Tips to Start Training a New Horse

Whether you’re a beginner horse rider or even an advanced discipline rider starting your journey with your new companion, it’s important to know details about your new horse. Training a new horse requires lots of time, patience, and perseverance. On the other hand, it is one of the most rewarding experiences for a horse enthusiast. In this article, we will share some tips based on professional experience to make your new horse training journey smooth and pleasant and avoid setbacks and frustration. You will also learn how Pivo Pod helps you start your novel experience. Read on for the knowledge and guidance you need.

What’s The Ideal Age To Begin Training a New Horse?

Horses are ready for training at four (4) years old. At this age, their body and muscles are developed to support the rider’s weight. Also, they are mature enough to learn and start training. However, it’s important to highlight that, as living beings, not all horses develop at the same pace. Some may need more time to develop and be ready for training.

It’s always a good idea to ask a trusted vet for a green light before starting work on a new horse. The vet will also help you establish a diet based on the horse’s conformation, your training goals, and other factors.

The Importance of a Good Foundation

Most breeders deliver their fresh horses with groundwork training and a mild starting under the saddle. This initial work will substantially impact the horse’s character and behavior.

Starting a horse takes an extremely high level of horsemanship, experience and understanding of horse nature. If your new horse hasn’t been started, I encourage you to hire a professional trainer to take the initial steps. This process takes four to ten weeks, and when properly done, it is worth every cent. When you’re setting your new foundation and beginning training your new horse, setting up your Pivo Pod during training sessions, helps you film hands-free. So you can record your lessons and watch back every detail to review and analyze the behavior of your horse as well as yourself.

Before Riding Your New Horse for The First Time

It’s natural to be eager to ride your new horse for the first time. However, I can’t stress enough the importance of patience when working with new horses.

Before riding novice horses, it’s essential to take enough time to get to know them and help them build trust. Although they are fantastic, they can also be unpredictable and distrustful.

Below, you will find a list of the first things you should work on to ensure a safe and pleasant first ride.

• Groundwork and Handling: Groundwork is an excellent way to develop a trusting relationship with your horse. Young horses often come from the breeder’s or seller’s yard. They need time to get used to their new home, and everything is new to them.

Basic groundwork will help you learn about your horse’s strengths and weaknesses during the adaptation period while you start creating a bond.

Help your horse become familiar and comfortable with the premises, stall, and paddock. Then, gradually introduce more elements and activities, such as brushings, scrapes, etc. Test for ticklish areas and perform desensitizing duties to get rid of them. Establish a routine and bear in mind that it can take a while for a horse to process this learning. When properly executed, this process will result in a willing, pleasant, and cooperative horse. You can find more information about groundwork here.

• Lunging: This is one of the most important parts of new horses’ training. New horses still don’t have good balance, especially when turning. Ideally, you should lunge your new horse in a round pen no smaller than 20m in diameter. During one or two weeks, lunge your new horse using just a halter or a bridle fitted with a soft bit.

Depending on the weather and other factors, your horse may want to bolt, buck, and play. Try to discourage these actions, as you don’t want your horse to repeat them while you are in the saddle. Start with 20/25-minute sessions and gradually extend them by five minutes.

Start with the walk, encouraging the horse to keep a steady pace. Then, introduce trot and don’t allow them to bolt or canter. Use your voice and vocal cues to communicate with your horse. This will be helpful once you start working in the saddle and will be a vital part of your aids’ toolbox. Allow the horse to stretch and relax before gently asking them to trot. As the sessions extend, add more minutes of trot and always allow them time to cool down before finishing. Work the same amount of time on each hand to encourage even, symmetrical muscle development, resulting in a straight and well-balanced horse.

Gradually introduce the canter to the lunging sessions, and then work on upward and downward transitions.

Continue lunging your horse for 20-25 minutes every time you ride. Don’t forget to mount your Pivo, so you can record all the precious moments that you can review after each of your training sessions to get a better understanding of your horse. The Horse Tracking videos will help you keep a time comparison record to see the progress and learn from.

• Introducing Tack: Once your horse feels comfortable with you, stands still, and has a solid groundwork foundation, it’s time to introduce the tack. Supposedly, your horse has been introduced into tack by the trainer and starter. However, most youngsters tend to be a little apprehensive about it.

Don’t tie up your horse to prevent it from injuring itself if it panics. Ask someone with experience handling horses to help you and hold your horse. Work in a small pen or contained area and be calm but focused. Show your horse the tack slowly and gently before applying it. For example, take a saddle pad and show it gently to your horse. Let it sniff it, play with it, and be curious. Then, gently rub it through the neck and slide it carefully along the body. Repeat these steps with all the gear until your horse is comfortable and ready to allow you to tack up.

Once your horse accepts the tack, put it on before each lunging session and get it used to working while wearing it.

Mounting Your New Horse For The First Time

Once you have accomplished all the steps above, you are ready to mount your horse for the first time! But before climbing, lunge your new buddy well and ensure you are relaxed and focused. After lunging, check the girth and gently adjust it if needed. Have someone help you hold your horse. Push the left stirrup with your hand. Do the same to the right stirrup.

The horse shouldn’t flee, move, or buck when you apply pressure to the stirrups. Some horses stay but turn; in that case, you can mount behind a fence or ask the person helping you to hold the reins and the right stirrup for you.

It’s crucial to grab the reins short enough to be in control but loose enough to avoid pulling at the horse’s mouth. New horses’ mouths are very sensitive; the least any trainer would like to do is pull the reins excessively hard. Land gently on the saddle to prevent your horse from bucking or feeling uncomfortable, which could lead to future issues.

Once you are up there, you are officially riding your new horse for the very first time. Congratulations to you both! Don’t forget to use your Pivo Pod Silver Equestrian Pack to record, review, and track your new horse’s progress. Pivo helps you capture all your equestrian activities, guaranteeing your riding success! Learn more about all the features Pivo has to offer when you’re training alone, with your coach or even when you are taking remote lessons via Pivo’s Meet Mode!