The Young Horse Assessment

There are many right ways to start a horse, and I know my way is not the only way. This is half science, half art. There are things every horse will need to know and understand if they are to succeed in this world. How each horse goes about learning those things, however, can be entirely different. I have the way I understand horses, the way I was taught to ride and train, and my experience with previous baby horses. All of that informs how I go about starting a horse. The horses I have worked with come from all walks of life, all different breeds, all different ages. Some are imported from Europe, come from top breeders, and are worth more than the average car. Then I have also started horses that were rescues, horses that were sold by the pound for the price of their meat, and horses that have had significant abuse in their past. All of these horses share commonalities, but none are the same.

I first want to meet every horse where they are comfortable, be that in a stall, a paddock, or in the cross-ties. I want to have a look at their conformation, see how they react to my touch, my presence. I don’t look at their conformation to judge it “good” or “bad”. I want to look at how they are put together, how they carry themselves, how they move, what they hold tight, what is unbalanced, because all of that tells me what I might understand or expected from this particular horse. It took me years and years to develop that skill and I am still perfecting it. If a horse has asymmetric muscling I will know to look for lameness, stiffness, and weakness before I even see it move. If I notice a neck set high on a horse’s chest and muscling on the underside of its neck, I know that horse will have a harder time relaxing over its back and working in a lower frame. If the horses is shy, nervous, or dislikes my touch, I will start any training with extra care, softness, and trust building. Next, I want to see the horse move. If I am brought in specifically to be the first to ride that horse, I won’t start the mounting process until I see its ground work. I want to see a normal ground work session, grooming, saddling, lunging, ground-driving; everything its use to. I watch its reactions. Is it ultra reactive, or do you have to ask more than once? What happens when it is pushed? Does it bolt, rear, try to buck, or run backwards? Does it seem relaxed? Does it understand what is being asked of it?

All of these pieces of information I put together. This information shapes my approach to a horse, and because no two horses ever have all the same information, my approach is never entirely the same. Taking in all of this information is completely second nature to me at this point. I go through the process seemingly unconsciously. I can talk the horse’s owner and trainer, say hello to the other horses in the barn, and make small talk, all while taking notes on this horse I am about to ride for the first time. That is how I try to keep myself and the horse safe and relaxed during these first crucial steps forward. I rely on my method and my instincts to asses if this horse is relaxed, confident, and mentally ready to accept me on its back. If it is, great! I zip up my boots, buckle my helmet and begin. If not? Thats fine too. We go back to the ground work, and go from there.