Begin with the end in mind

Let’s talk about starting young horses. Notice that I say “starting” not “breaking.” I know most people don’t actually mean to “break” a youngster, but I prefer to use language that reflects the way I think---and to me those first training sessions represent the start of a relationship.

The trust you build with a horse early on will carry you through all the challenges you’ll encounter together in the future. Perhaps you’ll need to negotiate the slippery side of a hill when chasing a cow, or help to calm a problem horse on the trail, or do a complicated presentation