Anderson Horses

All Colts are started with ground driving. They must guide left and right, stop, and back before I step up in the saddle.

This horse has accepted the saddle blanket, saddle, halter, bridle, and willfully guides with face pressure. If the horse has not accepted these things, he will not accept the rider. Now with this training done the horse is now ready to accept the rider. Notice I do not run the reins through the stirrups. The reason is I want the horse to get accustomed to the reins touching them all over. To get a horse truly broke they should respond to the reins whereever they are, even if they are between their legs.

I develop a soft, supple, and correct foundation that is needed no matter what event the horse will compete in.

Right from the beginning I teach the horse to be soft and light to my legs and hands. Everything from the beginning to the finished show horse will be done by building on this soft foundation.

Training a Solid Foundation Required for Any Discipline

The lateral flexation in picture #2 progresses to vertical flexation in picture #3. In this picture the horse is collected in the face on a soft rein and driving forward from the rear. From this position I ask for lateral body movement, upward and downward transitions, stop, and back.

Lateral movement is required for a horse to become "handy".

Lateral movement is when all or part of the horse moves to the side. Here this horse is soft to the riders hands and legs. Notice the slight curve in the left rein, the left leg off the horse and the right leg against the horse. With these light cues, this horse is stepping across with the right foot.

Colts are taught to guide with light bit and leg contact.

I want a horse to lope with light leg contact driving them forward and allowing me to control the ribs and sholders keeping the dorsal line always pointing where we are going. Anytime I quit driving forward with my legs I expect the horse to stop without pulling on his face. When I pick up the reins the face should feel soft and willfully guiding with light contact.

I expect a more advanced horse to stay soft through transotions.

As the horse's training progresses I add upward and downward transitions while staying soft to my hands and legs. The horse in this picture is ready to transition up or down.

Stopping on a soft rein is important.

If the horse does not stop soft in the face, they will jam their front feet into the ground when stopping, be sluggish in rollbacks and drag their feet when backing.

Backing is important to develope other maneuvers.

Teaching a horse to back with soft rein and leg pressure will help to build muscles required for other maneuvers like lead changes, roll backs, and stopping

 As these basic techniques are built upon and advanced like stair steps the end result is a finished reining horse. 

Contact Tim Anderson to get foundation training on your colts the right way and to train your reiners.

Check out the recent winners on the Showing page.

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