This week has been a blur with 40+ new horses on our trimming schedule and 2 new horses in for training.  But Colorado’s weather has really cooperated, giving us daily doses of sunshine.

Kirk and I traveled out to Ruby Ranch Horse Rescue and trimmed 13 horses and brought home a lovely paint arabian mare named Cindy and a beautiful bay pony mare named Ginger.

We took them out the next day up to the neighbor’s indoor arena and introduced them to obstacles.  Today they leanrned how to pony beside our horses and tomorrow they will get an introduction to saddle and bridle and if all goes well, we will ride them out on the trail for the first time.

People ask me all of the time why I leave the safety of the round pen so soon.  Most people spend hours working in the round pen or arena.

I don’t.

Balls to the wall, I like letting the horses own curiosity move them out down the trail.  It’s not the best philosophy probably but I’ve had less trouble starting horses this way than working them over and over in the round pen and arena.

Horses that get to move out naturally tap into their own instinct to explore and move.

Of course there are obstacles.  Other horses, dogs, traffic.

Horses new to these often need lots of support. 

We usually ride out in a group and take mature horses with us.  But sometimes that still isn’t enough.  Horses new in training will sometime spook.  Sometimes they freeze.

It’s a risk any way you look at it but if I’ve built a raport with the horse like I should it really isn’t. 

Growing up we didn’t have a round pen.  We had a corral.  I never even knew what a round pen was until my twenties. 

Growing up you worked get a horse looking at you like a friend and then it was several miles from the corral to the fence.  By the time you reached the fence the horse was turning left, right, able to make circles, able to whoa and back up.  They did so without trouble or resistance. 

Horses look for leadership and if they have a little trouble with this, I always say, there is no dishonor in dismount.

Horses happy with their handlers naturally look for leadership.  Being on the ground in front of them puts you back in that position if they are insecure.  When they gain more confidence you can mount back up again.

Today I took our neighbor’s TB out for his first outdoor ride.  He was a tense ball of nerves but he was far better behaved than when I rode him in the indoor arena yesterday.  I think this was because his mind was stimulated by his natural desire to move and explore.  After he was comfortable inspecting the uneven ground with this nose and hooves he relaxed quite a bit and we had a very nice ride.  He’s going to be a trooper. 

Tomorrow will be the two new rescue horses.

It may be unconventional, but I swear, I am more comfortable channeling a horses natural instincts than I am pushing and riding every step in an indoor.

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