EQUH 453 - Young Horse Starting & Development

4 Credit(s)

This course involves the fundamentals of handling young horses from basic ground skills through initial rides under saddle and introduction to the snaffle bit. The horses used usually range from 2- to 3-years of age, and will have had little to no prior handling. This course requires a strong base of knowledge and skills gained in the previous horsemanship courses (EQUH 155 to EQUH 352). Working with young horses is a challenge, due to the unpredictable nature of horses, and requires the successful student to be physically, mentally, and emotionally fit. This is a demanding yet rewarding course that tests the student’s previous knowledge and experience in natural horsemanship. Students will be directly assessed on their ability to apply acquired natural horsemanship techniques by demonstrating their competency, mastery, and positive progression through the training of these young horses.

Prerequisite(s): EQUH 352, and a suitable horse with appropriate vaccinations; or c/i.