Now that you are ready to sit astride your three year old, ask yourself what is the best approach to do so.

There are risks in mounting and dismounting a horse of any age and it is something we need to give more attention and develop habits of good technique.

Consider the moments you are in between the ground and the saddle and you will realize that proper attention should be given to this part of your ride. Not to place any worry, but care and awareness to the process, especially for a green horse.

A very well known instructor was giving me a lesson for the first time and he really impressed me by beginning the lesson by asking to check my helmet, check the girth and equipment.

To mount your horse, a good practice is to turn the horses head toward you by shortening the left rein and therefore having full attention to the one side and also having the horse angled toward the rider for more control. If a fence corner is available, I also like to use it to mount if no one is available to stand by the horses head.

Place your foot in the stirrup and smoothly step up and swing your right leg over the back and sit quietly in the saddle and relax the rein.

I then like to stroke the horses neck and talk softly to the horse and maintain the halt. Your horse should remain at the halt and not walk or move away. I insist on good manners while mounting and the horse should stand until asked by the rider to move.

Equally the horse should stand for the dismount in a mannerly and respectful way. This builds a safe and happy working relationship with your horse. And to establish these intentions at the beginning and end of a ride will carry through to every aspect of working with your horse.

Jackie Brittain
Merriewold Trainer

If you feel satisfied you have completed your ground training work with your three year old…it is now time to consider the next steps to the saddle.

I would suggest that you take an inventory on all the skills you have developed from the ground training to  make the smoothest transition possible.

You may ask yourself some of the following questions to check off the list…does the horse follow the rein left and right without bracing against the rein?  Is the stop and back understood?  Are there any areas sensitive or reactive to touch such as the area where the riders leg touches and is it understood to move away from the pressure?  Can you turn your horse with the rein to move the hind quarters laterally into neutral (i.e., not pushing forward and therefore stopping as a safety tool)?

These are just a few questions to go over in your mind before mounting for the first time.  It is important to be careful and wear a helmet and proper boots as well as having proper tack for the horse.

I first like to lay over the horses back to let the horse experience the weight of the rider for the first time.  And it should be done on both sides.  I also like to rub my leg and foot over the top of the hind quarters to desensitize the horse for an accidental brush of the riders leg or foot while mounting.

You can put some weight in the stirrups with your hand to give the feel of the pull on the saddle from the riders weight.  And there are many exercises such as these to accustom the horse to new weight pressures.  Be creative with these types of exercises as you know the disposition of the horse you are working with.

It is always best to mount astride for the first time in a small area.  Many people mount in a stall or in a round pen.  Make sure all obstacles are removed for safety such as buckets, etc. and never do this alone.  Most horses have no idea about taking the first few steps forward when a person has left the ground and moved to their back.  It is an interesting feeling to say the least!

Many horse owners have a person with experience in starting horses to make these early rides.  I think it is an excellent idea to do so.  The first 20 rides are setting the stage for future riding of your mount.  Always use common sense and a safety first motto to avoid any unwanted situations and be honest with yourself about your capability for this task.

Jackie Brittain
Merriewold Morgans Trainer

Ideally, I would be just beginning formal training for a young horse.

I believe the horse is now mentally and physically ready to go into a full routine of training for going under saddle.

If you have been grooming, leading and ground schooling for the trailer…and instilled good manners in general, you should be well prepared for the next phase of training.

At this point, you should have a really good idea of the type of student you have and have a real feel for the pace you need to build trust and acceptance for going under saddle.

Your best approach is to proceed slow and gently to introduce new equipment. Show and reinforce the feelings of safety to gain your horses confidence. Your horse will show you the pace to introduce new things and repetition will build a strong learning curve.

Repeat things in your training routine in consistent order. For example: rub him or her with the saddle pad on both sides and then place it on the back. Next place the saddle and girth while stroking with your hand in those places that contact the horse. Take a few steps forward before taking up the girth and never too tight.

When you ‘bridle’ or ‘bit’ your horse for the first time…see if you can put your finger in the mouth to open it slightly. Your horse should do this easily and with it’s head low enough to be ready to bridle. I usually hold the bridle parts in the right hand above the nose and bit in the left hand to open the mouth. Move slowly and gently and you should be successful and make sure the bridle is adjusted loosely to fit over the ears without pinching.

I like to lunge and let them wear their ‘clothes’ so to speak and you can gather a lot of information by their reactions.

Gentle repetition and plenty of touching combined with regular training sessions are the key to success. Read your horses reactions and use good common sense and seek help before getting into any difficult situation.

Jackie Brittain
Merriewold Morgans Trainer

A properly groomed horse is a healthy horse. When we stable and confine our horses it becomes necessary to not only clean a horses living area but to also clean your horse.

I think many of us fall short of this due to time limitations but I can assure you if you develop a grooming routine with certain steps it can be an efficient and quick way to clean your horse.

The benefits include better overall health and pride in your horse in front of a show judge or on the trail.

I would suggest a carry box with handle. Many come with compartments designed to hold brushes and other items.

Cleaning equipment:

1.  Hoof pick with brush end. 2.  Soft rubber curry comb. 3.  Soft natural brush for face and finishing. 4.  Stiff plastic bristle brush. 5.  Two spray bottles for mane and fly spray. 6.  Terry Towel. 7.  General ointment for minor cuts and hair growth.

Grooming routine: I follow the same steps every grooming and this makes it very easy and fast to complete:

1.  Pick out hooves: look for thrush and rock and clean out all foreign material. Finish with brush end to dry hoof.

2.  Curry comb entire body and legs inside and outer paying attention to removing caked on dirt and dead hair. Curry combing lifts out the dander and dirt from under the hair. Don’t forget the shins on the legs but be gentle as there are sensitive areas.

3.  Soft brush the face under the jaw and behind and around the ears.

4.  Stiff brush entire body and legs, brushing with the way the hair grows to extract the dirt brought out with the curry. And follow with soft brush to finish and add shine.

5.  Mane and tail. I like to use water or a mane and tail moisturizer in water put into a spray bottle. Spray along top of mane and underneath mane. Use a brush or bristle brush hand comb to remove shavings, hay, etc. starting at the bottom holding the tail to remove tangles and then gently the entire length of the tail to remove all twists in the hair. For the mane: brush along the top and finish with a brush from underneath at the hairline to make sure the mane is straight underneath and finish top again to neatly lay the mane on one side.

6.  Dampen the towel with water and clean around the eye area and next the nostrils gently. Next around the face in general then move to the body down the legs, belly. It is good to clean the teat area carefully and also to wipe around the sheath area. Check between the back legs and under the tail.

7.  Ointment for minor scratches or missing hair can be applied as you have come across them during the grooming.

8.  Final step Fly spray. I use a fly spray concentrate mixed with water. Also, you can use the ready to use spray. I normally spray a little to the throat latch area and apply some by hand around the eye area and ears. Spray all areas paying special attention to the belly line and legs. Be careful to follow the spray instructions for the individual products.

After grooming is completed clean your brushes of excess hair by hand or by brushing against a fence.

I usually wipe the inside of the caddy and all items with the towel and place everything back in the caddy for the next grooming.

Once a week wash brushes and shake out excess water and spread out bristles to dry in the sun. With clean brushes you have less skin problems.

Judges notice and take into consideration a well groomed horse and can tell the difference between a consistently groomed horse and one that is just groomed for the event.

Many people use blankets on their horses and this does save time. Blankets have their drawback in that they can rub the shoulders if they are not properly fitted.

Personally I think nature provides the best weather protection. I think it is healthier to go without a blanket unless you have body clipped a horse.

A grooming routine may seem like a lot of steps but once you get the sequence of steps it becomes very easy and really thorough. I highly recommend it as the first step in riding as you can determine your horses overall health and mental well-being before putting a foot in the stirrup.

Jackie Brittain
Merriewold Morgans Trainer