A lesson in saddling

Komets 3rd saddling lesson.


There are a couple things to see if you can pick up here.

1. Notice he does not start bucking until he moves into the canter. This is normal, and why so many people get in trouble when they first start riding colts. At the walk, the stirrups dont bounce around, the cinch is looser, but once they move up to the canter, the stirrups start to bang them, the cinch tightens and well.. they buck. Most green riders are not expecting this, and have not prep'd the horse for the sensations.

2. He is looking outside the round pen. This says, hey I dont need to be "with" your feel. You dont exist.

3. He turns his butt in to the center of the arena, which basically says, I am defending myself.

Now these things start to clear up and he gets a better feel, but the at the start these are all things a person should be looking for and trying to fix up. The key take away here is these are all things I would expect from a colt, its normal.

You will notice to the end he is softer...

Hi Ho!
LZ