Things You'll Need
- Leather Gloves
- Halter
- Lead Line
- Bridle
- Saddle Pad
- Saddle with girth
- Sweet feed
Instructions
Gentling Your Horse
Befriend your horse. In a large paddock, invite him to approach you by crouching down and pretending to inspect the ground; you will arouse his curiosity. Reward him with sweet feed. Be patient and gain his trust by allowing him the choice and freedom to come to you.
Start building a positive association between your horse and yourself with gentle touching. Hold out the back or palm of your hand toward the horse's nose to allow him to inspect you. Slowly stand and back away two steps from the horse and invite him to you again. Softly stroke the base of his neck next to the shoulder, and slide your hand to the top line of his neck just before the end of his mane. Scratch the horse in this area as if relieving an itch.
Expand on the physical contact area either with your hands or a soft brush. Return to the area on the horse with which he is already comfortable if he becomes nervous. Continue this exercise until the horse can be easily touched all over.
Halter Breaking
Introduce your horse to the halter once he is accustomed to you and your touch. Gently put it over his head while speaking soothingly to him. Adjust the length of the halter so that the nose-band is halfway between the tip of the horse's nose and the eyes; you should be able to slide a finger between any part of the halter and the horse.
Stand on the left side of the horse and attach the lead line to the ring on the halter under the horse's jaw. Hold the lead line with both hands and leave at least one foot of lead between your right hand and the halter ring.
Pull the lead line toward you to make contact with the horse and cause him to move his head to the left toward you. Take a step back and pull the lead line toward you again and ask the horse to take one step to the side toward you. Repeat on the right side. Lure him with sweet feed to facilitate the movement and to reward him.
Stand parallel to the horse beside his head, look where you want to go, say "Walk" and step forward while gently taking up the slack of the lead line. Keep contact on the lead line until it goes slack when the horse moves forward. Continue to walk, keeping the lead line slightly slack. Choose a destination from point A to point B either in a field or a riding ring.
Stop walking while maintaining a firm grip on the lead line and say, "Whoa." Release the tautness of the lead line immediately if the horse stops.
Breaking to Saddle and Bridle
Introduce the horse to the saddle by placing it where he can see it.
Fold a thin, lightweight saddle blanket three or four times into a small square and show it to him, then rub him from the neck toward the back with the folded blanket using it as if it were a brush. Unfold the blanket gradually, continuing to rub the horse with it, until it is open fully; then drape the blanket over his back. Stop at any point at which he gets too nervous to cooperate.
Prepare to saddle the horse. Pick up the saddle, stand just behind the horse's shoulder, facing back. Gently place the saddle on the horse's back. Remove it, praise, treat, and repeat until the horse does not react.
Saddle up. Release a stirrup to allow it to make contact with the horse. Slide it alongside the horse and gently bump it to allow the horse to get used to the sensations of contact and movement. Apply the same technique for the girth strap, eventually taking it under his belly. When he is relaxed when you saddle up, walk and trot the horse in-hand with the saddle fully attached.
Fit a bit-less bridle onto the horse and attach long lines, one to each side of the bridle. Standing on his side, ask the horse to walk. Create a distance between you and the horse by slowly releasing the lines as the horse advances. Keep the horse walking and guide him through the lines at a distance behind him.
Mounting
Place your hand into the stirrup and apply slight downward pressure. Walk in-hand beside the horse with your arm over the saddle seat and apply pressure by leaning on it while seeing that he is not nervous. If he is, remove the pressure and move more slowly.
Standing on the left side of the horse, hold the reins in your left hand while grasping the base of the horse's mane; place your left foot into the stirrup. Hold the front of the saddle with your right hand and mount partially, leaning across the saddle.
Raise your upper body while maintaining a slight incline across the horse and swing your right leg over the horse. Gently sit in the saddle. Ask your horse to walk to the already practiced point A to point B.