JUNIOR SCHOOL
Backing And Starting Young Horses
In 1995 when we bought the land and started to set up the horse trekking we knew we couldn't afford to buy "ready made" horses so we looked around and began gathering unbacked ex racehorses. We borrowed an old Standardbred from a neighbour's mother. This was our only ridable horse, and only if he felt in the mood because Rusty was a character with Attitude! A new acquaintance showed us how to back the ex pacers and trotters- you back them bareback, sling a saddle on and ride away! - and we were in business.
On the knowledge front, Rod had had ponies as a child and I had been trained, in the UK, as a stud assistant and girl groom and had had considerable experience with young stock and the training thereof., so we felt we knew enough to proceed. My job was sorting out what tack to use, fitting it correctly, and then doing the lungeing, long reining and mouthing, while Rod was the muscle when needed.. I was the first person on every new horse and rode it until it was quiet enough to hand on to a Volunteer.
These days Rod is the expert and he organises the handling of the younger horses, with a mixture of Monty Roberts, Parelli and his own brand of training. The horses don't use bridles any more, and the learning experience for them is different.
On the knowledge front, Rod had had ponies as a child and I had been trained, in the UK, as a stud assistant and girl groom and had had considerable experience with young stock and the training thereof., so we felt we knew enough to proceed. My job was sorting out what tack to use, fitting it correctly, and then doing the lungeing, long reining and mouthing, while Rod was the muscle when needed.. I was the first person on every new horse and rode it until it was quiet enough to hand on to a Volunteer.
These days Rod is the expert and he organises the handling of the younger horses, with a mixture of Monty Roberts, Parelli and his own brand of training. The horses don't use bridles any more, and the learning experience for them is different.
Very Wild And Woolly. The Molesworth Mares Blueprint And Possum. We Had Just Managed To Catch Them Again After Their Arrival At High Country.
Possum.
Wild Young Possum On The Rampage, Attack Mode With Teeth And Feet
Possum Backed. She Trusted Us And Was A Great Big Softie, Gentle As A Kitten. You Can See It In Her Eyes.
Cripes! - What Are You Doing Up There Boss?
Roo
Roo. Almost A Leg Over Her.
Roo is Rod's big Molesworth mare. She was four when we bought her She is half Cleveland Bay, quarter stationbred and quarter Clyde. She has been the Boss Mare of the herd ever since she arrived and was always the boss of these three horses. When I was legged up to lie over her for the first time we had problems. Rod had hold of the horse and my left leg and she went rapidly away from him, round in a circle.. He could neither let go of my leg or the horse until she stopped whizzing round in circles and I couldn't let go of my position until she settled down, so we went round and round and round until she stopped, many, many minutes later when we were all jolly dizzy! We had made our point though, when I was legged up again, from both sides, she didn't move away at all. She had learnt that it didn't hurt, wasn't frightening and also that we didn't give up. Horse successfully backed!
Blueprint Successfully Backed!
Sunrise
Boy That Baby Just Grew And Grew! Sunrise Being Backed At Age Four.
Sunrise Was Nicknamed The Sherman Tank. She Was Massive.
AttaBoy Bowie! - Just Such A Gentleman.
Bowie Had Been Ridden Before When He Was Raced But We Always Start From Scratch.
A Leg Up For Topper.
Topper Showing Us His Offended Llama Look.
I Don't Think I Am Going To Like This Being Ridden Again Lark!
Swiss Christina On Topper.
A Few Months Down The Track. German Saskia Having Fun With Topper Au Naturel.
Left Topper, We're Turning Left!
