing his steering and add a flag to help with movement.

First steps on 2 horses

20:30

How I took Zorena and Whiskey on their first steps with me on them.

First ride on Zorena

15:30

An inside look into the preparation of getting Zorena ready to be ridden. This lesson covers the first time I sit on her.

Belly roping for awareness

24:04

This lesson started as a lesson to improve awareness on a sensitive mare. Techniques to teach using the belly rope and leading. Offering an alternative to a horse who can be quite distracted when something bothers her. It progressed into using the flag to interrupt her thoughts and improve her centredness.

Belly roping for starting

23:33

Using the belly rope to help prepare a sensitive horse for legs and a rider.

Introducing Ponying

10:26

This video offers good tips on how to help a young horse off another horse. It shows a safe way to expose both horses to each other whilst avoiding conflict. Learn techniques to lead a horse beside each other so the young horse can get familiar with being handled from above.

Leading and ground driving with a long stick

12:37

Helping Hazel to get used to a flappy and scary things above and around her whilst teaching her to follow feel. A great lesson to get any horse used to having things behind their eyes.

Working from above - clear tips

11:00

In this video I explain the importance of working a horse from above. Watch to get clear tips on training like this first without a flag and then with a flag. In this lesson, I just used a round bale in the paddock. Be creative if you don’t have a pony horse.

Tips on Belly Roping

18:49

It's fiddly using one rope - let alone 2 - and add in using those 2 ropes in different ways with different feel - and it's easy to get in a tangle. So here's some detailed tips on using belly roping on a young horse - from the importance of getting them to follow the feel of the belly rope to being able to stand and know that girthing is neutral and not leading. This has useful tips on how to set the belly rope hold the lead rein in the belly rope and use the belly rope to block an inside thought.

Helping a Rescue Mini be Approached

21:55

How to help a nervous, rescue mini be approached at liberty. He is very scared of people coming up to him and he is scared of their energy.

Helping a Young Horse at the Mounting Block

32:40

Creating leading softness and flow in a dull, young horse. Techniques for getting softness. Also adding a belly rope from a higher position.

Calm Catching

5 videos in series.

Going down sides wild pony

34:27

Helping a nervous Brumby (wild) pony: getting him confident with having me down his sides (at liberty)

First leading

12:40

Teaching a horse to understand the halter

Teaching to lead (part 2):

20:55

Teaching the boundaries + following feel whilst settling into long reins and halter

Accepting people above

24:22

Teaching a nervous arab to accept people above him

Following a young Stock Horse Start at a clinic

4 videos in series.

Watch the progress made to help this young horse be ready and comfortable with a rider

Starting Duchess: a tougher mare

12 videos in series.

Teaching to lead (part 1)

48:05

Helping a young mare to lead

How Adjustable is your Horse?

14:11

Things to look at to Assess how Comfortable your Horse really is with you around it. Working a wary horse.

2nd ride at a clinic

21:01

A young horse's second ride at a clinic

Young Horse First Rides: Guiding you through step-by-step with Fern

11 videos in series.

I started Fern over a long period with often weeks in between each lesson as I was away a lot teaching. You can see the continuity in her progress which reflects the benefit of training in the way I do. She consistently starts off where I left her; is able to retain everything I show her; and clearly progresses well.