Teaching a Yearling

          TUTORIAL FOR PROPERLY BREAKING (I PREFER THE TERMS TEACHING OR EDUCATING)A YEARLING (OR BAD-ACTING) STANDARDBRED

By Tim Finley

Approximately a week ago, a good friend called and asked if I would be interested in buying and training a well-bred yearling colt that he had seen for sale on-line. “Of course,” I said. I reviewed the pedigree and looked at the six on-line photos and was impressed. He apparently had not been “broken” and was just what I wanted.

Upon further investigation, I discovered they had attempted to “break” him, but he had busted up two jog carts. So, they advertised him for sale.

It bothered me so much that I expedited this tutorial in hopes that someone might avoid the same mistake made on this nice colt by a hurry-up cowboy. The colt was NOT responsible for misbehaving. It was the fault of whoever “broke” the colt. He was “broke” indeed. Had the trainer been capable of evaluating a horse, he would have known it was not the time in the educating process to put the equine in a jog cart. It is that simple, and that sad.

I prefer using the terms teaching or educating because many horses that are broken the traditional way, are actually “broken physically, mentally, and/or spiritually.” “Breaking” a horse the traditional way frequently results in broken equipment in addition to a broken youngster.

Throughout this tutorial I will usually refer to the horse as a yearling, because those are usually the ones who need the most attention. Bad-acting horses can also be reformed using this method.

This system will condition your horse daily without the danger of immediately hitching it to a jog cart. The last thing you should do is hitch your horse to a jog cart. HUH? That is correct. Having a well-educated, uninjured, well-mannered animal is of the utmost importance. Risking the injury of a horse or person is not worth hurrying to do something that is of such importance.

Of course, there are many great horses that have been rushed along and become champions, but there are also those who could have been champions had the trainer spent more time teaching instead of “breaking” in the very beginning. Many Standardbreds have been completely ruined by reckless, in-a-hurry, trainers. Some of these trainers have great reputations, but we do not hear about the horses they screwed up and/or left behind.

My system will not lose any time in the mental and physical conditioning process. When the cowboys are jogging three miles, your valuable horse will be right beside them, even though your horse was educated and conditioned differently. And, when you first hitch your horse to a jog cart you will not need a third and fourth line. That is how well-educated and well-mannered your equine student will be, with no time being lost. Wait until you have read all that follows before you decide.

Throughout the last four decades, I have cheaply purchased several dozen mares and a few geldings that showed great potential, but who were broken (I say broken) the traditional way. Unfortunately for the horse, the traditional “breaking” way hurled the horse backward rather than advancing it forward. It was my pleasure to start from scratch with these “broken” animals and put them on the road to success. My goal has always been to be a “good” horseman and trainer. Money and fame were not a part of my aspiration.

In the early 1970’s, when first introduced to Standardbred racing, I was present when a young horse reared and fell backwards. It was lying there dying, but as it died, blood was leaking into its lungs and then being blown out of its nostrils in a heartbreaking bubbly substance. I will never forget it.

I jumped in to help clean the pools of oxygenated blood while the vet was summoned to put the poor horse out of its misery. We shoveled about ten 5-gallon buckets of blood before the horse was finally euthanized.

Following that tragedy, and watching many other horses being so-called “broken,” I soon realized something was seriously incorrect with the dangerous method being employed by the Standardbred trainers. It appeared that the trainers and grooms were enjoying wrestling with the horses, creating rodeo shows rather than educational sessions. This was certainly not horsemanship as I had envisioned it.

Realizing that Standardbred people are reluctant to change, I feel motivated to share my methods for those who may want to educate their green horses without the risk of injury to the horse, trainer, or caretakers.

Standardbred trainers are notorious for being among the most impatient when teaching horses, the do’s and don’ts of pulling a wheeled cart. Hurry, hurry, hurry! Some appreciate putting on a cowboy show for the onlookers regardless of what might happen to injure the green youngster.

I fault most trainers for the many horses, especially trotters, that make breaks behind the starting gate. This is usually due to a lack of proper training. It is not a flaw in the horse, unless the horse has physical/mechanical problems. After a breaking horse flattens out, if it can trot flawlessly, the horse probably has an anxiety problem that manifests itself behind the starting gate. Of course, we want our horses gutsy behind the gate, but there is a distinct difference between being gutsy and nervous. A relaxed horse will save its energy until the stretch drive and not waste it the first 100 feet. A relaxed, fast horse can leave like a rocket and not lose all of its fortitude the first 100 feet. Anxiety problems must be addressed and cured in the very beginning of the horse’s educational process by teaching the horse to relax under all circumstances. Relaxing does not mean making it into a deadhead. It is training it to be cool, calm, and collected in all circumstances. “Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.” Muhammad Ali

Four years ago, I became involved as a partner in a great-looking, well-bred trotting filly. This excellent specimen was being trained in Canada, and because I live in Florida, I assumed a passive role. The well-known trainer put the harness and jog cart on her the same day, and she became so scared that she reared-up and fell backwards. Her injuries prevented her from a potentially great racing career. The trainer, of course, swept the incident under the rug and blamed the horse. One injured horse is one too many.

Until you study my entire advanced system you may be under the wrong impression that it is too slow, and not exciting enough; but in reality, after a month of educating the horse, the yearling will be more physically fit and better mannered than the horses educated (broken) the traditional (old) way.

Several Standardbred people have told me that my method is not necessary because the Standardbred has evolved into a smarter, easier-to-handle breed. This may be true, but I have seen many accidents in the newer Standardbred horses. They still rear, kick, pull, make breaks behind a starting gate. Do not kid yourself – they are still uneducated horses, and they are all different. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Rather than training a horse to trot, American trainers just throw hobbles on these so-called better-bred equines. I ask you, “If today’s Standardbreds have progressed, why the need for trotting hobbles?” You think about that.

Two years ago, I purchased a big, beautiful three-year-old well-bred filly that refused to do almost everything but eat. As a yearling, she had been in the hands of a hard-handed, impatient, so-called trainer who thought he could educate her by using force. Before purchasing her, I was told they “attempted” to beak her the “traditional” way. They threw on the harness and jog cart and expected her to go forward. Instead of going forward, because of innate fear, she refused. Impatient and aggravated, they began employing the use of a whip. She began to kick which caused her to get one leg over a shaft which terrified her, plus demolished the jog cart. So, the rocket scientists continued to beat her and even used a cattle prod on her. It was rumored she had shattered a few more jog carts, run out of a few draw-gates at training tracks, oftentimes reared, and was famous for her kicking. Then, she was labeled “crazy.”

When she came to live with me, she was petrified of everything and everyone. I knew her maladies were manmade because I could see that beneath that crazy exterior was a sweet, gentle, yet fearful animal. Realizing I had a monumental task ahead, I accepted the mission of keeping her from being Amished (you know what that means).

Five veterinarians and about 100 horsemen told me she would never make it to the races. They also labeled her crazy. Although I have never been educated in veterinary medicine, nor am I a famous trainer, I know and love animals and knew she had the credentials and the ability to race. I may not be the brightest light bulb on the tree, but I can analyze animals and improve their behaviors.

I started from square one with this big, beautiful filly by carefully following the steps I have developed. Still a work in progress, she is now racing. She still has some minor issues, but they are getting better as she is more trusting, and she realizes that her job can be enjoyable.

Working with “behavioral project horses” is what I have loved to do for forty years. I have made many mistakes along the way, but I learned from them.

DIGRESSING TO WHEN I BEGAN TO RESEARCH A BETTER WAY

At this point, and before I begin my teaching techniques, I am going to digress to why and when I became captivated by learning and applying a new, more specialized way to instruct green horses.

In the mid 1970’s, following my introduction to the Standardbred racing business, I was stabled at the Ohio State Fairgrounds when I witnessed that horse dying as the result of rearing and falling backwards. Rather than merely accepting the fact it reared, I began to analyze why it reared, and what could have been done to prevent it.

That disgusting episode, coupled with my observations of many Standardbreds not well-mannered, I was 100% convinced it was the fault of the trainers and not the animals. It was my opinion that some horses would have been happier if their trainers would join the rodeo circuit and leave Standardbreds to those who know what they are doing.

It was obvious that many trainers, although they seemed somewhat adequate as horsemen, were always in a hurry to get the horses done, so they could sit around and drink beer while jawing. Training facilities seemed more like social settings than training facilities.

Personally, I wanted to be a good horseman and not a chit-chatterer.

I had recently moved my young family into a newly built house in the heart of Delaware, OH. horse country and was fortunate to have a well-respected American Saddlebred training facility as a neighbor. I constantly noticed these accomplished horsemen/horsewomen driving their exceptional mannered horses throughout the vicinity absent any problems. The difference between the manners of Standardbreds and American Saddlebreds and their trainers intrigued me. So intrigued, that I strolled to their facility one day to investigate.

I asked the training center owner, Lynn, if I could watch the American Saddlebred people train their horses, and she quickly gave me an open invitation. These horses would do everything the driver requested. They would go, stop, stand, back, turn, etc. I asked Lynn what the secret was, and she replied that it was patience and vigilant educating. The trainers/owners were interested in quality rather than quantity.

So impressed, I asked if she would teach me how to properly educate a green horse. She enthusiastically agreed.

I spent an entire year on a daily basis watching and assisting, while comparing these trainers to Standardbred trainers and the comparison was a unquestionable revelation. Hurry is not in the American Saddlebred language.

At the end of a year of my groundbreaking education, and after incorporating some of my own techniques, my reputation within the horse world blossomed. I was accepted as being very proficient in training young horses and rehabilitating horses with bad habits. I was honored to be invited by several all-world horse shows to demonstrate the proper way to break/educate a young horse properly.

In addition, I was hired by a few Standardbred trainers here and there to re-educate their horses that had behavioral issues. I probably could have started a public Standardbred stable, but I had a great job and a family to feed, so I benefited from the freedom of just training mostly my own.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING NOTES

NOTE 1: Although I have presented this in steps, a trainer may change the steps to accommodate what works in the best interest of the horse.

NOTE 2: There are many breeds of horses. Great trainers spend many hours a day with each horse. I realize this would be difficult for the owner of a large Standardbred stable, but it is the correct way to do it. Most caretakers pride themselves in working fast and furious so they can go home. If this characteristic fits your grooms, fire them and downsize. The horse comes first.

NOTE 3: Memorize the term groundwork. Groundwork with horses consists of exercises that you do with your horse before hitching to a jog cart.

NOTE 4: Memorize the term desensitizing. Desensitizing is used frequently by trainers and owners of many breeds, but foreign to most in the Standardbred community. Horses, by nature, are highly sensitive and naturally reactive because they have historically been the prey of many carnivorous creatures. Horses require patience and creative human guidance to gain trust. This is particularly true of racehorses that must adapt to training in a high stimulus, always changing, noisy, rushed atmosphere. The adrenalin rush should occur only when turning for home.

Desensitizing a horse is: to make emotionally insensitive, specifically to calm or extinguish an emotional response, such as of fear, anxiety, resentment, etc.

Sadly, many trainers and caretakers do not have the training or temperament, or both, to gain the trust of an animal. They oftentimes overreact and use provocation rather than patience.

NOTE 5: If you insist on being a cowboy, get out of the Standardbred sport and join a rodeo group. Putting on a tough guy show for the onlookers just makes you appear incompetent.

NOTE 6: Engrain you brain so that everything you do is pleasurable for the horse. Horses react to pleasure and kindness. Animals act and react accordingly to pleasure and pain. Realize there is no hurry, and that you will likely accomplish more in a shorter period. Haste makes waste.

NOTE 7: I am assuming you have a brush, curry comb, buckets, snaps, a thermometer, etc. These are the basics. However, there are three things not ordinarily found in a tack room that you will need if you want to be great at what you do. These can be purchased easily at most hardware stores, Lowes, or Home Depot.

You will need two pieces of 25’ white clothesline-type rope. Get white because you want it to be readily seen by the horse.

Next will be a wooden Dowling rod that measures 3 or 4 feet in length and one inch in diameter. The Dowling rod can be substituted by a piece of sturdy lightweight PVC plumber’s pipe.

Last, but not least, you should purchase two sturdy 10’ X 1 ½” or 2” outside diameter pieces of white PCV plumber’s pipe, hereafter referred to as groundpoles. These will temporarily be substituted as your jog cart shafts during the educating process. We will get into their use later, but it is worth the time and effort to use them before hitching a green horse to a jog cart. Groundpoles significantly reduce the risk of the horse being injured. Perhaps you have never experienced injuring a green horse, but if you injure just one, that is one too many.

EXERCISING

I like to begin exercising my horses, without a jog cart, as soon as I am comfortable the horse will be safe. Burning excess energy will lessen the chances of an accident and make the learning process more comfortable for you and the horse.

To hasten the process for the good of the horse, I usually try to exercise a young horse in the mornings and again in the late afternoons or evenings. A human athlete would not be much of an athlete if he, or she, was exercised for a half hour in the morning and then forced to stay in a small room until the next morning. Movement is essential to great conditioning.

Although exercising may not necessarily begin as Step 1, I am going to begin here so you can understand how your horse will become physically fit without hitching it the first week. It may appear to some that you are losing time by not hitching immediately, but in reality, you are keeping up with the rest of the trainers by employing alternative, safer exercises.

I told you in in the beginning of this tutorial that I will teach you how my system will not lose any exercise time in the conditioning process? I said, “When the cowboys are jogging three miles, your valuable horse will be right beside them, even though your horse was conditioned differently. No time will be lost.” I meant what I said.

When I have my horse developed to the point it trusts me, I begin the daily, or twice daily, exercise program – absent the jog cart. This can be done via lunging, leading behind a pick-up, being led by another horse, or by putting into a speed-controlled walker. Any and all of these methods are a safer way to exercise a green horse than immediately putting them in between the shafts of a jog cart.

One, or all of the following can be used successfully to condition horses. I mix them up to make the exercise period enjoyable and effective.

PADDOCK Please remember that a young horse standing in a stall is going to become rambunctious. So, turn it into a paddock if possible, as often as possible. When it is time to bring the horse in, do not chase it around the paddock. Stand by the gate with a bucket of grain and shake the bucket until the horse comes to take a bite. Chasing a horse around a paddock to catch it is stupid.

If necessary, go into the paddock with the feed bucket and slowly approach the horse until it realizes that having a bite would be pleasurable. If that does not work, turn your back to the horse and walk towards the gate. Oftentimes a horse will follow its master. The key is to have the horse catch you. You are innately smarter than the horse, so act that way. Do not allow the horse to get into the bad habit of making you chase it.

USING A WALKER I have always tried to educate my young horses at facilities where they had an enclosed electric, speed-controlled, horse walker. I love the South Florida Trotting Center (AKA Olympia of the Palm Beaches) because they have electronically controlled walkers with gates that separate the horses.

Immediately after my horse eats in the early morning, he/she is on the walker.

I use this fantastic way of exercising, schooling, and relaxing a horse from the launch of the horse’s education. The adjustable speed allows the trainer to control the horse’s tempo without injuring the horse. It is also an excellent way to teach a horse to switch gears without making a break. Because it is similar to a starting gate, you can teach a horse to start, slow, stop, and go with the turn of the switch. Similar to an interval jog. You can also reverse it, which is a great feature.  I begin by walking the horse(s) for several minutes or more and then I speed it up to a point where the horse is comfortable yet working. I carefully watch the horse to make sure it is acting in a mannerly way, and that I am not pushing it too far or too fast.

I put my horses on the walker at least once per day for several weeks. This will leg-up the horse in preparation for when it is hitched. At first, I just walk the horse, but after about 5 or 10 minutes, I increase the speed to a jog, while watching the horse closely so as to not over-do it. They are usually on there for one-half hour, at which time we go back to the barn for some hands-on TLC.

LEADING BEHIND A PICK-UP Most trainers have pick-up trucks, so this should not be too difficult. I have had several simulated gates made that slip over the tailgate of my trucks, making sure it is very sturdy.

I begin to train my horses to become accustomed to being led, while simultaneously becoming familiar with a gate. Also, because I do not put on any kind of blinders, the horse becomes comfortable with new things without jumping sideways and busting a shaft. I closely watch the horse via the rear-view mirror and if I see something that bothers the horse, I stop the truck and go back and pet the horse until it calms.

Before I lead a horse, I teach it that being back there is enjoyable. I tie a filled hay bag to the gate and allow the horse to enjoy itself while relaxing. I use two strong bungie cords attached to each side of the halter. This gives the horse freedom, plus eliminates the possibility of it injuring itself. I may not lead the horse for a couple of days, but when I do, I do it very slowly and carefully. A little speed can be added using common sense.

Once the horse is comfortable being led, I eliminate the hay bag. Also, once the horse is relaxed, I will begin to go further depending on the behavior and condition of the horse.

Throughout the decades, I have led many horses – young and old. They enjoy it and it allows them to move freely. They will use more muscles than being constricted to a cart. It is also great to interval jog. I have trained a few horses fast miles behind the truck and with no accidents but be alert and careful. This must be done with a seasoned horse.

LEAD BESIDE ANOTHER HORSE If you do not have a pick-up, gate, or a training area friendly to leading behind a pick-up, I suggest you lead your youngster behind a seasoned Standardbred that is pulling a jog cart, or lead it beside a riding horse. This is a great way to exercise and manner a young horse.

LUNGING, PREFERABLY IN A ROUND-PEN

Pictured below is a photo of me teaching a Clydesdale to lunge. Because Clydesdales are huge, it does not mean they are more difficult to lunge. Size doesn’t matter. It is how you do it.

If you do not have access to a round-pen but have the room and money to purchase one – do it. A round-pen is money well spent. Portables can be purchased modestly. They also serve as a small paddock (fresh air and movement).

Most good horse trainers incorporate “lunging” into the educating/exercising process. Lunging is a useful exercise for both horse and trainer. It is a way to let your horse safely rid itself of excess energy, plus it can be beneficial in teaching the horse obedience. When done correctly, lunging can help a horse learn to be more flexible and balanced, as well as increase fitness.

When I have access to a round-pen I seldom use a lunge line in the first few lessons. I use one of those 25’ ropes I suggested you purchase. Holding one end, I consistently throw it at the horse’s hind feet until the horse catches on. Once I teach the horse to go one direction, I will reverse the process and teach it to go the opposite way.

After several sessions of successful lunging, I will begin lunging the horse with a simple snaffle snapped into the halter. This places pressure on the mouth, which gets the horse accustomed to bit pressure. Following a few days of successful bit pressure, I will snap a long line into one side of the bit and teach the horse what it feels like to have a line in the bit. A few days later, I will do the same thing only in the opposite direction.

A few days of this and I snap my long lines into each side of the bit and lunge in both directions. The lines lay over the back and as I want to change directions, I just toss the lines onto the opposite side. Before taking your horse to this step, please make sure you know what you are doing.

When lunging with long lines, you can put a little pressure on the lines and whisper “whoa”. By now the horse should be so well behaved that the whisper and slight pressure on the bit will communicate to the horse what you want it to do. If it has not caught on, go back a few steps, and begin again until you and the horse get it right.

Remember that this exercise routine can begin at any time, but the horse must be mentally ready. I would rather be a week late than one day early.

DESENSITIZING

There are many variables to consider when desensitizing a horse. All horses are not the same. Horses have different personalities, which must be appraised, respected, and considered. A high-strung horse may need more patience than those who are innately relaxed. Perhaps you have an older horse that was difficult for the previous trainer(s) to handle, and you have a goal of calming him/her, you may have to go back to square one. If you are working with a yearling that came from a breeding farm that spends time preparing a yearling for a sale, it may not need as much desensitizing. You must be the judge remembering that a pound of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

STEP 1: Before working with, or exercising, any horse, their temperature must be taken. The temperature should also be taken after being exercised to see how much it increased during the workout. I like to see a rise of one to three degrees depending on the horse.

A young horse may be reluctant to lifting its tail for the thermometer. DO NOT abuse the horse or force it to lift its tail. Instead, put a gob of Vaseline on a couple of your fingers and slowly, kindly begin rubbing the Vaseline on the underside of the tail. Do this gradually until the horse allows you to completely lift its tail while messaging it. Lifting the tail also allows you to clean dirt from under the tail. This tip is also helpful when putting the crupper under the tail. The horse will eventually enjoy lifting its tail for whatever needs to be done. Never put a crupper under a horse’s tail without thoroughly cleaning under the tail first. Remember you are working with an animal and not hoisting the rear bumper of a Four-Wheeler.

STEP 2: Gain the horse’s confidence by brushing, walking, and speaking softly. When walking the horse, teach it what “whoa” means. Once stopped, make the horse stand until you give it a signal to go. Before training horses, I trained German Shepherds, and the same principle applies when teaching a dog to heel.

One of many reasons for walking the horse on a lead is to make certain it is not going to shy at something old or new. You may think your horse is fearless, but few are. Be sure to introduce your horse to water trucks and tractors because these large, noisy pieces of equipment will become a part of the horse’s daily routine. Rather than having the horse shy and run into the jogger next to you, teach it in the beginning that the tractor or water truck will not gobble it up.

STEP 3: On a daily basis, run the Dowling rod all over the body of the horse. Rub over its back, down the tail, over its ears, on the belly, and down the legs, between the legs, etc. Do this a couple times daily until the horse COMPLETELY trusts you. It is all about TRUST.

STEP 4: After the horse relaxes with the use of the Dowling rod, begin to introduce the horse to the ropes. Using ropes to desensitize a horse is one of the easiest and best methods there is.

Employing your common sense and patience, be sure to allow the horse to see and smell the rope. After the horse learns that the rope is not going to hurt it, begin the rope desensitizing by slowly draping the rope over the horses back, such as you would when harnessing. Wrap it around where the harness goes and tighten it, then loosen it, and then tighten it again as you would the harness and belly band. Slowly teach the horse that tightening is nothing that will hurt it. See-saw the rope to desensitize the horse even more.

Gradually, over several days, move the ropes all over the body of the horse, including under its tail (like a crupper) and down its legs. I usually spend a lot of time doing the rope thing. Many horses will eventually wear hobbles, so this exercise with the ropes around the legs will also desensitize the horse to the hobbles when they are employed. This can be done in the stall of aisleway.

Put the horse in crossties in the aisle and tie a snap on the end of each rope and snap each end into opposite sides of the halter. Slowly, move the ropes over the horse’s rump, to get it comfortable with lines. Slowly move to the back of the horse far enough that if the horse kicks you will not get hurt. After the horse is comfortable, allow the ropes to slide over the rump and down the legs. This will desensitize the horse to an incident that may happen, such as the driver or caretaker dropping the lines. Ever notice how when a driver gets dumped in a race how the horse gets afraid and takes off? Desensitizing a horse to such things can save the horse and save lives.

Somewhere in this process cut a piece of a feed bag about 18 inches square. It will probably make a crinkling noise. Rub that over the horses back and all over its body until it calms and trusts you. After that, you can use an entire feed bag regularly until you and the horse get bored.

STEP 5: One of the first responsibilities of a trainer is to make the horse comfortable when working with its head, mouth, and tongue. The mouth is such an important factor in communicating with the animal that spending plenty of time working with its mouth is well worth the time.

I recently was partners in a yearling that was being trained in a large reputable Grand Circuit stable. One Saturday morning, when visiting, I watched as two caretakers tried to tie the horse’s tongue (it took two). The horse became so frightened that it reared and broke a crosstie. That was poor horsemanship. Grand Circuit does not always mean grand.

Begin mouth training by putting a gob of honey or molasses on your fingers and gently introducing it to the horse’s tongue. Do this several time a day. After a few days slowly introduce the bit into the horse’s mouth and after a few days of the horse becoming accustomed to this piece of steel being in its mouth, begin to snap the bit into the halter. The horse loves to play with it while you are doing other tasks. Relaxation is paramount.

After the horse is completely comfortable with someone messing with its mouth, begin to work on its tongue. Again, apply honey or molasses to your fingers and begin to massage the tongue. It will not take long until the horse becomes relaxed; at which time, you can begin the tongue-tying procedure.

STEP 6: Once the horse trusts you, begin to pick up its feet. Do this several times a day until the horse is comfortable. Horseshoers and veterinarians will also appreciate this training for sure.

STEP 7: At this point, which has taken about two weeks, your horse should be fairly well tamed, relaxed, trusting, and legged up a little. Time to put on the harness. This should not be difficult because of the work with the rope and trust imparted from the beginning.

I usually put on the harness, absent the crupper, but the crupper should go on easily because you trained the horse in the early stages to lift its tail happily.

If you have done a good job at this point, the horse is probably ready to be walked with a lead, but you may also want a third and/or fourth line.

If everything goes well, I will begin leading it behind my truck. I am careful putting it into a walker with a harness the first time because the sides may bang against the sides of the walker and scare the horse.

STEP 8: I am assuming you know how to bridle a horse, so I will not go into detail. You have already introduced the horse to a bit and the Dowling rod/rope around its ears, so bridling should be easy. I would not use an overcheck for a few days, and then I would keep it loose. The groom having to run beside the horse on the way to the racetrack to check it up is ridiculous. This is caused by poor horsemanship. A horse should be ready, willing, and able to stand while being checked and unchecked. Take your time!

STEP 9: Time to line-drive using the 25’ clothesline-type ropes. I am not going to spend much time instructing you how to line-drive. Most trainers know how to line-drive a horse. It is one of the basics.

Ground-driving is one of the best ways to teach “whoa” and “back,” and to teach a youngster to listen and feel your signals. Bit pressure signifies a right or left turn with subtle bit pressure.

A third and/or fourth line is suggested depending on the temperament of the horse. A little smack on the rump with the lines and a “cluck or kiss” signals the horse to go forward. The third and fourth lines may be needed to lead the horse if it fails to move forward. Soon, the horse will catch on.

This exercise is extremely important because it will become a major part of the animal’s daily work routine. Be patient and kind. Remember that you are smarter than the horse (hopefully).

I have had a lot of experience, so I feel comfortable and confident long-lining the horse in circles, changing directions every couple minutes, such as what is done on a lung-line only long-lining utilizes both long-lines and a bit. Long-lining is tricky, and I would not recommend it unless you have been trained by a professional. It is a super way to put a good mouth on a horse.

STEP 10: Time to drag the ground poles – without the lines. This step is really cool because it familiarizes the horse with the shafts of a jog cart without (hopefully) the risk of an injury.

I drill holes about an inch behind one end of each groundpole and then thread a piece of bailing twine into each hole. Leave about 10 inches after you tie a knot. You now have a loop. This allows you to drop the loop into the quick-hitch similar to how the jog cart shafts will be placed. In an emergency you can readily pull the twine from the hitch. Rig it any way that is comfortable and convenient for you, and in a way that if something unforeseen happens, you can release the poles.

A week or two before you begin dragging the poles behind the horse, be sure you familiarize the horse with this noisy white piece of equipment. Hopefully, you desensitized the horse in the beginning when you would rub the horse with the smaller/shorter piece. For a few weeks before this new task, I will frequently drag the pole around the outside of the stall and around the horse until it is completely desensitized to the sight and sound of these strange objects.

When you are confident the horse will remain calm, use a third and fourth line in case the horse gets spooked. YOU WILL NOT BE LINE-DRIVING FOR A FEW DAYS. THIS TIME IS SPECIFICALLY FOR DRAGGING ONE POLE IN ORDER TO GET THE HORSE ACCUSTOMED TO PULLING SOMETHING ON COMMAND WITHOUT FEAR. It is also a great way to eliminate any problems that may eventually occur in a jog cart. Do not pull more than one groundpole until the horse is completely calm. Then, you can switch the pole to the other side for a day or two.

Be careful when you begin the groundpole process. Many horses are immediately spooked, but if you have desensitized them properly and gained their confidence appropriately, your sheer presence and crisp, yet firm, voice commands should calm the horse.

Now, drop one end into the quick-hitch, but have a third person lift the groundpole off the ground until the horse is relaxed. After the horse relaxes it is OK to put the groundpole on the ground but be careful because a hollow PVC will make a lot of noise, especially when in gravel and that noise will follow the hollow center to the horse’s ear(s).

When the horse has learned how to pull one pole, it is time to add the other. If you have done your job correctly, this should be a-piece-of-cake.

STEP 11: Time to line-drive with the ground poles. Your student should be at a point where it has met most of the criteria for being a driving horse. Of course, you could take a short cut and throw on the jog cart, but there is no reason to hurry. Your trainee will not be racing for about nine months. Relax.

Now, harness the horse as if you are going to jog, but rather than hooking a jog cart, you will use the poles. To ensure the horse is ready, I suggest you use a third and fourth line. Attach the ground poles to the harness and begin to line-drive. Chances are the horse will be extremely comfortable, confident, and trusting – so down the road you go. Spend as much time line-driving as you need to prove to yourself and the horse that everything is under control.

Do this daily until you feel it is safe to jog in the cart. I usually spend the final couple of days without the assistance of a third and fourth line.

STEP 12: Last, but not least, is introducing the well-mannered youngster to the jog cart. It is extremely important the horse is ready, willing, calm, and able. Being educated to pull a cart is of utmost importance because that is what the horse will be doing for its livelihood.

It may have taken a few weeks or a month to get to this point, but that is nothing compared to the years the animal will hopefully be a servant. As your servant, you owe it to him/her to be educated with the utmost of care.

Your young horse has come a long way due to your time and consideration.

You should not need a third and fourth line because that was all taken care of in the patient groundwork you provided. However, caution may dictate that it is desirable for someone to ride along.

If you have done it correctly, the young horse has been conditioned well by being turned into a paddock, and/or lunged, and/or led, and/or put in the walker. Therefore, a three-mile jog is probably not out of line. I will not hitch a horse for the first time unless I am certain it can pull me and the cart three miles comfortably. I do not think you can do much good physically for a horse by just taking it once or twice around the track. Remember, you are developing an athlete.

Tim Finley
46 Lisa Lane
Lake Worth, FL 33463
561-480-8960