Start ~ begin one’s working life
I would say that start is a much better beginning for the horse. I certainly don’t want to break his spirit. I want to train him for his task with a human.
I also think it is important to start the horse at birth and prepare it for it’s job when needed. I see it as a real handicap for the horse to put it to pasture for 3 or more years and then one day say today I am going to start it.
I have 2 different horses
One that I purchased and started at 4 and when I first got on him he was shaking. A LBE brave innately but not prepared to ride.
Our filly was born here. Having preparations for riding at birth and now and then preparing her to be a riding horse. When I first took her for her first trail ride she left the other older horses and was very confident to ride.
~Maryann



Yesterday I was able to put a pad and bareback pad on Cielo. Then we tried a western saddle. He didn’t like the western saddle, I thought maybe all the strings were bothering him, so we tried the English Saddle and Cielo was much happier. I was able to mount and dismount 3 times and Cielo just sat there. He didn’t want to move. He did look over to see who was on him.We did flexion both ways. I was on him about a total of 15 minutes and he had his leg cocked, and afterwards he did big yawns. Today I tried the Western saddle and tied up all the stings and Cielo said I am out of here after placing it on his back. So I took him back up the hill and we changed to the English saddle. I was able to mount and dismount and Cory led me a few steps at a time. He yawned a bunch of times after our steps. Coming off the adrenalin. He is doing great. Pictures are in the photos page.

