12/30/2025
First Saddling vs First Ride
In my eyes, if you cant put on the saddle on your horse without holding the rope, they're not ready. The horse shouldn't be worried at all about what youre doing. In the video you can see she itches her knee while I fiddle around. Prep work is important to set the horse up for success. But! Even with all that groundwork, horses have instincts. On the first saddling, bucking is fine to me. Tells them that bucking won't remove it. Please make sure you use a fitting saddle!! Ive seen videos of horses getting that saddle off, you just made your job twice as hard.
After the first day they are not allowed to buck.
I'll also let them hang with the saddle in an area on their OWN, to figure it out themselves and just wear it. If the horse is mouthy I'll remove the stirrups. Horses have a tendency to forget theyre wearing it. So they'll try to buck occasionally. Let them get comfortable. Few hours at least!
On the first ride, It all depends on the horse. If theyre listening and calm, I'll get as far as I can. Walk trot and canter. If it takes a week to get the horse confident catering thats okay. Prep work helps set up a positive first ride with exercises of pulling the saddle around and having them carry weight and noises. Pool noodles, jackets, milk cartons. Things touching them like saddle strings. Get them okay with things moving!
I always start off in a bosal or rope halter, then introduce a bit around the 5th ride.
Ive never had a horse ive started buck on the first few rides.
This horse in the video reared me off on the 10th ride during a thunderstorm, my fault, she wasnt ready. She never did it again.
As humans we sometimes keep pushing because we see the horse improve, but not take a step back and remember theyre horses in the end.
This horse was 5-6 years ago, and Ive continued to learn year after year.
