We designed the Young Horse Development Program to be a bit different from our traditional 90 day start.

This program is designed more like the grades in school for a child. They must "graduate" kindergarten before moving on to more advanced grades. Horses training is much the same way.

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In our experiences, young horses like weanlings and yearlings are that much more advanced by the time they get under saddle if they progress through a proper groundwork program that is done correctly. Much of the skills they learn at that stage transition over to under saddle work well, and allow the horse to progress through a 60 or 90 day under saddle period with ease. 

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That does not mean horses in our 90 day program that did not receive this program don't get our focus. They do accomplish the same groundwork exercises, however, due to the timeline that gets placed there, their groundwork ends up much more compressed and less refined as we have lots to accomplish under saddle in that time span too. In this program, its less focus on the timeline and more focus on refinement of the groundwork exercises so that by the time the horse is 2 or 3 and ready to be under saddle, the first rides are a breeze. Check out any video clips of WH Midnight Traveler for examples. 

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So what does this program entail?

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Kindergarten for Weanlings/Yearlings          $800/month

Halter breaking, and tying

Grooming, foot handling, blanketing

Deworming, clipping

Exposure to obstacles in hand (bridges, water, cowboy curtain, ground poles, low step overs, ponying, leading while handler dragging object, tarps and more). Kept baby safe!

Trot in hand, yield shoulders, yield hip, back up, send around, sidepass, send at a walk over bridge, send at a walk into trailer

Self loading into trailer

In hand exposure on trails

Saddle pads, and surcingle for YEARLINGS but NOT saddles

Exposure to farm equipment, dogs, and general farm life

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Light start with 2yr olds                                  $1000/month - 90 day minimum required at this stage.

Discounts for horses that graduated Kindergarten as yearlings

Saddling, bridling, ground driving

Refinement/refresher of all the groundwork

Under saddle

Walk, trot, lope

Pick up correct lead

Simple lead changes

Back up, steering, sidepass, turn on haunches, turn on forehand

Basics of collection

Exposure to obstacles under saddle

Exposure to trails under saddle

 

3yr olds and up                                             $1000/month - 90 day minimum required at this stage.

Discounts for horses that graduated Kindergarten and the 2yr old program

Refining all of the above

Starting for more discipline specific training 

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Below is just a glimpse of what it looks like to go through the ENTIRE program from baby to 3yr old, shown by our stallion WH Midnight Traveler. Proof that setting the horse up for success long term is an investment, not an expense!

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