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Hey Fred, have you started any training with them yet, even basic stuff like getting them used to the harnesses and such? Sacking them out and such? Not sure if you do that with them or not. Not sure what age you start them. How old will they be the first time you work them?

Billy, first up is gettin them to trust ya, not much different then raisin a kid. Around a yr & 1/2 before doing anything harness wise--now it's just silly stuff , like pushing your shoulder into them--makin sure they walk behind ya, not over ya. This weeks venture will be gettin halters on them--point is, if ya screw up at this stage--they'll never forget. Again--TRUST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When they hit 2--I'll hook one at a time with an older, experienced horse for some light work & gradually work up to plowing, etc.

Wow. Year and a half. That’s a long time to wait compared to working dogs. I bet it’s hard to wait at times. For me it would, but I totally get that trust thing. Screw that up and all bets are off...even working dogs. Not so much that a dog won’t trust you to treat them well...that is all part of it too, but in advanced training they have to learn to trust your directions to lead them to the duck on a blind retrieve. It builds their confidence and trust in the handler...that’s when the team starts working well together.

That makes sense to let an older horse help teach them. I do the same when I am working a young duck dog. Teaches the young ones patience and steadiness, and to be quiet.

I imagine you have your own way of doing things and everything flows easily and links to the next step in training, so ya’ ain’t workin’ bass ackwards.

How long you been working with horses, Fred?

Started with my Grandpop around 16. Worked with hunter jumper, ropin, did some bronc ridin WAY back--when I bounced better, polo--pretty much the whole gambit--worked some flat tracks (thoroughbred racin horses)--never cared much for jugheads (trotters/pacers) That about wraps up my 76 yrs!!!! LOL Always involved with draft horses.

[quoteAlways involved with draft horses.][/quote]

Sort of like Harleys.......

Kevin

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I will check out their website.