How to Saddle a Horse the First Time For Success

by Elaine Polny
(Palgrave, Ontario, Canada)

Here is an example of the process we go through to introduce the saddling and girthing process to a young horse.

Please see our page on Young Horse Training for background information on where we started with this horse named Hero (he is now 2 years old).

From here we continued to build trust through everyday visits but not necessarily by doing something. While in the minus 20 degree days of winter, I could only muster up a big Hello and quick Good Bye after checking water and feed. Burrrrrr. This year felt like the winter was never going to leave us!

So from the end of last fall until this spring the only thing I did regarding introducing saddling was place a saddle blanket on Hero's back. I only needed to do it once (about a 15 minute session but I recommend people doing it many more times) since Hero didn't care at all! When a horse shows he's almost bored, I can confidently move on. I know this had a lot to do with the trust we had established plus he has a pretty quiet disposition too. I took the blanket and rubbed it all over his body, down his legs, under his belly, over his back, up his neck. Then I would place it on top, gingerly at first and then increased the flopping a bit (until tossing it as usual). Then I like to have it fall off it all directions. I would tip it to one side (then take a few steps back just in case he reacted too strongly but if you take your time and watch the reactions closely you will know if the horse is ready to continue and not be frightened. That’s my biggest goal, not to frighten the horse.

Often the best things that happen are when I don't have someone taking pictures or videotaping. Go figure. So I had to take the photos without me in them and can only explain in great detail as best I can. Routines are extremely helpful with horses to establish trust, creates consistency and a learning environment, I did what we always do when we first get together and that's put a bit of feed in a bowl wherever I am going to work and start grooming. I wanted to also sweeten the idea of being separated from the herd since he had not been taken into the round pen and separated from them for a very long time.

While he nibbled on the goodies, I took a mounting block and placed it at his left side, stepped up the two steps and started grooming his back. I had never stood over him before in this manner but knowing that he was not afraid of the block I just went ahead and stepped up there. Now if he had of immediately moved away, I would have started over and only stepped up one step and off again until he didn't move. While grooming from his neck to all the way to his rump I would stop a moment and lean over his back, arms hanging on the opposite side and continued to rub/brush. He didn't move. Great let's do this on the other side now. The first time I leaned, he moved away just a few quiet steps, so I just slide down his side and started over and continued. The second time he didn't move, I said, Good boy!


Next I took a riding pad with a girth attached. It was a western girth with buckle and the latigo was one with holes so I could easily attach and release it.

Starting again with the same routine as with the saddle blanket above before this next part I placed it on his back but this time I reached under for the girth (always with the left hand) and let it touch his belly all the way around to the other side. Touch, release, touch, release, every time increasing the tightness on his belly in tiny increments. There was no reaction on Hero's part so I went ahead and picked a snug but loose whole to attach the girth. Quickly released it and did this again. Once secured I placed and ran my hands under the girth on both sides as well. I snuggled it up just a wee bit more to be sure it wasn't going to end up underneath him if he was to over react and start bucking (which I really didn't want to have happen at all), took a step back just in case and hoped he moved his feet on his own. The food was gone and he walked away from the bowl, had a look around, went back to his bowl and looked at me. It was as if nothing had changed! So we walked together just a quick little circle and I wanting to stop at a point where this was stress free, I released the girth, removed the pad dropping it to the ground where Hero took the opportunity to smell again and he did paw it a few times, lost interest and I took him back to his herd.

Mission accomplished, without any bucking or upset.

Side Notes: The food is not there as a means to distract, bribe or coerce. It is part of our routine so I utilized it to my advantage. He was well aware something different was taking place but because of our consistency together he took it all in stride. When the food is gone it’s gone. So along with our walking together I quickly asked for a few other moments he is learning like backing up, moving his front end sideways, moving his hind quarters away and respecting my space. Always end on a good note instead of pushing the limits. Every time I do less, I reap the rewards the next session and the next and the next. That way the horse gains good experiences built on top of more good experiences. So if the horse does get frightened, it's so much smaller of a reaction and they can quickly recover from the event and regain focus thus learning continues.

Many horses would need the above steps broken down into more than one session with smaller changes taking place. So don't worry if all you can do in the first session is put the saddle or pad on and let the girth tangle by their side. Or in some cases just let them sniff and paw the thing on the ground! The important part is not inducing fear. Then you can do more the next time.

Elaine Polny