05/31/2026
I’ve been waiting a while to scroll to a post about foundation to share here. Haven’t found it yet and I’m not great at writing. It’s been on my mind so I’m sending out a general reminder at how incredibly important your horses foundation is. I think it’s easy to say it, but not thoroughly understood when heard.
I strive to continue understanding it myself. I want to serve the horse well for the rest of its life, especially when I am the first one with hands on them at teaching the horse the first steps of its future role.
When you’re the first one to show the horse something new, you have a huge weight on your shoulders whether you realize it or not.
When I have a horse returned to me for more education after starting it, this is my time to listen. Pay attention to what that horse remembers, how it responds now. Only a few times have I been fortunate enough to receive this particular opportunity of reviewing myself. Thankfully, I have been pleased. The horse is often better than I left it.
When I work with horses of less educated start, it can be difficult working through what’s missed or shown to them incorrectly. These incorrect things stay with them when it was shown to them as their foundation. A popular issue, the horses nose isn’t connected to their feet. Or you allow your horse to drag behind you when leading. Etc etc . These foundation issues can come from anywhere when handling the horse, ground to under saddle.
I tried teaching myself how to swing & throw a rope before getting help from someone who knows how. Right there, I built an incorrect foundation for myself and now I always revert back to the self taught way before thinking it through to the proper way. So later in training if the horse learns a more proper way in the beginning, they’re less likely to have to go through a series of incorrect tries before getting it right.
This training thing is never ending learning. I find it very overwhelming and humbling.