Training Colts, Part 1

Training Colts,Part 1

Apr 29, 2002 - © Caryn A. Tate

The foremost thing to keep in your mind when you’re beginning to train a young horse is to have patience. Always remember that a horse won’t know something if you haven’t properly taught it to him yet. A good way to remember that, in a way that most of us will recognize readily, is to compare the colt to a child; if you tell a child to read something, and he hasn’t learned how to read properly, he won’t be able to read it to you.

The reason I stress this idea so fervently is because so many people tend to lose patience with colts. A lot of people tend to immediately think a horse is being stubborn, rebellious, or is spoiled—which, of course, can certainly be the case. But many times the colt simply doesn’t understand what it is their trainer is asking them to do. Don’t lose patience and/or your temper with the horse because of miscommunication.

Another major thing to keep in mind is that when a horse is young, just like people or any other animal, they’re especially sensitive to their environment and what they’re exposed to. This is the time when they learn how to behave around humans, and how to react to training methods and people in general.

For instance, in a case where the colt hasn’t grasped yet what you’ve been trying to teach him: If you immediately lose patience with the horse, get angry, and punish him for not doing as you asked him to do, he’ll react. He’ll probably act nervous around you (at least for a while), possibly become head-shy (throwing up his head whenever you raise a hand or make a quick movement), become more and more stubborn towards what you want, and less and less willing to cooperate with you. In this situation, the frustration grows and grows between both of you and not much, if anything, is gained.

However, in the same case, if you retain your patience and try again and again to teach the colt what it is you’re trying to teach him, believe me, it pays off. Believe it or not, the horse will appreciate your extra effort, and will usually try harder to understand what it is you’re saying. If you find that the approach you’re using isn’t working, think of another way to get across to your horse. This is where knowing your horse comes in. If you know each other well, it will be much easier for you to think of alternative methods of teaching that he’ll understand easier.

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