WELCOME!

Over the next month, I will be sharing with you the steps I take to start a colt under saddle. The horse I am working with is a two year old Draft cross filly, Apothecaries Quicksilver ("Stevie"). This filly is by Kaos Silver Key (a double registered QH/paint cremello stallion) and out of a belgian x QH mare. She was bred on a PMU ranch in Manitoba, Canada and was shipped down to the US as a weanling with no handing.

When she came off the truck, Stevie was essentially feral. She and the two colts she came in with would do just about anything they could to stay at the opposite end of the pen, as far as they could get from me. It took nearly a week just to get her shipping halter off, and another two or three months before I could reliably go in a touch her.

Since I've had her, Stevie has become acclimated towards people and really just learned the basics (leading, politely lifting hooves for trimming, etc). She is comfortable around people, but hasn't had a great deal of work done with her. I won't go a great deal into the process of gentling, as there are many many other site out there that do just that. What I will do is chronicle everything I do beyond that. Please feel free to ask questions or leave comments. Enjoy!