| One of the reasons natural horsemanship has become | | | | pen, where you can begin every lesson with |
| very popular, is that it can be a very quick and | | | | reinforcing the basics of submission and respect. By |
| effective way to break a horse. This is why it has | | | | the time your horse is long reining happily, it will be used |
| become increasingly common with racehorse trainers, | | | | to you bringing new equipment into the pen; if you |
| or anyone else who has to break many horses very | | | | have followed natural horsemanship techniques your |
| quick. | | | | horse will view new equipment and tack as toys, and |
| Even for those who have more time, or are just | | | | show curiosity and acceptance of them. |
| looking for a way to break their own horse, natural | | | | The first item to introduce to your horse is the saddle. |
| horsemanship training is an excellent technique. Apart | | | | When you have invited your horse into the center to |
| from being gentle and humane, it doesn't require a lot | | | | join you, allow it to investigate the new tack. Your |
| of expensive equipment, and it lays the foundations for | | | | horse will want to sniff it, and may push it around and |
| athletic and responsive horse. | | | | play with it a little, so don't use a fancy show saddle! |
| Horse breaking with natural horsemanship starts in the | | | | Allow your horse time to explore, always remaining |
| round pen. Here you will establish your leadership, and | | | | close to the tack to give your horse confidence. When |
| begin to build a relationship of trust and respect. Your | | | | your horse seems bored, you can pick up the saddle |
| horse will come to recognize that you are a source of | | | | cloth and lay it across your horse's back. Allow your |
| comfort, safety, and even fun. | | | | horse to move away if it wants to, but make sure you |
| Never rush your horse through the breaking process - | | | | follow up by gently driving your horse out and around |
| respect that some horses will accept a saddle, bridle, | | | | the pen again. |
| and rider quickly (even in a single session!), while others | | | | When your horse stands for the saddle cloth, introduce |
| may take many sessions over several weeks. | | | | the saddle, again allowing the horse to move away |
| Always go back to round pen basics if you feel your | | | | and wait to be invited back in. If you've been long |
| horse may be becoming frightened or distrustful. | | | | reining, your horse will have already felt a girth or cinch, |
| When you and your horse are working well in the | | | | but if this is the first time for your horse, take your time. |
| round pen, and your horse is accepting your leadership | | | | It might take a few tries before your horse accepts |
| quickly, and showing that it is attentive and responsive | | | | the girth. Always make sure you have a breastplate or |
| to you, then breaking can really begin. Many trainers | | | | breastgirth attached, because you don't want the |
| like to progress next to lunging and then long reining in | | | | saddle slipping back. When you have the saddle on, |
| the pen, and even long reining outside the pen, to | | | | and the girth done up, move off and encourage your |
| further establish the basics of communication and | | | | horse to follow. Driving your horse around the pen a |
| control, before they get on. | | | | few times will help it to get used to the feeling of the |
| Always introduce new equipment or techniques in the | | | | saddle on its back, and the stirrups flapping around. |