Franklin Levinson's
Horse Help Center
Professional support for you and your horse!
horse training: Young horse won't move after being started
I recently bought a two year old gelding. I just started him with no problem of putting on the saddle. Which I was amazed, then he took the bridle just fine. More amazement, he let me get on him with no problem. Then I found the problem he doesn't care at all he will just sit and won't move and I have read somewhere that you shouldn't kick or whip for a while or it will be a bad experience. So if you have anything I could do with this problem that would be grand.
Thanks again
Becca
Hi Becca,
Do you have a round pen? Did you do any ground play with the horse before putting the saddle on him and getting on him? Did you ground drive him? Have you trained him to lunge? Have you played any games on the ground with him? If you did not do any of these things before getting on him, that is why you are having this situation. It is most important to follow a few steps, one at a time, when starting a young horse. One thing builds on the previous step.
There are no real shortcuts to proper training. Horses learn best one step at a time. DO NOT START HITTING OR SPURRING THIS HORSE. Go back to the basics of good training and begin again. You left out a step or two and it sounds like going back would not be too much of a problem. Please let me know the answers to my questions.
Sincerely, Franklin