09/07/2025
First 30 rides on Preston or DS Impulsive Lad.
I figured I would share what Preston’s jouney was like as an example of my work. Preston is personally owned by me and had already completed his groundwork prior to starting him under saddle. Since he is trainer owned his 30 rides took a little longer, spanning over about two months.
Ride 1 went smoothly and we just walk trotted.
Ride 2 we learned to lope. Most notably he was doing some little bucks and got the saddle to stick upright, but due to his amazing personality he just stoped and waited for me to get off and fix it, then rode right off.
Ride 12 was his first ride off property and we had some nerves to work through but pulled it together beautifully for ride 13 which was our first show. Unfortunately I did not get a video of this.
Ride 19 caught his first simple lead change ever on camera.
Ride 21 due to it being unbearably windy during the day for multiple days I rode at dark for the first time with my phone as the only light. He didn’t even look at the crazy shadows. I also took him bridleless for the first time, even loping in the dark and he did great.
In between ride 21 my next videos Preston injured his hind leg and had to be out for two weeks. And he came back into work with zero funny business.
Ride 26 first ride at this show grounds and there were other horses in the ring with him while he worked without a bridle.
Rides 27 & 28 he showed and did awesome, he was in a couple classes with close to 20 horses and never batted an eye.
He is now enjoying a break but I have hoped on him once to ride him ba****ck and with a halter back to his pen and he rode like an old broke horse.
Preston has an amazing personality but any horse can break out like this with the right training and trainer. Please consider sending me both your weanlings/ yearlings and other young horses to put the ground work on or start under saddle.
Last thing, last fall I listed and Preston and got very few interested parties however I could not be more grateful as It would take a decent chunk of change for me to sell him now.
