Author: Charles Wilhelm

This is something that I have heard from people across the country from the west to the east coast. What I hear are two different things but basically they refer to the same problem: My horse bit me/kicked me for the first time. What caused that and what should I do?

My response is always the same and it is never meant in a derogatory or sarcastic way. The horse may have bit/kicked you before, you just didn’t recognize it. What I mean is that any time you approach your horse, you have an opportunity to “read” your horse.

In the training program at the ranch we never, ever ride a horse without first starting with a bit of ground work. Even the most well trained horse can have an off day and my staff and I always take the time to check what the horse’s physical, mental and emotional states are prior to riding. This also helps us see what the horse’s level of resistance may be.

The leg and seat aids are what I call body aids. They work with the reins in communication with the horse. As riders, we want to be balanced on our horses, what I call balanced riders. We want to ride in the center of the horse and we want to stay perpendicular from our ears to our heels. We can shift our weight back to communicate with our horse that we want a change. I am not talking about leaning way back but just moving the shoulders back about one or two inches.

When the big day comes to saddle up for the first time, it is usually not a really big deal. If you have put the time in on ground work and you have a solid foundation you should be ready to saddle. If you have worked with your horse to desensitize her to the saddle blanket, you now need to get her accustomed to the cinch. A horse’s belly is a very sensitive area. Out in the wild, the legs and belly are really vulnerable areas.