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A Natural Start to Horse Training

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This video by Parelli Natural Horsemanship gives a great demonstration of an approach to beginning training of a young horse!

There is more than one way to train horses. Of course, you’ll find out through experience as you go along the way that some approaches work better than others and different training concepts play a certain role in making your horse training a success story. If you had the opportunity to tour a horse-training clinic, you might have been impressed how experienced horsemen make it look easy, but there is more to training than meets the eye and most of these involve hard work – plus creativity, patience, and common sense.

As most would agree, it is best to start training when the horse is still young. Some would even recommend “colt starting” soon after birth where early desensitization would aid the young horse to being accustomed with human handling. Experts say formal training for foals can begin at around age two or three, provided the level of activity and training is light and doesn’t last for long periods.

Horses are prey in the wild and are herd animals by nature. They need to identify us as a friend and a leader or guider, not a threat. The impressions we make on the colt or filly – both the good and the bad – will last throughout a lifetime, and the reinforcing cues and training will serve as the groundwork for any horse’s racing or working career. This demonstrates how building a foundation of trust set up at the early stages of the horse’s life can be so significant.

While admittedly “starting” your colt yourself can be worthwhile and rewarding, assess first if you can handle the job. You might not be confident with your colt training skills, but no worries. Several people who specialize in that area and genuinely love horses can offer professional aid.

A Natural Start to Horse Training
Image – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrTLm6wEPXs