Breaking a horse in 3 DAYS; Scotch

PLEASE READ: I would really love it for you to read this whole description (it sounds scary yes I know!) but I think you will find it very beneficial. This is how I work with my horses, maybe it can influence the way you work with yours.


-Every horse deserves a chance.-

Scotch was the result of a thoroughbred colt breaking loose into a paddock of trail riding mares, from the start he wasn't really wanted. As he grew up he was kept in a paddock with another colt & they matured into stallions, Scotch was gelded and moved into a 90 acre paddock full of the other trail riding horse but sill kept his stallion traits.
For 8 years Scotch was literally left out in that paddock. He was never halter broken, he was unbroken, feet never trimmed, never rugged, never had his mane or tail cut and never wormed. He was untouched, he was wild 'stallion'.

His owners didn't want him, to them he was a waste of time. He was written for being dangerous, unpredictable and worthless, his future only held being shipped off to the slaughter sales. They asked if I wanted him, and there was no way I turn down that offer.

This previously 'dangerous, waste of time horse' allowed me to fling tarps over his head, bounce a parelli ball on his back, throw ropes around him and have them tightened all over his body. He gave to pressure, picked up his legs and allowed me to trim his feet for his first time. The first time I rode him was bareback in a halter. He's very soft and responsive, the slightest shift of weight is more then enough to get a response. His mouth is like butter, pick up a rein and he'll spin in circles for you. A slight squeeze will halt and back him up, a twitch with your little finger will give you a perfect turn. He responds to voice commands, a click of the tongue will send him forward. When you lead him all you have to do is point in your direction of choice and he will march on. It took 3 days for him to learn all of this, he's an incredibly intelligent, acceptable little horse.

There is nothing wrong with this horse.
He was always been the amazing horse he is today.
I never changed this horse. I didn't teach him how to learn quickly, I didn't teach him how to become a 'quiet horse', I didn't teach him to trust me.
He chose to trust me. I was able to show him I was trust worthy, I would bring him partnership and happiness. He saw I wasn't here to hurt or frighten him, I was here to help.
He has always been the horse he is today, I don't claim to be an amazing trainer who 'trained him to become a quiet willing horse'. Beneath his frightened defensive exterior there has always been a quiet willing horse. I was just able to 'tap into his head', and show him that it was okay be be quiet & to want to work with people. Nobody was going to hurt him when he let his defenses down.

Scotch was seen as 'dangerous', but not once has he reared and ACTUALLY struck somebody. Not once has he bucked and ACTUALLY kicked somebody. Not once has he laid his ears back and ACTUALLY bit somebody. They were all empty threats for his own self defense, and it worked. Nobody wanted to be near him. He has never been a dangerous horse.

Scotch was seen as a 'waste of time'. This is the most horrible thing I have ever heard. Every horse deserves a chance. He just needed the right person to come along and show him everything will be okay. When I moved him from his 90 acre paddock where he had lived his whole life and took him home back to my livery yard, I was the only person he knew. It was a very frightening, stressful experience for him. I was his only comfort, making it easy for him to open up to me, resulting in a really quick outcome (being broke in 3 days).

And I think that pretty much sums everything up. If you have read all this I congratulate you, and I hope it's changed your views about 'problem horses' just a little. There is no such thing as 'problem horses', it's the people who cause the actual problems.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• breaking
• in
• horse
• horses
• pony
• ponies
• starting
• natural
• horsemanship
• bitless
• bridle
• first
• trot
• walk
• canter
• bareback
• trust

[Shesgonecntry89]

Girl, you are an inspiration! This video made me cry! Awesome.

[Horseluver1034]

You are a great person doing this

[asian94girl]

i love it, it also made me cry cuz ig you werent the one who got a hold of him he probably would have ended in the slaughter house, you and him have come a long ways you're magnificent... im doing the same thing to my gelding after getting shot on the face with a pellet gun he never trusted anyone else but me but nnot as much as he used too, but now were building it back.

[xosonic1]

After watching this video i took my green 4 year old appy, and did all the ground work you did with scotch with my appy and now he trusts me at least 5 times more than he did before. Thats pretty amazing! Thanks!:)

[BornCountry3469]

that is so amazing! thank you for giving a "worthless" horse a chance and love.

thank you

[steffany4lyfe]

wow you did something truely amazing there <3

[MarshyMellowHorse]

One word: Touching. I can't believe you turned a wild horse into somthing which will put up with a ball going over his back. Beautiful horse

<3 Your horse

[julitko]

very touching and wonderful whish i could do that

[julitko]

great film the horse was so wild



[JulieVonJawbreaker]

awwwww this made me cry XD so touching <3