Basic Training for Colts

Teach the young horse to trust you as his leader.

Training a young colt or filly should begin shortly after birth and be advanced in short baby steps as your youngster grows. For the first few months, you will be socializing him and building trust. As you develop a bond, your presence will be welcomed and, as he grows, you can begin the basic training. A horse should not be ridden before he’s around 2 years old, so take your time, do your groundwork and build a strong foundation for your future relationship.

Socialize Your Young Colt

Introduce your colt to a lead rope.

A well-prepared, socialized colt will be much easier to teach if he trusts you. Training should be in short sessions that are fun and interesting. Expose him to new stimuli--cars, shadows, water, different sounds and sights--so natural fear is replaced by learning. Accustom him to having his body, feet and legs touched and handled; approach him from different directions. Lean over him from a fence or height to accustom him to seeing you overhead, as in a saddle.

Teach Your Colt to Lead

Most horses are not ridden until they are at least 2 years old.

A horse must respect your personal space, following you without crowding, nudging or nipping. Start lead training after weaning, introducing him to a halter slowly. Keep a firm grip on the lead rope; stand to the left of the horse and don’t let him get ahead of you. Keep about 1 foot of distance between you and the horse’s shoulder. If he becomes frightened, stop, make him face you, reassure him and start again.

Introduction to the Round Pen and Following Cues

The round pen is a safe place to begin training.

The round pen is a controlled environment where you can start working on the basics. Lunging is not recommended for youngsters as they can damage developing joints, but colts can learn to listen for cues: to move, stop or change direction on command. Work on lead training and always insist that he respect your personal space. Teach him to pay attention, which means both eyes are on you, and then to relax and drop his head.

Teach Basic Yields

Teach basic yields while you are on the ground before riding.

When you ride the horse you will use three basic yield signals to let him know which way you want him to go. Start teaching these signals on the ground by applying pressure on the horse’s body to indicate the direction in which he is to move. If you want the hindquarters to move away from you, stand near the hip and apply pressure to the hip. Release pressure as he moves away from you. To move the forehand (frontquarters), you control the direction of the horse’s nose. This same method is used to teach the horse to back up.

Loading into the Horse Trailer

Be patient when teaching the colt to load into the trailer.

Be sure the horse trailer is the right size and there is nothing to trip him. Put something that smells familiar inside, like a blanket, hay or manure, and be sure the interior is well lit or illuminated, not dark and scary. Walking the colt over plywood will accustom him to the sound, and stepping over stacked railroad ties will get him accustomed to stepping up. Be patient and remember: One step at a time and, if the colt balks, don’t force him. Try again later.

References

• Alpha Horse: How Young is Too Young?
• Horse Whisperer: Horse Training Tips
• Horses and Horse Information: Horse Training Tips for Beginners and Young Horses