Most people don't have a round pen and a lot don;t even have access to one. In the real world, people need to know how to work without one.

unless the horse is halter broke it doesn't matter where you do the ground work.

but he is a morgan stallion so there pretty good

ANOTHER 10 IAN THANKS

THANKS IAN, I ENJOY ALL YOUR VIDEOS

Very helpful. Did you put something sweet on that?

just come back to this, 4 years later and another youngster in my care. Such a good vid, so grateful, thank you again!! I'll remember, back of the hand, scratch scratch scratch, and back off completly!

I know this video is almost a decade old, but I had to sing some praises. I’ve been around horses most of my life, but I’ve never raised one. I’ve watched I don’t know how many videos trying to learn how to start my colt with just some basic ground work and manners. Maybe make my trainer’s life a bit easier when the time comes. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING I’ve watched just led to my colt and I being confused and frustrated. Every technique I tried always felt like I was skipping a step. Or, it was some hippie dippie crap like “send your horse positive brainwaves and they’ll start doing whatever blah blah..Just, thank you for breaking down the “first step” into even smaller steps. And I’m sure if my yearling, Despereaux, had thumbs, he’d send his thanks too!

I have a big yearling colt that continally tries to throw his head into you the moment you try to control him while leading. What to do for this?

I have 15-18 year old horse and I’d love to teach her this. I do have a question tho if this is taught differently on an old horse? Or does the same technique work?

Nice video. My horse is not moving the front legs. He will disengage but refuses to move front leg. I tried flag and spining rope......but what you do with the hands up seems to be the answer....

That’s why I love your videos your a real straight shooter!

Exactly right Ian I remember those days and we were always taught that way, knee in the shoulder and a handful of main and you had both hands on the horse at all times, plus it’s better on their back

What do you mean by "hard feed"? It's not a term I've heard up here in Canada.

Where can I find the full videos to this?

great little video on starting beginning right from the start lol :-) Horsemanship is a way of life, a way of being, which I reckon I am continuously learning. The right balance of everything. What a master of teaching our horses are!! I will never get tired of it and fear my body will give out before I do. Thanks Ian

Thanks Ian.

This is a interesting video. You make a lot of sense, Ian . Thanks . A subject that needs more education, by horseman like yourself, with real experience under their belt. I had a similar issue being told my halfbreed was no good, and the saddle fitter trying to sell me an English. Could you elaborate further in more detail, please, in another video, part 2 maybe.

Thank you Ian, another excellent lesson...

Look in the description for a link to the whole series.

Hi Ian, just wanted to say I enjoy your videos, very much. Missing some new videos. Happy New Year.

Holy fuck this is the exact video I needed. My horse can’t lunge because he was never started properly and I’ve never seen someone post a video using a horse that hasn’t been trained

Great lesson!study this one folks! Thanks Ian

Really good instruction. Thank you.

definitely trying this with my 2yr old. I've been having difficulties with teaching her to lung.

Excellent advice. Thanks.

I have a new 4 year old who’s been driven and had horrible spikes on his hooves to pick his feet up better when driven , I rescued him and he will not let me pick his front feet up , he has no shoes on but I desperately need to pick his feet up to give them a clean as I don’t want him getting thrush or worse he strikes every time I try to pick them up and I try for hours and in the end he gets angry , I really don’t know what to do , any ideas ?

When you say release, do you mean letting the lead go slack for a moment, or releasing just a bit of the pressure? How loose should the rope become?

For the first time wearing a bit why didn’t this horse mouth the bit? Would you have expected him to chew and play with the bit more? Just curious

My horse isn’t a colt, but what should I do if she doesn’t give to pressure?

Very nice exercises with the flag. Good job mate.

I’m going to try this tomorrow. My geldings are impossible where catching goes. My fault for spoiling them. I am on pain management and was on meds for several years that made me a zombie. The weather is warming up, my brain fog is gone and now my horses and myself need to get back to work. I want them to be as happy to see me as I am to see them.

*What about though if the horse you’re working with is wild? You can’t even get close enough to him/her to touch them? And your New horse is running away from you, pulling the rope out of your hands (giving you rope burn), or dragging you everywhere?? I’m pretty sure that you’ll NEED a round pen then; or a 8 sided pen!*

Fantastic - my gelding is a lot like yours so this is really useful - especially backing up thank you from

So simple and SO important, thank you Ian ...

LOL. nice job

Nice job you two were dancing. He's so relaxed and attentive.

Thank you, Ian. I've gone back to a bit from a hackamore and, despte the double-jointed number with a lozenge, my sensitive girl gapes when at rest and dislikes even a gentle pick-up on the reins. I came to the conclusion that neither the single jointed nor the 'kinder' double jointed snaffle was comfortable for my talented pony. A Pee Wee bit is on the way as I write.

Thank you from horses everywhere!

I wish I had known this when I first had Archie. I could lunge him in the park, but when we hit canter, he took off and I had no chance to hold him. Thankfully he just ran home. Just shortening the rope and getting him settled seems to let him drop his head and trot out so nicely, we even get a nice canter now. That shorter rope is magic!

Where are you based? 😊

Love your methods!

Can you explain what you mean by disunited please. Thank you

I love how black n white uncomplicated your training is.

Great stuff Ian, I love your work, it’s so sensible, Australian and down to earth .... thank you again x

Hear hear to all the above, thanks Ian ....

Lovely Ian, thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge ...

Thank you Ian, that’s awesome, I love that you see those kick outs as playful, and not malicious. My educated and talented gelding often kicks out once after a big break, and I always felt it was exuberance and he even squeals .. I got a lot from that lesson thank you..

Sound advice. You're a fine horseman.

I'll try this out, I'm a bit weary of his back feet now since he kicked my leg and pulled. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.