My FIL is getting a border collie puppy and a mustang horse this week.

[reveriereptile]

A beforehand warning that this is a long post.

Yesterday I found out that my FIL bought a border collie puppy that he will be getting any day. He has one already that is around 10 years old and has talked about wanting another when she passes. This one is going to be a red and white and I'm hoping that it will get along with my dog that so far only one dog has liked to be around. Might give her a play mate to burn off more energy. I'll have to take some pictures once we get her/him. Haven't asked if it was a boy or girl yet.

My FIL has talked for a while about wanting to adopt a rescued mustang and Saturday he seen an ad in the paper for two of them. I go with him over to look at them and I wasn't to sure about the older one since it reminded me of a horse we had a while back that was hard to do anything with. Then I seen the younger one the guy said was 2 years old and she let me walk up and pet her with no problem of turning her head away. She seems to be more trusting in people and less flighty than the other horse. The guy showed us how she was with flagging and bagging and she did well.

We talk with the guy and told him we were interested mainly in her which he said great. There was a guy there before us that wanted the older one so it worked out. He came over Sunday to check the place out since he has to approve the location before we can take the horse. We will have her for a year before we get the title to her. We have a 4 acre piece that has 8' high chain link fencing, a three sided shelter, and we are going to build a corral inside of it near the shelter.

The horse will be mostly mine as far as grooming and training goes. The guy that currently has her has 60 years of horse training experience. He said he was currently working on putting a saddle and brittle on her and the flagging/bagging. He thought I would be perfect size for when she is ready to ride. He said she was very quick to trust someone even after being neglected. She is starting to grow her hair back from rainrot which he treated.

One problem I have is that I've never trained a horse. We had two horses before but one was blind (I liked her a lot) and the other was very large, older, and pushy. Whenever we separated them to try to do anything they would go nuts trying to get back to one another. They hadn't been worked with in a long time and were both retired sulky horses that have won races.

This time I do have an Amish that works for my FIL that would be willing to help train me to train the horse. He has experience in training and does really well with his horse. He is one of the more gentle Amish as far as handling horses that I've seen. Also the guy we are getting the horse from will be willing to help work with me on training. So I at least will be getting help from people with experience to train me. I've been reading as much information I can in the last few days so I can ask them questions. I'll have my work cut out for me but luckily it is now spring time and I'll have help. I would love to be able to ride her next year if she is ready.

I do have some questions about horse training. He didn't say if she was being rein trained or not but I'll find that information out. The horses we had before could do english which was pretty simple to do. Is it hard to get use to using riding western style for someone that has never rode loose neck? I've only had very little experience in riding so I was thinking the switch would be pretty simple for me. In one way I feel comfortable with english style but in another way I think loose neck would be the best for me and her. I want to use as little pressure with the bit as possible and with the thought of using a slight pressure on the neck seems more comfortable for the horse. The bits look uncomfortable enough just in the horses' mouth.

One thing I do want to have down pat is my personal space. It was nerve racking having a large horse get into my area. The large horse we had before would do this all the time and since her back was up to my eyes it was scary. This horse is the recommended size I feel comfortable with and has been worked with on personal space but I want to be ready if she tests me. From what I've read and seen on the horse channel is if a horse starts to get into your space is to twirl the lead rope near the end of the horse that is moving into your area but don't move and don't react to the horse when they react. What I've read from the head swinging was to use the palm of your hand to stop the head. Is this information what I should be doing? I don't want to mess this up especially since the space is a big issue for me. I don't want to have a horse that thinks she can overpower me anytime she wants to.

My last question I have at the moment is do you groom the horse again after training? I want my grooming time to be a bonding experience that we both can enjoy together. I know the Amish likes to groom his horse before hooking her up to the buggy since it relaxes her. One of my cousin-in-laws that takes horse riding lessons do their grooming before saddling. She said it was one of the most important things to do to get the horse relaxed and to help gain trust.

 

[missrobinson]

First of all, nobody can train you to train a horse. It isn't some kind of internship you can learn in 6 months. What would be best is to have prior and extensive experience with horses before purchasing younger horses that are just starting out in their lives, such as 2 year olds. Trainers all over the globe have different methods for training and refreshing horses from yearlings to seasoned champions in all diffferent disciplines. I believe you should find a 4h leader in your area or a reputable trainer and take lessons with the horse, that way you both will grow together. I have to warn you, your trainer, NOT the seller, will be very honest with you and should tell you that you shouln't have bought such a young horse if you haven't had much experience with them. Don't bother with the TV shows or books or the seller. Go see a real trainer or go to clinics.

It isn't hard to switch disciplines, such as from English to western in your case, so long as you have been riding at least every other day and the horse is trained Grooming can be a bonding time yes, and should be done both before and after riding. As for personal space, there is something called "your bubble" and the "horse's bubble" the trainer you see will explain this to you. Horses do not get into your personal space so long as you are a confident, know what you are doing, or if they do want to be twerps. I take my lead rope and smack their neck once, never happens again. I have walked into pastures and arenas full of random horses and none ever dared to violate my personal space uninvited.
You say you want as light and little contact with the horse as possible with the bit when riding. That ain't gonna happen unless you have 2 year old bought straight from the Western Pleasure classes at the big shows.

You will start out with a large amount of contact. Take her and yourself to a reputable trainer.

Sources:
I am a multi AQHA Hunter Under Saddle Champion, Showmanship High Point, AHA Hunter Pleasure Regional Contender. My own Arabian was a multi Regional qualifier at 20 years old, trained by Me from the ground up. Did we go? No, I retired him right after that, he went out with a bang.

 

[Kelly G]

Oh, my. You sure do have your work cut out for you, here.

First off - just to lend credibility to my comments...I have 35+ years of experience with horses. I showed Morgan & Saddlebred horses for 25 of those years....I showed in English Pleasure, 3 Gaited, and 5 Gated. These were high-octane show horses...and not for the faint-of-heart. For the last few years, I've had Norwegian Fjords - I'm in my mid-forties, and I enjoy a bit of a calmer, slower pace now. The Fjords are perfect for me.

If you haven't already purchased the horse, don't buy it now. We have a saying in the horse world: a green rider, plus a green horse will always be ever-green.

If you have already purchased the horse, it's time to deploy damage control/prevention. Get. that. horse. into. PROFESSIONAL. training. 90 days of professional training is just a start! And - at the same time - get yourself into riding lessons - no less than three times a week if you want to be good enough to ride a green horse with very little mileage on it. With a tremendous effort from you - and some real training for the horse.....this could work.

What your inner-voice understands is that your life and well-being at risk. It is not possible to train a horse yourself with the level of experience you provide. When you were feeling intimidated by the horse that didn't respect your personal space, that was your inner intelligence telling you that it was a dangerous situation!

Always. Listen. To. The. Little. Voice. In. Your. Head. It is there to keep you safe.

A young horse is such a monumental pain in the neck...they are just like small children when it comes to reliability, making decisions, and consistency . In my world, I wouldn't even consider anything younger than 5....with two years of riding under its belt!

There are going to be people that tell you stories of their success - how their horse was "born broke", they "grew up" together with their horse, how not every horse is a ton of work to get broke....this is horse &# %T! If you limit the advice you receive to real horse-people, not ONE of them would encourage this relationship without some serious professional involvement.

Ignore real horse-peoples' advice at your own peril.

OK Now, that's out of the way............What would be great for you? Some 10+ year old horse that has been there, done that....several times.

These horses exist - and they deserve "rescuing" as much as any un-broke mustang. In this economy, well trained horses are ending up in desperate conditions all over the country! Save one of them!!! They deserve a good life, too!

This info is as much for other people THINKING of getting a horse, as it is for you....I've posted stuff like this before on this forum, but it often goes un-heeded, I'm afraid. I almost wish I didn't care....but I do.