What do you think our my young horse training video?
Well done, nice horses!
I have to say though that looks like a dangerous way to lead a foal at :46-50. I prefer to have them on my right, leading at my shoulder, with my full attention on them. You never know when they can suddenly decide to charge ahead and on top of you. The mare will either be on the foal’s right (channeling the foal between us) or leading loosely on my left.
Also don’t think I’d be backing a young horse (3:08) without a helmet, and lunge line hanging loose on the ground. :eek:
I’d be worried about backing the horse with the lunge line on the ground and no helmet as well, that’s just asking for it.
They look nice in the end, but I also wouldn’t lunge a young horse, it’s too hard on their joints. We teach our babies to lunge in the round pen, but that’s all we do is teach them how, we don’t over lunge or use it to give them a serious workout. That being said, long lining is extremely beneficial if you know how to do it correctly, I’d rather do that over lunge a young horse any day. Helps teach them turning too.
There is only so much you can tell from a 3 minute video clip, and they are obviously only going to show the best, so hard to judge. Agree with the other posters that the only really concerning thing in the video is the backing of a young horse with no helmet and with the lunge line dangling on the ground and the horse standing on the excess lunge line.
If you can’t successfully get the foal to pick up the feet, why not edit that part out? I don’t know anyone who is going to be impressed by the foal yanking his foot away and then refusing to pick it back up. I also think the leading looks haphazard at best, and potentially dangerous at worst.
I personally encourage my horses to be much more forward on the lunge line, as that sets a precedent for being correct and forward under rider (although that’s from a dressage standpoint… I guess this is for hunters, so maybe you don’t want them to be forward? Still, you might not need spurs when you go to ride the young horses if they learn to be forward all along). I also find it a bit potentially dangerous to lunge over jumps without an appropriate setup (ie, we have an oxer that is built as one large standard and is built specifically so that it can be lunged over without the line having any way to get caught up on the standard).
I would also never mount a young horse with the lunge line still hooked on and dangling down around the horse’s legs, nor without even bothering to put on a helmet.
Overall, it could certainly be a lot worse, and there is not too much that is glaringly dangerous, but I am not sure I’d try to call it a how-to video on young horse training.
I think it’s quite nice, but can’t quite figure out why you’d be riding with spurs on a young horse. That’s not a great message since you appear to be putting this out to others “how to train a young horse” and all kinds may see this and do what you are doing.
Many people, especially newbies with youngsters, may not be great riders with a well controlled leg and spurs would be a disaster, not fair for a youngin.
When it comes to lunge lines, equipment make sure you know when you put this out viral, every detail is critical for those less educated than you.
Contrary to some others, I think the fact that the baby stood for you, but could not stand for a long time with a leg up (evaded) was wise…it shows how to handle that…part of the process which I assume is what you are trying to show. Not the finished product, but the process. That is, what to do to “get there” and the attitude one needs, which is patience.
Obviously you did a lot with the foal earlier…that is totally missed if you are putting something out about training, honestly and realistically.
I think this is a good first draft video with a lot of good suggestions of how to “flesh things out” and remove some hazards.
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I too think it is good to see the foal not totally give in with is foot and you react calmly and move on. Same with when you go to mount and horse back away a bit and you calmly reorganize and move on. No jerking, forceful pressure.
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I would wear a helmet during all mounting exercises
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I would not lunge over a jump standard. If a horse gets rowdy that can lead to disasters
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I would not mount with a hanging lunge line and no ground handler. Your horse appears very calm but most youngsters need a ground person when starting to have a mounted rider. If that horse spooked you would have no control which could be a disaster.
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Agree no spurs.
Great start though and nice quality images, nice facility, nice well presented handler/rider and horses!!
very nicely put Blume Farm 
Thank you…some GREAT feedback!
I’d like to know the breeding of the bay with star at 1:36…and the guy with the snip that jumps right after
Nicely done. The only thing I would point out other than the horse standing on the lunge line is getting on the horse right next to the jumps laying on the ground.
He certainly looks like a good boy and well-schooled for the drill. But having started a lot of horses even after a couple of months of getting on they still might do something stupid. Getting tossed/flipped on to the ground is never much fun. Getting tossed on to, into obstacles can hurt a lot more. Especially when you are in that “vulnerable position” of laying across the saddle before getting into the seated position. And being able to ride out a buck and or picking a spot for a quick and easy dismount.
The background music sounds like an instrumental version of the Grateful Dead’s Looks like Rain.
[QUOTE=triplethreat;8245184]
I’d like to know the breeding of the bay with star at 1:36…and the guy with the snip that jumps right after :)[/QUOTE]
They are both by our stallion Thanks for the Gold. The one being shown on the line is out a TB mare Seattle Slew descendent. The other one is out of a holsteiner Calido I mare.
I think the don’ts have been covered, but I wanted to say the facility was lovely and it was nice to see you riding the horse in a big, open, outdoor area too. I like to see young horses go outside a ring.
I think you’re a beautiful rider, and your arena! I am green with envy.
I did not get past the first few moments with the foal. Honestly absolutely no “training” going on at all. Foal was not even tolerating the few things you tried to do and was learning to not stand and avoid you. In fact, that was the perfect example of why I told some clients to teach the foals to tie and get them use to brushing their legs and never try to lift there legs! You are making a hideous monster for a farrier/trainer to deal with. There was not a single moment when that nice foal was relaxed and focused. All you were was an annoyance to him, keep it up and the foal will start kicking out and biting.
Also don’t think I’d be backing a young horse (3:08) without a helmet, and lunge line hanging loose on the ground.
YES! Always wear a helmet!
[QUOTE=kdreger;8247768]
I did not get past the first few moments with the foal. Honestly absolutely no “training” going on at all. Foal was not even tolerating the few things you tried to do and was learning to not stand and avoid you. In fact, that was the perfect example of why I told some clients to teach the foals to tie and get them use to brushing their legs and never try to lift there legs! You are making a hideous monster for a farrier/trainer to deal with. There was not a single moment when that nice foal was relaxed and focused. All you were was an annoyance to him, keep it up and the foal will start kicking out and biting.[/QUOTE]
Interesting…I wonder why all our young horses get such high complements by purchasers, by vets and others when they go to shows…
[QUOTE=EllenAspen;8249788]
Interesting…I wonder why all our young horses get such high complements by purchasers, by vets and others when they go to shows…[/QUOTE]
Because your foals are very nice and presented very well. That has nothing to do with the video being presented here as a video showing your training ability. I can only assume by your comment your intention was to get more people to see your young stock rather then to show your “training” ability.
[QUOTE=kdreger;8249803]
Because your foals are very nice and presented very well. That has nothing to do with the video being presented here as a video showing your training ability. I can only assume by your comment your intention was to get more people to see your young stock rather then to show your “training” ability.[/QUOTE]
Our young horses get wonderful compliments on their manners and behavior…they are taught with calm persistence…thanks for noticing our that we have nice, well presented youngsters.
I must respectively disagree and even rewatched the video after reading your post. First, I never tie a foal. IMO that is a recipe for disaster. I also do not force the holding of a foal leg (unless necessary for a medical reason, rasping, etc). I pick up my foals legs almost daily for two seconds and release before a big fight ensues. Similar to the video shown. I enjoyed the relaxed way she worked with the foals/ young horses. I have raised many youngsters this way and have never had a issue with a farrier or vet. Quite the contrary they have been super well behaved. I am sure many roads lead to Rome.
[QUOTE=kdreger;8247768]
I did not get past the first few moments with the foal. Honestly absolutely no “training” going on at all. Foal was not even tolerating the few things you tried to do and was learning to not stand and avoid you. In fact, that was the perfect example of why I told some clients to teach the foals to tie and get them use to brushing their legs and never try to lift there legs! You are making a hideous monster for a farrier/trainer to deal with. There was not a single moment when that nice foal was relaxed and focused. All you were was an annoyance to him, keep it up and the foal will start kicking out and biting.[/QUOTE]
