| tle Background | | | | beginning. This not only included the groundwork that |
| Vego (Thoroughbred/Percheron gelding) is about 2 | | | | took place during our regular training session but the |
| years old. I have spent many hours doing ground work | | | | little 5 minute exercises that we did during feeding and |
| with him. He knows how to move away from | | | | any other time I had, well, 5 minutes (More 5 Minute |
| pressure, lounge, back up, jump over logs, etc. When I | | | | Training Exercises |
| bought Vego he was 4 months old and had never | | | | Ready to ride |
| been touched by humans. So, I spent a significant | | | | For our first ride I just wanted Vego to walk, trot, turn |
| amount of time getting to know him and of course on | | | | and stop in the round pen. I would provide leg queues |
| groundwork. In additions I spent a portion of every | | | | and use the hackamore to direct his nose and bring |
| training session getting him used to loud sounds, plastic | | | | him to a stop. But, for the most part the commands |
| bags, walking over tarps, crossing water, crazy | | | | came from my wife, Rachael. So here is what we did. |
| humans jumping up and down beside him and of | | | | When mounting the horse I would stand up in one |
| course wearing a saddle. About 2 weeks before I | | | | stirrup and stop. I would then pet Vego, slap the stirrup |
| decided to ride Vego I did two things. First, I would | | | | leathers and make some noise while keeping his nose |
| have him wear a saddle during each training session. | | | | tilted towards me. I would then step down and pet |
| After his session was over, I would put him in a round | | | | Vego. I did this a few times in order to make sure he |
| pen and leave him there with the saddle on while I | | | | was not worried about me being above him. I did this |
| worked with other horses. | | | | from both sides of the horse. Next, I stepped up in the |
| Second, Vego did all of his training sessions with a | | | | stirrup and swung my other leg over the saddle. I sat |
| hackamore. I used a regular rope hackamore, not a | | | | there for a few minutes flexing his head to the left and |
| mechanical hackamore. I made sure that I could use | | | | right. Vego was doing such a great job. I would also |
| the hackamore to flex his head to either side and have | | | | pet Vego and let him know he was doing a good job. |
| him stop and touch his girth. I also made sure I could | | | | Next, I had Rachael direct him around the arena. She |
| yield his hind quarters with leg pressure behind the girth | | | | would send him off in one direction and then ask him |
| and then flex his head and have him come to a stop. | | | | to do an inside turn and go in the other direction. We |
| This is a technique the Clinton Anderson, John Lyons | | | | would also ask him to stop frequently to make sure |
| and many other Natural Horsemanship practitioners | | | | we had control of his feet. When we (Rachael Vego |
| use to get a horse to become more flexible and to | | | | and I) were comfortable with the walk, Rachael asked |
| stop during the early stages of training. The main goal | | | | Vego to trot. Vego would trot about half way around |
| was to make sure I could stop Vego if all hell broke | | | | the round pen and Rachael would ask him to turn the |
| loose. Remember, Vego and I had been preparing for | | | | other direction. We would also have him stop regularly |
| this day for some time and I felt that Vego was ready. | | | | by yielding the hind quarters and then flexing his head |
| If I had concerns about riding him, I would have | | | | to the inside. Vego did not buck, he was not frightened |
| continued the groundwork until he was ready for the | | | | and did a great job that day. We worked in the round |
| first ride. | | | | pen for about 30 minutes and called it a day. |
| I remember the second time I saddled Vego | | | | Why did it go so well? |
| The first time I saddled Vego was very uneventful. I | | | | Vego and I have developed a good relationship with |
| saddled him up in the round pen, lounged him around | | | | each other over the 2 years that I have had him. This |
| and he was OK with it. No bucking, no rolling, it was like | | | | is due to a few key factors. First, we have done hours |
| this was old news and he could care less. However, | | | | of groundwork. Second, I have never hurt Vego. He |
| the second time I saddled him was a little bit more | | | | trusts me and knows that I will not put him into a bad |
| exciting. I saddled him up as usual and I walked him to | | | | situation. Third, I just spend time with the horse. I will |
| the center of the arena. I then lounged him in a circle | | | | frequently go out to the field for nothing else but to pet |
| and immediately he began to buck. He was going to | | | | him, give him and apple or just sit on the fence and |
| kick that saddle off! His font legs went into the air | | | | watch him. When I sit on the fence in the corner of the |
| followed by his back legs with a big kick to the rear. | | | | field he will come up to me and let me pet him. I will pull |
| Wow, this horse really could get into the air. He kicked | | | | him closer and have him put his head on my lap and |
| a few more time and that was it. He has never tried | | | | hug his head and pet his face. He will frequently fall |
| to kick the saddle of again. One of the reasons that | | | | asleep when I do this. |
| Vego was so good about letting me saddle him was | | | | So, now we move on to his 2nd and 3rd ride. |
| because of all the groundwork that went into him in the | | | | |