Starting A Colt....

[QH_LOVER]

Hey everyone! I need help on how to start a colt...I know this can be a variety of different things but this is what I have done so far.....I can be a saddle, pad, and bridle on her. What type of bit should I use? What are some good exercises to do with her? Anything anyone can tell me would be greatly appreciated! By the way, I'm training her western! :D

[Tharg]

Do you have any one experienced on the ground to help you?. I would work on getting him desensitised to things gradually like plastic bags,umbrellas etc.

[Lindsayanne]

Not to be rude, but if you don't know what bit is appropriate to start a horse in are you sure you're 100% ready to take this on? Oh, and if your colt is a "she" she's called a filly, not a colt. :o How old is she? Got any pictures to post?

A snaffle is the kindest of bits, and what most horses start in. Like this: http://www.myhorsestable.com/product742.html ground driving is a great next step from where you're at now: http://www.equi-sense.com/articles/longlines.html teaching a horse to ground drive before mounting them the first time is like giving your car a steering wheel and a set of brakes before putting it in gear. :D

[Naturally]

Actually, I was suprised to learn a few years ago that in some countries a colt is any young horse, male or female. I thought that it was an American term, but I might have that mixed up.

Apart from that, what you are venturing into is a very important step and I really agree with the above comment. If you're not sure on what you're doing, maybe you should enlist the help of someone professionally.

Also, since it was your question, there is a lot of preperation for the mouth before you go expecting him to just accept a bit.

Good luck, but I'd be looking at a trainer for this. Not only for the horse, but also yourself and safety.

[QH_LOVER]

I know a female is called a filly, but where I live people usually just refer to a young horse as a colt....This is the first*filly* that I have tried to train, I have been around horses and young horses ever since I was born! It's not that I don't know what kind of bit to use I was just wondering what bit other people have used and what is more effective. I also have already desensitized her to every thing I know of, including guns! I was also thinking of using a snaffle bit, but I wasn't completely sure if it would be the best!

Her name is Bailey and she is 16 months old.

[shandy84]

At 16months old I would not even be considering bitting until everything else is 100% if you wait until she is more mature to back her you will get a happier filly out of the mix :) my fillies didn't like a plain snaffle but seemed to like the french link

[sarshapebbles]

Hey everyone! I need help on how to start a colt...I know this can be a variety of different things but this is what I have done so far.....I can be a saddle, pad, and bridle on her. What type of bit should I use? What are some good exercises to do with her? Anything anyone can tell me would be greatly appreciated! By the way, I'm training her western! :D i wold start with a rope bitless or hackmore . maby a frech link snaffle, :)

[Tharg]

I think a hackamore may be a bit too severe if any thing happenned, which witha youngster is likely.

[Charli&me]

I agree, Hackamores are too severe, Start with a normal snaffle bridle, they are the gentlest and alot of people start horses with these. Isnt 16months a bit young? or is it different in other countries? :confused:

[Naturally]

I'm really sorry, but why do you want to start a horse at 16months?

[QH_LOVER]

It's not exactly that I am getting on her and trying to ride her. I'm only doing ground work with her and getting her use to carrying a saddle on her back. And I don't really need to know "how" I mainly need tips and advice! I do have a hackamore but I thought it would be a bit too severe....

[chev]

My advice would be to leave the bitting until she's finished teething, leave the saddle until she's finished growing, and if she's already leading well, desensitised to everything and a happy, well behaved filly to just let her be a baby before you do any more. :)

[shandy84]

Couldn't agree with Chev more :) my girl was backed (accidently) at around 18months old and has had terrible problems from it, I have also found bitting that young can be harder than waiting a little longer until the mouth is bigger :)

[horsey_woman]

My 2yr old Filly is very much a baby in her head.. she has a heart of gold but I wouldn't dream of starting her for a good while yet.

Also I am not going to back her, an experienced yard are, but I am going to do the groundwork.

[Jessey]

I would try a Bosal (non-mechanical hackamore) if you have/can borrow/buy one, its like a step up from a halter and can then be used with a bit when you make that transition to make it easier for the horse to understand, it also means that it shouldn't interfere with her teeth while they are still changing.

My filly is now about 28 months and I have put a snaffle on her but I have not yet used it (I haven't attached anything to it or tried to turn with it etc) as I want her to be happy to have something in her mouth but don't want to be using it until her mouth/teeth are more developed.

J x