Milestones

a minimum list of enjoyable “things to accomplish” together with your young horse before he’s four years old, when you do start him under saddle: (from Dr. Deb Bennett’s Timing and Rate of Skeletal Maturation in Horses, With Comments on Starting Colts and the State of the Industry

1. Comfortable being touched all over. Comfortable: not put-upon nor merely tolerating, but really looking forward to it. Check.

This includes interior of mouth, muzzle, jowls, ears, sheath/udder, tail, front and hind feet. Pick ‘em up and they should be floppy. Check, though he needs work on examining his mouth, he’s a little iffy for the dentist.

Knows how to lead up. No fear; no attempt to flee; no drag in the feet; knows that it’s his job to keep slack in the line all the time. Check.

Manners enough to lead at your shoulder, stop or go when he sees your body get ready to stop or go; if he spooks, does not jump toward or onto you, will not enter your space unless he’s specifically invited to do so. Check.

Leads through gate or into stall without charging. Check.

Knows how to tie, may move to the side when spooked but keeps slack in the line all the time. He cross ties very well, and we have done some single tying with safety knots.

Knows how to be ponied. Just started this past fall. He loves going out and doing things, being handled, having attention paid to him.

Carries smooth nonleverage bit in mouth. Lowers head and opens mouth when asked to take the bit; when unbridled, lowers head and spits the bit out himself. He’s had a bit in his mouth (a friend slipped one in sort of ha-ha way unbeknownst to me); we’ll properly introduce him to tack in the late spring.

Will work with a drag (tarp, sack half filled with sand, light tire, or sledge and harness). Next summer.

Mounts drum or sturdy stand with front feet. Sure! We can teach him that!

Free longes - comes when called and responds calmly to being driven forward; relaxed and eager. Next spring, after we’ve started lunging and learning voice commands.

When driven, leaves without any sign of fleeing; when stopped, plants hind feet and coils loins; does not depend on back-drag from your hand to stop him. When he learns to ground drive next year.

Familiar with saddle, saddle blanket, and being girthed and accepts it quietly. Saddle pad and training surcingle, yes; next year for the rest.

Backs easily, quietly and straight in hand, “one step at a time”. Check.

Loads quietly in horse trailer, unloads by stepping backwards from inside horse trailer without rearing or rushing. We have a stock trailer, so he can turn around to unload. Given his intelligence and curiosity, I’m sure a straight load would be no problem.

Looks like we’re well on track for a two year old!