Working with an Untouched Yearling | Catching, Haltering and Teaching to Lead

In this video Colton works with an unhandled yearling filly.
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He walks you through his decisions and the moment to moment happenings of why he does certain things to help achieve the goal of getting this filly caught, haltered and start the process of her ground work and teaching her to lead. This video is unique as it is a cross between Colton needing to get the job done and also providing educational value to all watchers.
It was crucial to help this filly acquire these skills as soon as possible so that she can be integrated into our barn routine and our herd of horses. Certainly if we had separate pens, we could work with this young filly in shorter sessions, more frequently- however due to how this facility was designed, that luxury was not afforded. Fortunately though this young filly was very good minded and did a fantastic job during her first day of class!
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[@OneBrightLightTN]

This is exactly the kind of video I’ve been looking for. You showed what to do while doing it. It’s so frustrating watching a trainer show how to do something on a horse that’s already been trained to do that thing. Thank you for posting a truly helpful and educational video

[@simbadlemarin1815]

should check out the channel: coloradoreinsman

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

You’re very welcome!

[@user-ld2ee2bw2b]

Yep I agree, I bought a 16 month filly she is 2 now and ready to work with. And we are bonded but when it came to working on her bad leading habits all hec broke lose she wanted non of it and doesn't respect me. I put her in ber place so now she knows i will stand my ground, now we are at a stand still. I need help being better for her.

[@jw2933]

Just got a Percheron cross yearling that is severely afraid of people. I've worked with horses my whole life and this filly is really giving me a hard time. Found your video and will give your method a try. Thank you for this video!!

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

You’re very welcome

[@channingcocot5408]

What worked for you!? I roped my Percheron cross gelding and he still won’t let me touch him.

[@andrewasgeirsson349]

I’m impressed, you covered a lot of work in this session, and I learned a lot.

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Glad to hear you learned a lot Andrew! We’ve got some new videos we just shot this week of working with an untouched wild mustang that will be available soon

[@amandajojones13max]

I'm 10 years old and have been through another colt that had problems on its hooves since it was birthed and they had to put her down now we got another and we have had got luck except he got cut bad and I'm going to start now so this is perfect.

[@catherinedupre814]

She is a gorgeous filly... And I am wishing she was mine... But Awesome job

[@Rngrapes]

Great to see this process as I have a weanling colt that I’ve handled, but still needs to learn to lead.

[@lorenzowilliams2433]

Excellent video. You presented a tremendous mount of valuable aspects. One of which is you just want to get along and make a friend and just get the job done. Your patience is astute and soft. I liked the way help the filly come along. Thank you for sharing sir.

[@carolyancy1703]

Brilliant training. Thank you for showing us all the training. You help us understand and learn so our horses benefit from your teaching us.

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

You’re so welcome! And thank you foe the kind words. That’s absolutely my goal- to help as many people so they can better serve their horses and all those that interact with. Glad you found this video helpful!

[@joannasanderson6070]

Amazing work in such a short space of time. Learnt so much! Thank you.

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

You're very welcome!

[@4ponies_and_1horse62]

Thank you for the help!

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

You’re welcome!

[@stephaniestahl4189]

This is the best REAL video i've ever watched yet! Thank you so much - this was beyond a learning experience!! THANK YOU

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Thanks so much Stephanie! Glad you enjoyed it and you’re very welcome!

[@lisastevens8783]

thankyou so much. my friend and I are getting 5 x unhandled 2 yr old welsh cob colts from a Pet food supply place. Brenda is an experienced horse handler but I have not had a horse for 35 years and I want to help as want to keep 2 of them. I know Brenda will teach me but your videos will help me so much too. I want to get an connection with them forever.

[@jessrannachan]

Thank you so much!!

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

You’re very welcome!

[@jannaledford8375]

This was very helpful thank you especially for posting the while process much appreciated!

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Janna Ledford glad you found it helpful! You’re very welcome!

[@leonathompson5922]

Finally some “get the job done because I do not have all day, I have a 8-5 job” technique. Thank you super! I spent an entire week atleast 1 hour a day with my yearling just to try and halter her, but now I will try this technique just as you did.

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Hope this helped you with your horse Leona

[@mommalyze]

Do you have any videos of this same stage of training with a horse that is fearful and accustomed to bolting away from pressure?

[@conesillyvalley7182]

Young man did a good job!

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Thank you

[@feefee6889]

I’m working with two Un touched yearlings like this one. A girl and the other a boy. The girl I’ve already touched and played with but the boy is sooo stubborn and very skittish this video is going to help me a lot

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Just remember if they’re untouched they don’t know any better so the quality of stubbornness is not something you would find but rather a lack of understanding. The skittishness is his natural need for self preservation. Honor that and understand without that he couldn’t survive. Show him that you understand his need for this, once you do, and then show him that he doesn’t need to feel like he needs to survive but rather you’re there to help him. Intentionality and perception goes a long long way. These untouched horses are an amazing opportunity to learn from them and witness the real parts which exist deep down in horses. Best of luck on your journey

[@kimandersen7051]

Thank you for showing everyone you don't need a whip and letting the horse decide on the progress.

[@sirronmitt]

Watch more carefully. A rope hurts a lot more than swinging a string through the air and making a noise. After he bridles the horse what does he do with the other end of the lead rope? He uses it as one should use a whip. As little pressure as necessary and enough to get the job done. This horse has been handled a lot (although Mr. Woods admits that he suspects it but doesn't know). The stick and string, or worse yet, buggy whip is to keep a safe distance between the horse and trainer. Notice this horse made no attempt to charge, bite, or kick at the trainer. When you have one that does, one really appreciates the safe distance the stick or whip helps one maintain. It all depends upon the horse.

[@kimandersen7051]

@@sirronmitt honey I use nothing to touch the horse with. I use body language and it works every time. For I am and will always be the predator. That is horse whispering. I want a willing partner when I am done. I studied under Monty Roberts. try looking him up what can it hurt. you may like it. and get rid of the whip. just saying

[@ronradmer3573]

Just discovered you and I like your stuff. But in the this video, at minute 48, you send the filly to your right, and right when she does as you are asking her to do, you snatch her up. You do this several times. With babies, you need to use a halter with a long lunge line. So when they move off in the direction you are sending them to, you don't have to snatch them up. You can just let them go to the wall and relax for a second. Like Warwick Shiller says.. "Empty the worry cup", then start again. Sending them and then snatch them right away, and they start to look to be yanked on after doing the right thing. it makes them toss their head. I can send you a video and show you how we do it.

[@karenatha7890]

Yes. I keep being bugged by that. Counter productive.

[@jenniferrozell9074]

Seems like she was still stuck on yielding hindquarters and maybe why she wouldn't go forward, cause she kept facing up, but great info I just rescued a two yr old filly untouched so I'm looking forward to the challenge,she was also starved, so this will help cause I've never started one before...

[@ChristinaLoveletting]

Excellent video!! When do you usually start your yearlings with round pen and lunging work? I have a 2 year old filly but I don’t want to put any stress on her joints yet.

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

For us, we have two yearlings right now. They're about 18months old currently. We taught them to lead in a rudimentary fashion during their first month of life, then they were turned out until they were 11 months old. We of course checked on them in the field, rubbed on them a little bit, but other than that they were left to be horses. Due to our facility constraints at the time at 11 months they were 'weaned' or at least moved to a new field aware from the broodmares, the broodmares had weaned them a long while ago. At about 14months we did 1 additional week of handling where they were ponied, feet handled, trimmed and we did some ground work. At that time we didnt necessarily turn them loose in the round pen for round pen work exercises. As they approach the beginning of their two year old year we will bring them up a few times a week so they can get some more regular handling- leading to the barn, eating in stalls, and then we'll do some short 20-30 minute sessions with them. Regardless of age, I want them relaxed, focused, confident and taught how to separate what is important to respond to and what isnt. Personally, we dont spend a whole lot of time desensitizing. Rather we spend a lot of time confidence building with various experiences and we are very diligent to maintain the sensitivity in our horses. This is important because one of the biggest mistakes folks tend to make is they get their horses so 'quiet' or more like numb to stimuli that when it comes time to do effective ground work or start them under saddle the horses get very emotional because they've been taught to ignore stimuli and therefore when you go to ask them to actually move away and if you follow through with a tap they can get very upset. That being said, we will be doing some basic ground work in halter and lead to start with- this will help develop a connection and enable us the opportunity to achieve focus and relaxation more readily. After a few sessions where they start to understand 'hey its time to go to work' I'll start to turn them loose in the round pen and start our basic round pen exercise sequences. I wont be doing this to necessarily get them super fit but to teach them the concepts of traveling in the requested direction, how to change directions to the inside, how to change directions by turning into the fence, long reining without reins, developing some draw and overall looking to build their confidence and understanding so that when it is time for them to get started under saddle they have some basic understanding of some concepts that wont make the starting process like they have to learn everything at once. Keep in mind, these sessions dont have to be super physical. That doesnt mean a horse wont get sweaty due to emotions and that doesnt mean you may not have to pose some questions that require them to move in an athletic manner, but overall, these sessions can really be effective and not sacrifice your horse's health in anyway- physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually. In fact it should do the opposite. I'll post a video below of a session with our yearling colt. We've been videoing they education process so we can help other folks with their young horses as well! Hope this helps. First session with yearling colt: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWeqcmmNfNeJrbc

[@ChristinaLoveletting]

@@Coltonwoodshorsemanship Wow! First of all, thank you SO much for your prompt and detailed reply! Thank you for taking the time to explain this; it means a lot and says a lot about you! You’ve answered my question better than anyone ever has. Everything makes sense. :) Thank you for the video; I will study it. :)

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

You’re very welcome!

[@Kymcook73]

My baby horse is very sassy, and scared of everything. Thank you for teaching us. One question should I continue to make noise while approaching her side?

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Make sure you’re approaching the situation to build the horse’s confidence, understanding, willingness, trust. From moment to moment the horse may need different intentions from you: direction/support, a challenge so they can grow more confident.

[@heatherdarrow9535]

How can I work with an untouched horse that's more reactive? Just like your doing in this video but with more time?

[@truthsmiles]

Thank you so much for posting this. Very educational! We have two super friendly donkeys I can pet/brush everywhere and who love treats. I can even put some weight across their backs as I’m hugging on them, but they’re spooky about any kind of rope or halter. I’ve been associating the halters with treats which has helped get them not to run, and I think I’m close to getting a halter on, but every video I watch seems to involve this kind of round pen work and pressure/release to get them to accept halters. Is my approach with treats a bad idea? I don’t want to create problems or bad lessons for them. Being donkeys, I’m not sure whether to strictly follow “horse” methods or not. Do you have any advice for me? I’d eventually like them to be rideable if possible. Thank you again for a great video - I watched every minute!

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Whether it’s a horse, donkey, mules, zebra, etc the principles stay the same. The things that may change is the ‘what’ and ‘how’ based on the ‘why’ which serves the animal for who they are and what they could be. The difference oftentimes seen between horses and donkeys is not stubbornness on behalf of the donkey but rather, what is important to a horse can be even more important to the donkey. Perhaps you could say there is less middle ground because sometimes, and I say-sometimes, donkeys can be less forgiving and less willing to fill in for the human’s lack of knowledge, awareness, etc. where in the case or a horse, the horse would fill in and be more forgiving because it’s more in the horse’s nature. Treats are not bad. What is important is how they are incorporated. People oftentimes think it’s a way to make friends with an animal when in fact the best way to build a friendship with a horse, donkey, etc is to focus on building connection and the other building blocks of a true friendship. That doesn’t mean treats couldn’t be part of the process but they surely wouldn’t be all of the process. What we don’t want to do is use food as a crutch to where the animal then only sees you as a food source. If they only see you as the ‘treat girl’ when you have no treats then what do you have? But if you build connection, trust, understanding, etc that build a healthy relationship then you have a lot to lean on in times of uncertainty. As humans we have to be careful for what we manifest. Each animal is there own individual just as people. However we as people have a tendency to convey our own thoughts and feelings onto our animals therefore creating way more concern and problems than ever would have existed if we would’ve done one thing different. That thing to do different is: listen to the animal for where they are at mentally/physically/emotionally/spiritually and what they are saying and trying to convey. Put aside the human thoughts, feelings, emotions and just listen to the animal and try to learn about them. Doing this can enable us to gather critical information that’ll help us decide how we can proceed in their education to best serve the animal. Keep in mind foreign objects are foreign objects to an animal. They don’t know the difference between a halter, lead rope, brush or saddle. When we’re able to do one thing but not another we oftentimes need to look at 1) did the human do something that created a less than desirable habit associated with a particular piece of equipment (if so then we create a plan from there) 2) We need to check where our mind is at when we use a particular piece of tack. Just because a you grab a halter doesn’t mean you have to halter it. Before you can halter an animal or even saddle it you must first prepare the animal for that experience. The haltering or saddling itself is the end product of a particular training skill- the real value is in the steps leading up in preparing the horse for the ability to be haltered/saddled/caught/ridden, etc. Thanks for watching our videos and hope this reply helps you along your journey.

[@truthsmiles]

@@Coltonwoodshorsemanship Holy wow what an amazing response - thank you! I do think they genuinely like me and trust me (mostly). They do get treats sometimes, but maybe only 10-20% of the time they see me. Mostly they get scratches and brushing if the brush is nearby. So while there’s always a chance for a treat, I’d guess I’m more the “scratches boy” than the “treat boy”. In any case, I really appreciate the insights about donkeys “filling in” less for me and foreign objects just being foreign objects - that’s a very helpful perspective. I suppose the thing to do is simply put the time in to working with them. I’m very lucky that they’re curious, never try to bite me or kick me even when I pressure them away from something I don’t want them messing with. That being said, I’ve not put much REAL pressure on them like you did here. Thank you again so much for the long response. I’m quite sure I’ll refer back to it :)

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

“I suppose the thing to do is simply put the time in to working with them.” You’re exactly right.

[@melaniepitt4295]

Great rope skills! Shame nobody can do that this side of the pond. We just have to muddle through somehow.

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Not sure what side of the pond you are on ;) We're in Kentucky here!

[@kylievreeland9471]

Would you have any advice for doing this without a round pen? We don't have a round pen and I have 2 pony I need to start

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Hey Kylie, out of the whole session, she’s only loose for the first 7minutes. I get her caught at about 7min 6seconds. At this point it doesn’t matter what shape the pen is. The biggest benefit to a ‘round pen’ is the fact it doesn’t have corners where the horse can get stuck in mentally. The roundness of the shape always give the horse somewhere to go. You could certainly do all of this work without a round pen, one would just need to be more cognizant of a horse’s focus to help them make it through the corners if they existed in the work area. I’ve started many horses that had poor quality leading and ground work in large pens or open arenas. In those instances you’ll really want to get your ground work really solid while still letting the horse feel free to move out. Forward is one of the first things we need in addition to relaxation and focus. So round pen or no round pen we want to make sure those ingredients are of high quality in our recipe when educating our horse. We’ve got a series of ground work exercises available in our ground work playlist here on KZbin that could be helpful. Each exercise is broken down and explained. They are pivotal exercises when getting horses started. Hope this helps you and your ponies along your journey

[@kirsty4187]

Hello, my 3 yo warmblood started bucking like mad when I turned him out in a synthetic light saddle in the hope of him getting used to it unhindered from me. He is otherwise soft and easy to handle, lunge either way,catch etc. I have had him just 3 weeks and done 3 sessions without the saddle first, am I going too fast? If hes bucking? I have done desensitizing and lunging so far and he appears to handle/understand this fine, thank you, love your vids

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Hey Kristy, To answer your question, "Are you going too fast?" I would say probably not. What else horse's most is in depth preparation. One of the best ways we can prepare our horses is with consistency. 3 Sessions in 3 weeks may be fine if a horse was prepared, but if the horse is not prepared then 3 sessions in 3 weeks may be far less than what the horse may need to be ready for a good experience when being saddled. When preparing my horses for saddling, I want to understand what kind of horse they are & how they think/react to things when they get worried. Some run (flight instinct), some kick/strike etc (fight) and some freeze. I personally dont get worried when horses buck the first day or two with a saddle. I'd rather them not, but I understand if they do because they've never worn one before and if has to feel extremely foreign plus it sits right where a predator may attack. Horses that have a tendency to slow down when they get worried are sometimes more apt to buck- with those types of horses I want to help them understand that they can feel better by moving their feet and relaxing their body. I do this in my ground work in a halter as well as with them loose in the round pen before I ever saddle them. One can also use a rope around their belly to help prepare them for the feeling of a girth while moving. Based on what you shared though, Im less concerned about the horse bucking than am I am perhaps the lack of consistency that the horse may benefit from in this preparation process. Hope this helps and best of luck on your journey! Also you can check out our video on Bringing A Horse Back Into Work as that covers some very similar exercises I do in my colt starting program.

[@kirsty4187]

@@Coltonwoodshorsemanship thank you, very helpful! He definitely freezes, you can see he never relaxes properly when desensitizing he just looks stiff and frozen somewhat, barely blinks, neck high but doesnt run off or anything. I will check out your video now, thanks x

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

@@kirsty4187 With a horse like this we definitely want to follow through with helping them find that full release and relaxation. This may start with them standing still but also needs to be carried over when they are moving their feet. Sometimes that means continuing the exercises as they process until they relax and allowing them to continue in a relax state of mind for a bit before stopping. We are really developing their mental thought process and within that we want to encourage focus, relaxation, presence, etc.

[@kirsty4187]

@@Coltonwoodshorsemanship thank you, I agree, I will watch your bringing a horse back into work one, and any others you have, I'm wondering how to carry it over when their moving too, the rope around the belly and release when they stop bucking seems a good one definitely, do you think that's the best one for getting them used to the girth?x

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

@@kirsty4187 Teaching a horse to soften to pressure is a mindset. I will utilize exercises such as a belly rope, teaching them to lead by their feet, working on quality ground work and more to help the horse develop the understanding that when they feel pressure (mental & physical pressure) it is not there to harm them but rather it is an opportunity for them to develop greater confidence and understanding in what is happening. Theres constant internal dialogue between me and my horses during the sessions. I definitely think the belly rope can be helpful for sure. That is an exercise that at the very moment we dont have filmed but should very soon.

[@PLP-DIY]

What kind of rope are you using and what’s the best for catching a horse

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

This is a 60ft Soft Nylon 5/16th rope. The softness of it makes it ideal for roping horses and calves that have softer hides so they don’t get rubbed or burnt by it.

[@MaxNafeHorsemanship]

I owned a few and just worked with a gelding that would bite his owner. The Appy is one of the few breeds that I think has a certain "personality". They can be super calm, but they can also be stubborn and don't like to be told what to do. The risk of her biting you is quite real. I have to disagree with something you said. You CAN catch a horse that doesn't want to be caught. More correctly, you teach it to be caught. It can take me up to 45 minutes on 60 acres, but the next day it will only take 5.

[@ornery75]

My filly likes to lift its nose up and tries to prevent me from slipping the halter over its nose. I haven't even tried a bridle as it is only a yearling. But, I would like to know how to get her to stop lifting her head and being fussy about having a halter put on. Once I have it on she is golden with being led and being worked with.

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Put 1 halter on her. Then have another in your hand. Use the one on her to help show her where you want her head as you just practice putting the second one on.

[@kerriemert7263]

Doing good. She is a cutie. I wish you would have changed direction the way you were holding the flag and lead rope though. Just the way I have done it anyway. I wanted to hop in and had you change that ... lol

[@rogerdrennan6988]

Go to the shoulder first with the back of the right hand then off side left hand a couple of firm strokes work out from there don’t stand close in close in front . Get halter on .get control of her and on with job. She will get on enjoying learning instead of getting pissed off with you and did l just see you push her head away within a second of making her face up . Creating confusion and frustration is what you’re being good at.

[@pamelacrumpton8241]

I have been working with an almost 3 year old gelding. When he came here he was allowing us to put the halter on but the past few days he is not letting us get his hater on and swings his butt toward us and acts like he wants to kick us. At this point I need to get the halter on and will leave it on to get him since he is in my front yard a smaller area. How do we get him comfortable again. We just moved our mares to another pen and this is where all his attitude started. I dont want to put him out with the girls if he wont let us catch him now. Do you have any advice for us? This horse is my 13 year olds project.

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Hey Pamela, I am right there with you with removing the mares to a separate paddock. That in itself, after a few days, may be enough to simmer him down a bit. Sometimes even the geldings get to thinking they’re hot stuff haha after being turned out with a group of mares. When I enter the field or even a stall whether it’s with a single horse or a herd of horses, I approach it like I’m the equalizer in the herd. While I’m there, there’s an expected level of calmness, attentiveness and balanced emotions. Now this takes time and most importantly consistency. When you go to catch your gelding it’s more about getting him ready to be caught than it is about actually catching him. By that I mean if he’s in a bit of a cocky attitude, he’s not ready. If he’s nervous or scared, he’s not ready. If a horse is offering to kick out with the hinds, most of the time it’s a defensive behavior. In that moment I think to myself and communicate to them- just move your feet (flight instinct). Showing them they can flee versus have to get defensive can help them by tapping into their natural wiring and further get them more relaxed. The fastest way to not catch a horse is to try to catch a horse that isn’t ready. Being in a calm, peaceful, no rush state of mind can really set the energy for getting them ready to be caught. And keep in mind getting all this worked out before just catching them sets up the process of the horse getting caught on a regular basis much safer and enjoyable. Because even if he had a halter on and was acting a fool I still wouldn’t catch him til he was in the right frame of mind. Why? Because for horses to be that close to me they need to be in a good frame of mind otherwise I’m liable to get hurt. Once he gets his feet loosened up and isn’t running up too you with a lot of boisterous energy that could have some bossiness behind it, then I’d be more comfortable starting to draw him in and invite him toward you. But I wouldn’t be inviting on to me until they were willing to move away in a good frame of mind or at the very least we’re not in a mental place that could get dangerous when we’re in closer quarters together.

[@4271Dreamer]

Can you define the basic technique of approach and retreat?

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Hey Bethany approach and retreat can be (in a very basic sense) a pressure and release technique. How we would utilize this would depend upon what we are trying to achieve with our horse. The approach can be done to apply pressure and redirect a horse or it could be done in a way for example to help a horse become more accepting of human interaction. *A lot depends on HOW we do what we are doing*. Going off of that the retreat could in one moment be a release of pressure to let the horse know they did what we’d like them to or in another instance we may retreat when we notice a horse is becoming too stressed and we need to reduce the pressure they are feeling by recognizing that they are becoming too stressed to learn therefore our action is to retreat/decrease that pressure.

[@4271Dreamer]

@@Coltonwoodshorsemanship thank you so much!

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

You’re very welcome!

[@elisehermann6094]

I could use some advice on my 10 month old weanling. I've had her for 2.5 weeks and I would call her semi-feral (being a little dramatic). She was dropped off in a halter and I still can't get it off. I could probably get it off with a big fight but I don't want to do that. She's quite bold and will come right up to you (usually face to face) and will engage and hang out, but the SECOND I have an intention she leaves. She can walk up to me. I can't walk up to her. It has to be on her terms. The more I ignore her the more she wants to hang. Disclaimer: I'm not picking up any fear vibes. I pay close attention to subtle worry signs in their face and body, and I see none of that. It's almost like a lil kid playing a game with me "too bad you can't catch me!' I also can't rope her so that's out in this example video. She's currently in a paddock alone but she doe have horsey neighbors. I would like to turn her out in a big pasture to burn off some steam and learn herd dynamics but I would have to be able to lead her for that. She will also need trims and other care here soon... Advice?

[@johncriswell1106]

If you retreat every time the horse approaches you, does that not say to an aggressive horse, it has successfully intimidated you into staying away?

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Not necessarily. It would depend on the nuisances of the moment- intention, energy, feelings, etc. With an aggressive horse I would be focused on recognizing when and what causes a horse to enter that state of mind, acknowledging to the horse you see their effort to communicate and then redirecting that horse’s aggressive thought to a more enjoyable state of mind. Oftentimes horses can become ‘aggressive’ or seemingly so because humans have missed the horse’s constant effort to communicate with them. This can be overwhelmingly frustrating for the horse so the horse escalate their expressions and actions to a level that the human can take notice- oftentimes then the horse is looked at as aggressive. Sometimes by simply acknowledging and letting the horse know you recognize their feelings of being upset, frustrated, etc then providing direction/guidance that’ll help them feel better can make great internal changes within a horse. It’s not just the moving away or moving towards- it’s the mindset, the state of how one is existing in the moment which really influences what we and our horses will learn in those moments.

[@ericbuckridge7155]

I just bought me a 9 month old filly untouched 2 weeks ago spent an hr everyday an still won't let me touch her any advise

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

I’d spend time mainly working on building the filly’s curiosity and focus. I’d do that be directing her when she got unfocused, take the pressure off when she does focus, and even create distance from her as her curiosity builds to develop draw. I wouldn’t mentally be focused on touching her- rather I’d let that be the end result from building focus & curiosity.

[@ericbuckridge7155]

Shes pretty focus on me she never takes her eyes off me she turns an face me when I stop doing what ever in doing with her ..i just want to knw how long it will take first baby horse im working with..normally I get 2 yr Olds thats already halter broke but mama wanted a baby so yea.

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Eric what kind of area are you working with her in?

[@ericbuckridge7155]

My 50ft round pen

[@delaneygrace3569]

I have some questions regarding a horse I just bought! Get back to me when you can :)

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Congrats on your new horse! Happy to answer your questions, best place to post them is in our Facebook community group here :) facebook.com/groups/coltonwoodshorsemanship/?ref=share

[@relaxandbreathe5047]

I am so scared to do this with my baby horse because he is wild because his owner left him:(

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

There’s many of ways to get a horse able to be caught, some of which wouldn’t involve roping one for those that aren’t comfortable or able to do so. Horses of any age need leadership, guidance, companionship, clarity in communication as well as understanding more than they need sympathy from the human. We can work with them from an internal place of understanding their life may not have met their most basic needs up to this point, but the past is the past and what needs to be focused on is progressing forward.

[@constantconfusion4199]

All I want for my 13th birthday is a yearling horse, I dont care the breed, gender, or colour. Just a yearling horse that me and my family can train and ride. I don't think I will get it, but thats all I want. We used to ride, but once my little brothers were born my parents started to need to take care of them. We havent ridden scince. Our horses are old now, our oldest is 28 and our youngest (who was never ridden, we had 4 horses, 2 passed of old age) 25. I love horses and wish I had one I could ride. we have 5 acres and 3 of that belongs to our 2 horses. All I want is a yearling.... 😔 I hope I can get one!

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Hey Shrimpy, Having a young horse can be a wonderful experience for sure! One thing people don’t realize though is once they know the basics: leading, picking feet up, trailer loading, how to tie, some basic ground work- the best thing we can do it turn them out and let them grow up. So many people over handle their yearlings because they’re so fun to be around and don’t realize the trouble they’ll have later when they go to start them under saddle. If you really want to get a young horse- perhaps you could ask for lessons from a local professional who can give you riding lessons so you can have fun and get back to riding but also get ground work lessons that’ll teach you the skills for when you get your first yearling! Hope you have a wonderful birthday!

[@Dylan-ez5qx]

do you do horses for a living?

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Hey Dylan, we do train horses for other people as well as travel teaching clinics all around the world!

[@Dylan-ez5qx]

@@Coltonwoodshorsemanship oh wow!! awesome!

[@KaryAlariceMinuette]

@@Coltonwoodshorsemanship Ever planning on traveling to Peru?

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

@@KaryAlariceMinuette cant say its in the plans, but would love for it to be! Be amazing to see that part of the world :)

[@kenkarentwo9946]

maybe you concentrate on the horse completely, you slow down, you lower your hands, you slow your hands and the your body - unless you are in a huge hurry to make this take twice as long or more - ie: catching her foot, making her rear, making her throw her head.... slow down, lower your heart rate, lower your voice, lower your hands - and wow! shazam! all the great results in 1/4 of the time and she'll love you in the end. you can always voice over what you are doing as your are doing it on the video - just makes me sweat for both of you - easy peasy win the gold. Too much confusion for one so young.

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

“Too much confusion for one so young”- I would disagree. Training horses for ones self is one thing, training horses for other people is a whole different scenario and add in doing your best to educate the public on all the nuisances which influence particular movements- yeah there’s a lot going on. However it’s always 1 thing at a time no matter the moment. Folks like to live in a fantasy land about horsemanship yet the gold of horsemanship is built in practicality that serves the horse and human. This session was long but it was smooth and slow. A horse that had never been caught to leading softly, willingly and was in a mindset where we could safely manage her in a domesticated environment. I’ll take that every day.

[@chrisusher7144]

Do join up . And then gentle it rope her and put a halter and leave on with a baby thin short rope .then put her in a pdduct she's to new go show not goin to watch cuz it will up set me if you ouch and scare her .so good luck I teach yearlings all they need from 7 months old I have two mustangs and had a arib cross too . Good luck

[@metalkingtohorses]

is that a 60 ft and pen?

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Believe it was closer to 55ft in diameter

[@stevecollins5242]

Tell me why you don't like Apps .

[@veronicacarey7925]

I don't understand who breeds a horse and doesn't halter break the foal? Not even "break" -- just put a foal halter on her and start at day one. Or maybe it was pasture bred and totally ignored except for extra feed? "

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

I’m not sure of the entire situation that this filly was raised in nor am I sure why they didn’t handle her. Having had to retrain many horses, sometimes it’s best if they are not messed with to begin with. However there are certainly positive was to work with foals from an early age. With young horses, quality is certainly important and they really don’t need a whole lot of handling. They need to be allowed to grow up in a strong herd environment outside. We will usually handling our foals a little the first few weeks then leave them alone to grow up. This year we haven’t had time so we’ll be teaching them the basics upon weaning. It still works great for us and the horses, however if something were to happen per se an injury before they were halter broke we have a set up and the knowledge and skills to still be able to help those horses. Most don’t and that’s does make it important that the teach those horses the skills they need early on in life so they are prepared.

[@metalkingtohorses]

I've seen super broke lesson horses in pasture run from the students when its lesson time , I used to watch em chase the horse around for 20 minutes laughing my ass off at them

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Being a lesson horse is no easy job. Definitely think it’s important that in someway we find a way to help them enjoy their jobs no matter how difficult. Sometimes spending some time educating the students can make a drastic difference for the horse’s happiness and the students long term success

[@metalkingtohorses]

@@Coltonwoodshorsemanship my mare was a lesson horse, since she's been mine she's a queen .best mare in the world.

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Can’t beat a great mare!

[@mikewhy6539]

In these "super broke lessons", do you wonder what is actually broken ? It's very easy to have an animal obey us and we can demand anything.

[@miricllz]

mines unhandled but she’s crazy as heck-

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

“When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.” -W.D. The same goes for how we label our horses. I’d really try to understand why a horse feels the way they do, thinks the way they do, and does what they do so we can adapt to serve their needs the best we can.

[@miricllz]

@@Coltonwoodshorsemanship thank you for your advice Mr.woods

[@CTstouchhorsesdogs]

I want to make friends with my horse but we are going to do things on my terms when i say when, not when the colt decides

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Discipline abs structure is good. There’s a give and take to any healthy relationship, especially early in a horse’s education.

[@GerryCoxHorsemanship]

You're pretty handy!! When ya get old and fat like me you'll be building a smaller round pen!!! ahahah

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Haha thanks Gerry! You’re absolutely right- when we get a place of our own we’ll definitely be setting up a smaller round pen! That one is 60ft and a man sure can get a workout in that sand 🤣

[@KimpawsibleCattery]

While you're trying to get her to move to your right, you've got the lead in your left hand so of course she's not moving off to the right....CHANGE HANDS when you want her to move off to the other side, and put the flag in your LEFT hand. Otherwise this was good, she was VERY good considering how long this went for a first session. By the end, she stood for handling, removing halter and was calm. Thank you for video.

[@ruqyahservices5369]

Maybe you should try buying her a drink first ?.. =P

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Think she’s a little young for that ;) haha

[@laller47]

Nem rossz, de a lovakhoz több türelem kellene és nem betörni hanem megszelídíteni kellene, hogy a barátod legyen és ne a rabszolgád ahogy az indiánok is csinálták anno!

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Lots of patience here my friend. Oftentimes the best thing we can do for our horses is step up and help them when they need it rather than let things drag on with uncertainty.

[@kidstuff44555]

All of this is great, but way too long for an unhandled barely 1 yo filly, on her first day arriving in a new place. 20 minutes is about their attention span at this age, if you had have stopped there and picked it up the next day, she wouldn't have begun to get antsy and rear etc. Break this session up into 3 sessions, she would have been less stressed and learned more.

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

I definitely wish we were in a position to have been able to stop at about the 30 minute mark- she was doing so so good. In the description and in the video, I addressed this exact point. Oftentimes when training horses for other people there are times where we are in a position of needing to get the job done to a certain degree. This was one of them as we were not able to leave this filly in the round pen due to facility arrangements. Therefore we needed to go the distance and get this filly not just operating in the lariat rope but also in the halter as well. The rearing started because of a natural physical resistance to feeling the rope across her nose not because the session was too long. Within a matter of minutes she found the answer with consistency and did great!

[@kidstuff44555]

@@Coltonwoodshorsemanship Thanks for replying, I do understand that sometimes things need to get done for reasons besides what is optimal to the horse. The good thing is horses are adaptable

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

You’re welcome! Very thankful to the horse that they are so willing to adapt. Us humans could learn a lot from that trait :)

[@kimporter4134]

Wouldn't it be better to "walk the horse down"? That is, nothing on the horse, just let her free in the area. Keep walking toward her, stop when she stops. And stop when she runs then keep walking toward her until she "gives" and won't walk away from you anymore. Then reward her, to show her nothing bad will happen.

[@SephirothWaifu]

Ugh, if we have established that this yearling is FEMALE then why do we switch from "it" and THING to then she?? I enjoy equine training but...holy hell, she is a SHE lol. A living being just like us.

[@norahitchcock5890]

Why are you calling her a it or this? Go slow and don’t mess the horse up.

[@davecollins9824]

Foul starting video has WAY to much babble and not enough DO ....FYI waste of time

[@Miauwies]

"this thing" "it" ??? You talk about the filly like she is an object...

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

One could imply as you are that those references are done so in a negative way but that would also require one to assume that the speaker, myself in this case, does not respect, value or care for objects and therefore would feel and treat this filly the same. We all know what assuming does and the video is proof there is empathy, compassion and a desire to help the filly gain the skills she needs to have the best life possible. It’s important as horsemen and women that we hone our perspective- we find what we are looking forward. If we want value we will find value. If we want something to get us upset we’ll find drama and things to be offended about. If we want positivity we’ll find positivity. Judgement doesn’t hold the one being judged back, it only holds the one doing the judging back.

[@mikewhy6539]

NO, the goal is not "to get the job done", the goal is to create a respectful and trustworthy relationship. If the owner has to wait a few more months, then she'll wait. And the real "job" is to teach the so-called "owner" that loving an animal is giving him or her the right to say no. When you love a person (a horse has a personality and therefore is a person), you don't say you "own" this person do you ? The horse doesn't care about tight schedule and she has as much right as you to freely enjoy Earth, especially in a so-called "free country". So now that you have decided that this free horse will be "owned" like a car by a human being, you've taken on a huge responsibility and you're accountable for nature to make sure this horse natural needs, such as spending as much time as necessary with her mum, will ALWAYS be met. Make sure you clearly explain this responsibility when you will pass it on to the "owner" of who she probably sees as another toy. Keep in mind, horses have been around for 50 millions years and we only started to bother them about 5000 years ago. Our specie is far less mature than theirs, we're only about 7 millions years of evolution. This means horses will always be a lot wiser than us. I suggest you do much shorter "trainings" and in your spare time, you go read a little bit about the concept of neoteny. And maybe one day, you'll love horses. BTW : Talibans also say they "own" their wives because they don't allow them to say no.

[@Coltonwoodshorsemanship]

Mike: “A horse has a personality therefore it is a person.” No Mike, the animal is biologically a horse. There is no fluidity in species. A horse is a horse. A human is a human. We each have individual characteristics and DNA which make us unique and never the same. And by the way, you just make the correlation that I am the equivalent to those in the Taliban. That’s easy to say when you’re in your safe zone behind your computer. Your comment clearly shows you have no idea who I am as a man and two you’re living your life through an extremely judge mental lens of weakness and woke ideologies. I wish you nothing but the best. I’m thankful you still have the right and freedom to express your opinions and I hope you either find someone who you can resonate with better or if you choose to continue watching my content that you do so with an open mind and take things for what they are.

[@charlesriley4862]

Too much talk