Usually when working with horses that I'm not sure are broke, I like to "fake ride" them on the ground first. One hand over the withers so you can steer them, press a hand into their ribcage or a stick on the other side of them to make sure that they can move off leg, cluck to keep them forward, etc. Either they're confused and you go back to basics and teach them, or they're fine and they know what's up
Vyrynth be careful with that, ive done that before and 3 months in the owners took back their words and sold the horses for profit. Id make sure there is something written somewhere saying that :) be careful lol
IÂ’m hoping just to get them more comfortable with people. They have been pasture pets for a while but all are sound. My fiancés parents pretty much just gave them to me last night saying they all need to be worked with anyways. I told them I wanted to buy a horse and she said that all three of the horses on the property were mine to do whatever with. I just kind of have to start from ground zero.
Dae Will do! IÂ’m planning on getting a bareback pad for one of them since he doesnÂ’t seem to pick up cues very well. But all were ridden western with the mare being ridden English for a bit.
All three of them are skittish so IÂ’m going to start with groundwork and one of them was severely abused by a previous owners (covered in scars and has very specific triggers) who I am going to really just work with on her own terms.