Pre-Saddle Training
In 10 minutes, we took the filly below from never having been haltered to wearing her lead rope like an old hat!
Pony Pros are great at teaching foals, weanlings, yearlings, and even older, wild ponies the basics. In pre-saddling training, we teach everything from getting the first touch on your pony to ground driving through a trail course.
Most ponies can learn to halter and lead decently in 4 sessions of about 20 minutes each. The biggest challenge is often getting them to accept people. After that, accepting equipment comes easily.
We rub our ponies all over, groom them, prepare them to take wormer and accept vaccinations, teach them to bathe, clip, haul, and stand for the farrier. We also teach them how to follow a feel, lunge, and yield to pressure. By the time we're done with them, you'll have a quiet, easy going, people-loving pony!
Pre-saddle training is great for ponies of any age. Whether it's working with a pony who has never been handled, preparing a colt to start saddle training, or just trying to draw out the best performance in your made horse, pre-saddle training is the foundation you need.
Few people realize how worthwhile a little pre-saddle training! Here is the same filly after being handled for 20-60 minutes once a week over the course of her first year She was ready to ride by the time she was 8 months! The training held beautifully. If you do your pre-saddle work properly, you will have a calm, confident colt by the time he/she is old enough to ride.
Photos of Naomi (12 months old):



