Working Buck

The weather here has been FABULOUS!  60s with sunshine.  I'm in heaven.  Today was so nice that I was inspired to leave work early and spend some time working Buck.

If you recall, Buck is not trained to saddle or hitch yet.  He's 3 1/2, so its high time he learned.  I have finally realized that if I want to get out and enjoy some trail rides with my saddle club, I need to get Buck in shape so that I can ride him.

*DISCLAIMER*  - I am not someone who is good at breaking horses for saddle.  I have limited experience in working a horse that is hitch trained into saddle, but I've never started from scratch right into the saddle before.  The money I was going to use to send Buck to a professional, was gobbled up by a driveway project that is underway.  I decided that I'd do what I can.  I am crossing my fingers and hoping that I don't screw Buck up by trying this on my own.

Buck is an easy horse to catch.  He seems to like human interaction, so getting him in halter and ready to work is not a problem at all.  This is a great thing.  I tied Buck to a tree near the house, and started brushing and cleaning him.  It's shedding season right now, so I spent a lot of time just watching each stroke of the brush take off a layer of hair.  Buck seemed to love the attention, and was leaning his neck into each stroke.

Once cleaned up I did a few flexing exercises with him.  I basically had him flexing his neck on both sides and bringing his head to his shoulder.  He did well, and he seemed to switch into training mode right away.

After he did well there, I brought out the saddle.  Buck didn't seem to care about it.  I let him sniff the saddle blanket and he didn't care as I started rubbing down his neck with it.  I worked it into position on his back and he cocked a foot and was licking his lips.  I was very happy with this.  The saddle was a non-event as well.  He just stood there and let me throw it on his back.  It was nice!!  I left the girth very loose, and I rubbed it all over his belly as I attached it to see if he had any objections to that feeling.  No problems.

Saddle on.  Woo Hoo.

Once he was standing easy  I decided to tighten it up some.  Buck is my smallest horse, and so I had to get a hole punch and add some new holes to each of the straps.  The saddle I use is an Australian saddle, so it has 2 straps on each side of the saddle that must be adjusted.  I tightened it all up, then took buck on a nice stroll around the place so he could get used to feeling the saddle with a tight girth while he walks.  No problems from him here.

Buck didn't mind the saddle with a tight girth at all.

After this, I took turns on each side rocking the saddle side to side, and putting weight on the saddle, and stirrups.  We had to do this a bit while I corrected Buck and made him stand still when I did it.  His instinct was to move away from the weight.  With a good amount of praise, he soon figured out what I wanted and did it.

At this point, I decided it was time to introduce the bit.  I had a normal horse sized bridle I wanted to use for Buck, but I have learned that, just like his mother, even though he is 16 hands, he has a HUGE head.  I ended up having to use my big nylon bridle for him.  I put it on and he tonged it like crazy.  I then adjusted the sides so that I had a wrinkle or two on the sides of his mouth and he stopped tonguing it.  He just stood there.  I left him tied with it for 10 minutes or so, and he just stood there.  I was impressed.

Here he is with the bridle on.

Now is when the real work started.  I hooked up my 15 foot long lead rope, grabbed my carrot stick (training stick) and we went out in the open.  I started some basic desensitizing stuff, and he was loosey goosey.  Didn't get excited about anything.  I started to lunge him.

Buck has been lunged a tiny bit, so he kind of understands what I'm asking, but I learned a few things today using the carrot stick.  Buck was VERY sensitive to my position of that stick.  He wasn't scared of it, but the closer it was to him, the faster he ran away from it.  It took me a bit to realize this, and to keep the stick back so he'd stay relaxed and just do what I was asking.  I struggled at first with him always wanting to stop in the same position, but we worked through that.  Every time I lunge a horse at my house that doesn't know how, I think of how awesome it must be to have a round pen.  Sometimes my arm gets worn out from all the pressure I have to keep on to keep the horse moving in a circle around me.

Buck stood very well after all that lunging.

It was now that I worked on the saddle again.  I shook it, and put weight in the stirrups on either side till Buck stopped worrying about it.  Then, I did it.  I got up on him.  He was OK with it.  His ears were back and he was very unsure about why I was on his back, but once he heard me reassuring him, and rubbing his neck, he calmed right back down.  I sat on him for a while, making sure that he was OK with it. 

I tell ya, when sitting on him, I just wanted to grab those reigns and head off on a ride.  I had to keep reminding myself that at this point, Buck does not know what the lines are for, and that a ride like that may do more harm to him and me than good.  :)  After I sat on him a bit, I started to get on and off on either side of him.  At first he was a little hesitant.  In fact, the next time I hopped in the saddle he started pacing side to side before I could get my feet in the stirrups.  It's amazing how you can be scared, but project a completely calm and reassuring voice to the horse.  I got on and off both sides a dozen or so times.  (my legs feel it!)

After that, I decided to see how he feels the bit.  I untied him and walked out into the open.  with the slightest pressure on the left side of the bit, he will flex his head all the way to his shoulder.  NICE!  I wish that was true for the right side.  When I applied pressure to the right side only, he threw his head back and got all nervous.  I worked little by little, releasing pressure as soon as he moved it a little and following that with praise.  It worked a bit, but I couldn't get him to ever give all of his head to me on the right side.  (it was at this point that I was very glad I didn't just try to ride ol Buck off into the sunset)  :)

Mr. Buck!  Very pleased with him.

I ended our training on this note.  He was happy to get the bridle and saddle removed, and once again loved the brushing of his neck.

I tell ya ... I'm not as confident and brave as I used to be a few years back.  Funny how the more you are around horses the more you realize and respect their power.  2 years ago, I would have had no fear of Buck at all and tried riding him the first day.  I'm a little more conscious now of the power these horses have.  I have no problem taking it slow.  I just hope I'm doing things right and am not going to mess Buck up somehow.

Great day!  So happy I took the day off and spent it with Buck.  He's going to be an awesome saddle horse!!!