I have heard so many trainers talking about what they can put on a colt in 30 days. I flinch (while keeping mouth shut) at the expectations. I also call BS when they claim they are dead broke in this amount of time. I looked all over the net today at trainer sites and alot of them claim dead broke in 30 days. Am I working my colts too slow? Dead broke to me means dead broke, like throw a 2 year old on their back. I personally would rather put the miles on and keep em sane than rush the process.
What do you expect from a colt put in 30 days training
- Thread starter Judith
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Jinglebob
Well-known member
I'd say that it all depends on the horse and his age. I doubt any are dead broke at the end of 30 days. I kind of like to get mine broke pretty good by the time they are 7 or 8.
Hell, they don't mature until they are at least that old. And their back isn't done getting solid until they are 6 1/2 to 7.
And then too, what is considered dead broke? I wouldn't gaurentee that none of my horses wouldn't buck, if they were in the right situation. I have one that the only thing he has ever had a problem with is a buffalo hide, on the ground. He snorted at it and wouldn't gewt very close, but he sure didn't buck. Nothing else has ever bothered him and I would put my 1 month old grandson on him and not worry. But that isn't to say, somebody else couldn't make him buck.
Keep them fat while your training them and they will stay trained. Make them thin when they are being trained and they will forget most of it when they get fat.
Hell, I'm an old poop and I ain't plumb certain I'm dead broke. :wink:
Hell, they don't mature until they are at least that old. And their back isn't done getting solid until they are 6 1/2 to 7.
And then too, what is considered dead broke? I wouldn't gaurentee that none of my horses wouldn't buck, if they were in the right situation. I have one that the only thing he has ever had a problem with is a buffalo hide, on the ground. He snorted at it and wouldn't gewt very close, but he sure didn't buck. Nothing else has ever bothered him and I would put my 1 month old grandson on him and not worry. But that isn't to say, somebody else couldn't make him buck.
Keep them fat while your training them and they will stay trained. Make them thin when they are being trained and they will forget most of it when they get fat.
Hell, I'm an old poop and I ain't plumb certain I'm dead broke. :wink:
rainie
Well-known member
Judith: Did you check out John Lyons website. I've got 2 sets of his training videos and he can move them along pretty quick after he has done the basics(meaning a mental change in the horse). Don't know if you've seen The Dog Whisperer on I think it's National Geographic Channel, but it's something like that. The horse can move along really fast once he's mentally ready for it. I always tried to work on mine slow and easy to, but maybe they can be pushed a little harder. As far as dead broke I think that's a whole different ballgame. What might spook one horse another horse won't even look at.
rainie
Well-known member
How old is your colt. What breed, and what does he already know. How's your finger?
ranch hand
Well-known member
Judith said:
Depends on the age, 2's just a couple short rides getting them used to the saddle, respond to pressure from legs and neck rein, backing up a bit. Turn them out and get them back in when they are long 3's and put some short outside rides on, tune up the stops, reining, backing and more ground work, show them cattle without the pressure. 4's longer rides, should be fine tuned good by then, and 5's longer rides and dragging a few calves and ready to go to work as 6's. The bones and mind is not ready before then, any one that has a 2-3 year old working great is probably going to have a burnt out or broken down horse by the time he is 9. Horses that are not mentally overdone will retain and be ready to learn more. Turn them out for an extended vacation and get them back in for more schooling. They are like kids, them need some time off to be a horse. Show them something new and don't over do it. Come back to it the next day, don't spend hours working on one thing.
Rainie, the finger is doing well, still nasty sore. But us Norskes dont really stop cuz we have a limb hanging. I just pretend its fine until i catch it on something then I count to 10 real slow so that nothing blue comes out of my mouth! It's not for one of my colts, I am trying to determine what is fair and resonable for a colt to know after it leaves me. I don't want to comprimise what I do, but if tying, walking over tarps, backing up solid walk trot and canter both directions (soft and controlled) is not acceptable in 30 days I should be stepping things up. However in some babies I really think that is too much. But the owners pay the bills.....
Jerry H
Well-known member
hi judith
i don't start many colts for the public anymore
but when i was riding them all i would do is get them gentle to be around and get them riding outside and around cattle some
i would swing my rope on them and maybe rope the lead steer on them and that's about all
anymore and i think you would be pushing a baby's mind to much
until later
jerry
i don't start many colts for the public anymore
but when i was riding them all i would do is get them gentle to be around and get them riding outside and around cattle some
i would swing my rope on them and maybe rope the lead steer on them and that's about all
anymore and i think you would be pushing a baby's mind to much
until later
jerry
rainie
Well-known member
I think this is more than acceptable for a colt. They gotta have time to grow etc. If you have time to check out John Lyon's tapes, from a friend, library, or purchase, I feel is very worthwhile. He's the best that I've seen, and I'm starting to use his techniques and they really work.Really gets into a colt's head right from the start so that the rest comes easy.Saves a lot of hours.
Jinglebob
Well-known member
I agree with all of these answers. but again, how old is the colt.
I've got a young feller who starts mine for me and does a dandy job.
Might not mess with one until he's three and then only for about 10 to 15 days . Turn him out and mess with him alittle when he comes in with the saddle horse's. Take him back to him as a long 3 or 4 and when he comes home, I can do about anything on him, as far as checking cattle. He's not finished but he won't have a desire to buck or spook and will work for me. I'll go slow with him until he's a long 5 and then I'm not to hesitent about putting a hard ride on him. When they are 6 they are ready for about anything.
This is an average and an individual horse might go faster or slower.
I think your schedule sounds about right .
There is a lot of stuff you can do on the ground to prepare one for that first ride. If done right, the first ride isn't any big thing.
A lot depends on who is going to get the horse when you send them home.
I've got a young feller who starts mine for me and does a dandy job.
Might not mess with one until he's three and then only for about 10 to 15 days . Turn him out and mess with him alittle when he comes in with the saddle horse's. Take him back to him as a long 3 or 4 and when he comes home, I can do about anything on him, as far as checking cattle. He's not finished but he won't have a desire to buck or spook and will work for me. I'll go slow with him until he's a long 5 and then I'm not to hesitent about putting a hard ride on him. When they are 6 they are ready for about anything.
This is an average and an individual horse might go faster or slower.
I think your schedule sounds about right .
There is a lot of stuff you can do on the ground to prepare one for that first ride. If done right, the first ride isn't any big thing.
A lot depends on who is going to get the horse when you send them home.
I would love to have them go for 5! unfortunately the futurity money is for the 2 year olds So that is what folks want them ramped up for , at least in these parts. Thank you all for the advice, I really do appreciate it. I just didnt want to be giving people the short end of the stick.
So that is what folks want them ramped up for , at least in these parts. Thank you all for the advice, I really do appreciate it. I just didnt want to be giving people the short end of the stick.Northern Rancher
Well-known member
Well back in the days when the horse pasture wasn't quite so full we started lots when they were two and used them pretty steady as three year olds-those horses are in their late teens and still can put in a full day. i don't like horses that are pushed hard feed wise when they are young they don't seem to last either. We always start our chore teams as two's-I like a calving field or an A'I pasture for young horses-they get exposed to lots of different stuff and never get bored. what i really can't wait for is to buck some of our young broncs for the first time-nothing warms my heart like a little pasture full of buckers. 'Gooch' gets his first out in about a month-he flung his guy off out in Alberta pretty speedy last fall and he hasn't got any smaller over winter-typical 1500 pound 17 hand Canadian bronc lol.
If you're starting colts that are going on to a futurity I hope your customers are not looking for show ready stock in 30 days. I assume that they are going from your place to another trainer for finish. That being said all I would expect in 30 days would be a manageable colt with the basics in the way of forward movement & direction change.
Ya they usually get finished off by whomever takes them forward in their careers. I'm too old and tubby to look good in those slinkies anymore And far to mouthy not to say it like it is . Pretty tired of the show scene but still love horses. With my own stock they are sold as yearlings so it is very rare for me to hold anything back. The colt that died this year wouldnt have been started til he was three.
And far to mouthy not to say it like it is . Pretty tired of the show scene but still love horses. With my own stock they are sold as yearlings so it is very rare for me to hold anything back. The colt that died this year wouldnt have been started til he was three.Northern Rancher
Well-known member
Heck Judy when you move up here and get all dolled up in mukluks and spandex you'll fit right in-that's northern Saskatchewan Haute Couture lol.
Heel Fly
Well-known member
I don't show much and when I do it's reining or working cow, but as a solid 2 I want them to respond to both direct and indirect rein, move nicely off of my leg with a willingness to learn. I don't want them to still be at the"yeah, but" stage. They should stop when pressure is taken off and I lift up on my rein and back off of really light pressure. Side pass, start coming over their hocks, pivot on the forehand, open gates, drag a log and handle slickers and such. They should at this point also load up nice and stand for the horseshoer and be able to clip. Then I turn them out for 5 or 6 months get them back and if they ride off nice I let them go until they are a solid 3. If not we go back to square one. I like to ride them steady as threes and fours. Going back to the 30 day start, for what people pay now a days the horse should be started really nice, if it is mature enough to handle it, some horses need more time to mentally develop. But dead broke as a 2 I call BS. I have seen the brokest horse ever buck under the right circumstances, thats like saying that a 5 grader can graduate college. One other thing I don't lope a 2 much. It's hard on legs/joints that aren't done fuseing. As long as I can move them freely around in a circle at the lope and they handle well, then I don't lope them much.
see here's another one!
HORSE TRAINING - BOOK NOW 30 days to a bomb proof horse. Over 20 years experience. Ref avail. $360/mnth. Quality horse boarding. De-wormer included.$165/mnth. 2.5 from Birds Hill Park.
HORSE TRAINING - BOOK NOW 30 days to a bomb proof horse. Over 20 years experience. Ref avail. $360/mnth. Quality horse boarding. De-wormer included.$165/mnth. 2.5 from Birds Hill Park.
Its ads like this that made Greg deciede NOT to break horses anymore...too many people expected the impossible,a horse can't be bomb proof in thirty days in his opinion,greg said greenbroke and lots don't understand that.Judith said:
As for the bomb proof,well any horse can buck in a situation that scares them
Jinglebob
Well-known member
Mrs.Greg said:
I can bomb proof one in less than a minute. If he stands real still when I make my shot. :wink:
I'll garuntee after he quits breathin' nothin' will bother him. :lol:
That's about the only way I'd see how you could "bomb proof" a horse.
Wait a sec, what if the horses this guy takes are like, real old and can't hardly move, wouldn't be near as hard to break one of them to be bomb proof. :wink: