Get your relevant lateral moves, lead and directional changes, good corners and bending lines with a ground conversation first. From the ground, Kelly has set up Smoke for lateral in his flat work and over fence course work with steady hand pressure at Smoke’s girth area.

Kelly helps Sold Separately to turn by turning her head, shoulders and core. This signals him to turn supported by steady pressure on her inside leg. Reins are draped because he’s relaxed and paying attention to her signals. She can pick up the trot and switch directions without any confusion. He feels like he’s done the right thing.

Here’s one of our future hunter prospects. Shakira is getting her colt start going with flag work and confidence building questions being asked by Rachel; can you walk around the scary flapping things, back, listen? As you can see, with prior preparation she is accepting of the girth, the pad and is calm and relaxed.

Finn is a 2015 baby and at his size we need him to understand boundaries. Today he gets prepared with groundwork and close in work for backing as part of his mini-colt start. When to this point, Don can build on Finn’s positive memory of how he was started. Don keeps Finns’ focus on him and considers his reactions. Finn is positive and responsive to the whole situation with some prior preparation. With bareback pad and rope halter.

Finn is gaining an understanding of his future; at this tender age he will be worked on the ground in short sessions and turned back out with his group. Note that he is accepting and while he has yet to have any real developed ideas of what’s happening, he will, with this drama free start, stay in a learning frame of mind. Don will continue with him every 4 -6 months until he is 5.