BANNISTER AMERICAN SADDLEBRED HORSES

Our training program

(For photos click on the 'Training album' button at left.)

'Be in good stead!  Ride an American Saddlebred horse instead!' - Rosemary Howe

 A brief overview of the training program for our American Saddlebred purebred/partbred horses:

We have excellent horse facilities. We have 4 stables, full size sand arena, 20 metre sand round yard, under cover horse crush and double wash bay.

We work at gaining the trust of the horse using kind, firm and gentle methods.

We have built on our knowledge of horses and horse handling from our childhood/young adult experiences by attending training clinics, asking and being advised by experienced horse people/trainers, reading books and watching horse training videos/DVDs.

Bannister Springs is a horse-friendly, purpose-built, facility situated at Bannister which is near Crookwell and Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia.

Our fences are fully electrified.  We have a laneway system that allows us to safely move multiple numbers of horses from their fields to the training areas. We make regular use of our padded horse crush, padded yards, round yard and dressage arena.

American Saddlebred foals, weanlings and yearlings are handled by the proven methods of wonderful horse people such as Kel Jefferys, Maurice Wright, Monty Roberts, Pat Parelli, John O'Leary, Steve Brady, Henry Blake, Lady Wentworth, Tom Roberts and John Gorman to name a few (see our reading list). We always ask questions of our more experienced horsey friends. We cherry pick from these methods depending on the particular horse we are working with. We never stop learning.  This is the exciting part of handling horses there are so many different ideas and argument and we all must wend our way through the maze of equine knowledge gleaning what we can on the way.

We have devised the following 'gentle' training program for our American Saddlebred (purebred/partbred) horses from birth to under saddle and harness training (see our training album): 

• American Saddlebred foals are handled shortly after birth. We purposely do not interfere with the bonding relationship of foal and dam and do not handle them until they suckle unless, of course, there are foaling issues. The halter is placed on the foal on day one and left on until they leave their foaling paddocks, usually 8 weeks, to go out into the bigger fields. We use John O'Leary's http://www.horseproblems.com.au methods to handle and halter train foals. With John's methods the foals are leading at 4 days of age. They are walked around the property and are given plenty of new experiences such as walking on and off a horse float and into the crush.

• We then move on to using Pat Parelli's '7 Friendly Games' http://www.parellinaturalhorsetraining.com which continue throughout their development to more intense training.

• American Saddlebred foals are regularly handled for worming, vaccinating and hoof trimming.

• American Saddlebred foals are weaned at 6+ months.  We feel that the foal is not physically or psychologically ready to leave its dam prior to this time. When closely observing foals in large fields we notice that until this time they mostly cling to their dams and suckle often.  After this time they wander off quite a distance and become increasingly independent. If their dams are not foaling the following season we may leave them suckling longer. Weanlings are handled intensely until they are turned out into large undulating fields when they are brought in for regular worming and handling. 

• American Saddlebred weanlings are taught to be tied up. This is usually relatively easy as they have already been taught to lead by their dams and by us.  During leading foals may test us out and it is important to ensure that they never break loose from the lead rope, wearing gloves helps.

• American Saddlebred weanlings and yearlings are turned out with regular worming and come with handling. Yearlings are taught to lead from the farm vehicle. This assists in their becoming used to traffic.

• They are then are brought in for more intense, from the ground training, using the abovementioned methods. At this point we use the Monti Roberts 'Join Up' www.montyroberts.com method and push the young American Saddlebred horse around until he joins up with the trainer. This remarkable method works every time and never ceases to amaze us. The method results in the horse listening attentively to the commands of the trainer. During this period we teach them to accept the bit, roller, crupper and saddle. They walk over tarps, inner sprung mattresses and learn to handle obstacles and are exposed to experiences such as balloons bursting, plastic bags, umbrellas and being led from the farm vehicle etc.

• Mouthing - we use a rusty old snaffle with side bars. The period of time with the bit in their mouth increases daily. When they are familiar with the bit they are fed whilst wearing the bit.  We feel this teaches them to keep their tongue in the correct position (see Horse Control and the Bit, Tom Roberts THE BRITISH ARMY RECOMMENDATION: 'the snaffle should be put in for an hour a day and the horse should be allowed to feed with it on. This will be found specially useful in preventing the development of a tendency to get the tongue over the bit.').

• We do not put pressure on the bit until the horse is familiar with the bit in his mouth. At this point we commence using John O'Leary's methods for mouthing the horse. John's uses the one rein method of using binder twine from the bit to the roller to quickly encourage the horse to give to the rein.

• We then familiarise the horse with the roller and when he is happy we then put the training saddle/pack saddle on the horse and add weights until he is happy moving around with weight on his back.

• Backing the horse is only attempted after hours of ground work and much leading of the horse all over the property both from horseback with experienced horses, from the farm vehicle and with us walking. We use the padded yard where we lean over the horse with our weight and finally, when we are confident that they are accepting of the full weight, the horse is mounted.

• Once comfortable under saddle the horse is ridden all over the property and country roads on a loose rein. During this period the horse is taught to stop on one rein and are taught transition work up and down hills using Steve Brady's methods www.stevebradyhorsemanship.com. It is only after the horse feels really happy with being ridden that work to bring them on the bit commences (usually after about 4 months).

•  The bit is then exchanged for a French Snaffle with a copper inlay and, in some cases,  we use a Hanovarian noseband.

• We are proud to say that we have been complemented on the lightness and softness of our American Saddlebred mouths and their responsiveness. (Ms Alexa McWilliams, Grand Champion, winner of the Kentucky Fall Classic in 2007 on 'Callaway's Exception to the Rule', and Alexa's sister, Channing McWilliams, and their mother Cynthia (Connie) visited us in April 2007, rode two of our trained purebred American Saddlebred horses (one newly trained) and were impressed with their performance, their mouths and the way we train our horses.  We have had many overseas helpers who are talented riders who have commented on how well our horses respond, go under saddle and they have especially noted the fine temperament of our American Saddlebreds (purebreds and partbreds) (see our home page). )

• Just recently a visitor from interstate commented that she had never experienced riding a horse with such a soft mouth.

• For a few pictorial examples of our training please click on the 'Training Album' button at left.

Our aim is always to prepare kind, intelligent and versatile American Saddlebred purebred/partbred horses that can go onto perform in different disciplines.