Smart Start: Building a Strong Foundation for Your Horse

Smart Start: Building a Strong Foundation for Your Horse

Whether you want to build a solid foundation in your young horse or refresh an older horse's manners, this colt-starting program, featuring “emotional training,” is for you. It's based on techniques Stacy Westfall used to win the prestigious Road to the Horse colt-starting competition in 2006. <br /><br />Stacy Westfall shows you how to introduce pressure to a horse in a safe environment so he'll be able to control his fear in the real world, thus building his and your confidence, and making him a safer partner. <br /><br />In Smart Start, you'll learn how to: <br /><br />• Read your horse's body language to establish the communication necessary for safety and basic control <br />• Establish respect and build trust <br />• Develop responsiveness and self-confidence in your horse <br />• Gain independent control of his head, shoulders, and hips, which will increase your safety and ability to direct his movement both on the ground and under saddle <br />• Establish forward motion — the key to control when you mount up <br />• Use verbal cues <br />• Despook your horse