A friend of mine told me she had been invited to compete in a horse-starting event at the Iowa State Fair. I was initially disappointed that she agreed to it. But my friend is my friend and that means I support her decisions in the best way I can.
A Riding Horse First
Commitment When Starting A Horse
A few days ago I was talking to a trainer. She was telling me about the pressure she felt meeting the owner's expectation to have their horses going home trouble-free under saddle in just a few weeks. She said most people expect the job completed in 6-8 weeks and Flossy to go home ready to take on all challenges with a smile.
Long Reining or Short Reining
Solly Figures Out Western Saddles
This is from the most recent clinic I finished yesterday. The horse is Solly who is a 3 1/2 year old. This is the second clinic in 5 weeks that I worked with Solly. Originally it was intended that I would get him started under saddle for Lorena Russell. However, on the first day Lorena and I agreed he would benefit greatly from another 6 to 12 months of maturing - physically, mentally and emotionally - before he becomes a riding horse.
Starting A Horse Bareback
I believe there is no problem with what any friend described as laying across a horse and petting it. In fact, I do this a lot myself and consider it an excellent idea before throwing a leg over and riding. But riding a horse bareback and directing it at a time when it is completely unsure and worried about the idiot on its back, seems unnecessary and maybe even a bad idea in some instances.