Anticipation
Approach & Retreat
Bending
Bits
Buying a Horse
Common Sense on the Trail
Curb Strap Tying Info.
Exaggeration
Expectations
Feel
Feet
Focus & Time
Ground Driving
Ground Manners
Ground Tying
Haltering
In the Saddle
Introducing a New Horse
Lateral Movement
Leading
Longeing
Mecate Reins
One Rein Stop
Posture
Pressure
The Process
Progress Strings
Punishment & Correction
Reins
Respect
Reward
Round/Square Pen
Rope Skills
Senses
Slobber Straps
Softness
Support
Tools
Training Home
Training Stick
Trust
Trailer Loading
Trailer Unloading
Tying from Above
Tying a rope halter
Visualization
Yielding

In order to successfully saddle up and ask your horse to carry weight, you have to expose the horse to everything that they are going to need for this experience.

Can you yield your horse? Have you exposed your horse to the tools; tarp, bag, balls, etc.? Can you longe your horse? Can you ground drive your horse? How is your horse’s posture? Can your horse stand still and calm? If you answered no to any of these then you’re not ready to get on. But, you should be getting ready.

How do you know when you’re ready to get on? The horse is going to tell you. By this we mean that the horse will have been exposed to enough situations that this will just be another exercise. Our belief is that you do things on the horse's time.   When they are ready, you'll know. Your horse will yield softly, he will have a soft eye, you can touch him anywhere, and you will not have any resistance when you lead, longe or round pen.  Your horse must have a good posture, be calm and relaxed. Can you bring your horse up to you while you are above them and practice throwing a leg over without having the horse run off? Don’t put a time limit on this. Don’t wake up tomorrow and say "Well, my horse is two. I better get on today".  Some horses are ready at two, some at four.  There's nothing that says you definitely have to start a horse and be on them by a certain age.  If a trainer tells you this, question them!

If you have things working for you, check out your horse with your tools.  Get a saddle pad. Let the horse smell it. Rub it on the horse’s back, legs, and belly. Reward the horse. Place the pad on the horse’s back, take it off. Reward the horse.  We discuss how to do this in the section on approach/retreat. Make sure that you can do this without the horse getting upset. Keep at it until the horse is desensitized to the pad going on and off it’s back. Throw the pad on the horse’s back. Did the horse remain calm? Reward the horse. Do this until the horse is calm and can handle the movement without reacting.

Use your lead rope or longe line to simulate a girth around the horse's belly.   Rub the horse all over their belly and girth area with the rope.   Use the approach/retreat method of introducing this to the horse and remember to reward the horse for appropriate behavior.  If you have a 22 foot longe line and a 12 foot lead rope, put the longe line around the horses midsection and ask the horse to longe with the rope (Longe Line) around it's belly.  Move the rope around while the horse is moving.  Don't be afraid to let go of the rope if things aren't going like you had planned.  You should move the horse until it is desensitized and able to move "softly".  By that, I mean the horse should be relaxed and not head high or scared.

Put the saddle on the horse.  Get the horse used to the saddle coming on and off.   Tighten the cinch so that the horse can get used to the pressure in the girth area, but not too tight at first.   We like to round pen or free longe the horse with the saddle on the first few times so that they can get used to it away from us.   A green horse may "crow hop" or buck these first few times and we would rather let them work this out on their own.  A heavier western saddle with a rear cinch and heavy stirrups really helps with this excercise.  The horse is probably going to be bothered by these tools at first.  That's a good thing, because you won't be on their back when this happens the first time.

You should also longe your horse off your 12 foot lead rope and 22 foot longe line with the saddle on.  You will find that this will focus their energy and thoughts on the task at hand rather than the new saddle on their back.

Ask the horse to plant it's feet correctly by pushing/pulling on the saddle horn.   You want to teach the horse that when you are getting ready to mount, they need to have their feet under them and ready to carry your weight.

There's much more to it than this. You also need to prepare your horse for you being on their back.  Another helpful exercise is longeing from above the horse on the rail of a fence or arena.  This gets the horse used to your body being higher than they've been used to seeing you.

After you feel that things are going well, put one foot in the stirrup and practice adding weight to the saddle.  Hold onto the mane and the lead rope at the same time.  If things aren't going well, all you have to do is step back off the horse.  Bounce up off the ground and stand in the stirrup on each side of the horse.   Don't throw a leg over yet.  Reach back and pet your horse's rear all over. If you are clumsy, you are going to get this area with your leg when you finally get on.   Work it out this way first.  Get the horse used to the idea that your leg is going to come over their back by moving your arms in this area.

Be careful not to kick or gouge the horse with your foot in the stirrup.  You can ruin days of good work by not paying attention here.

Do this from both sides of the horse. Remember, don't rush it -- the horse will tell you when it's time to throw a leg over by being calm and quiet.  Learn to read their body language and posture.  When it feels right, all you have to do is bring your leg over and sit like a sack of potatoes -- don't be an active rider at first.  Let the horse find its feet and walk around with your weight.  Don't restrict forward movement.

If you get into trouble all you have to do is use the emergency brake -- the one rein stop.  Don't even consider getting on the horse unless you can do this on the ground.

With a young horse, we don't do anything other than get on and off until they are soft and can deal with this without moving their feet.

The most important thing to remember is to reward the horse for appropriate behavior.

There is some risk involved in horse training for both you and the horse. Horses can cause serious injury. Be sensible and don’t attempt anything that is outside your comfort level. This information is intended to illustrate how we apply our training techniques, you are responsible for using this information wisely. If you don’t feel comfortable with your abilities or an exercise, don’t do it! Seek advice or assistance from a professional horse trainer. Stay on the "high side of trouble".

Natural Horse Supply Training Information, (c) 1999 Natural Horse Supply. All rights reserved. Duplication of any material  prohibited without express written permission. This prohibition is not intended to extend to personal non-commercial use, including sharing with others for safety and learning purposes, provided this copyright notice is attached and you have written permission. E-mail to submit comments or request reproduction permission.

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Updated Sept. 2012