Quinn's Colt Start with Brent Graef (picture heavy!)

creekwood · Quinn's Colt Start with Brent Graef (picture heavy!)

It's hard to describe Quinn. He's loving, jumpy, exuberant, smart, athletic, affectionate & explosive. Brent called him Skinchy (skitterish and flinchy). He's 100% focused one minute, and up it the air the next, then be fine. He has TONS of potential, but he could be a nightmare if he's not treated right. When I got him as a yearling, his name was Killer, and the barn he came from voted for him to be registered as Khriminal. He came from one of the top arab trainers in the world, and was plain damaged. We clicked, and a year later I became his human. I took him to the Brent Graef clinic & participated in the morning foundation clinic. We came with a few holes in our foundation & left feeling pretty solid. Brent talked to me on the first day, saying maybe he'd saddle him up on the last day, and do a first ride on him. By day three, he said we'd saddle him up, and I could do a first ride on him.

Here's the pictures from it, in chronological order.

First time saddled in a western saddle

time for back cinch

Quinn learning how to hunt for answers, not evade pressure.

Kris & Fancy showing me up & down- Keep your knees bent & pelvis tilted like it will be when you get on, petting your horses right side, getting off. getting up, moving the stirrup on the right side back & forth, and getting off.

gently asking Quinn to set his feet- not rocking him.

Up, down. Brent moved his feet every time after I got down. Quinn has a tendency to freeze & explode.

up, rubbing his right side, down

up, moving stirrup, down.

up....

...and on. Holding on to the cheyenne roll & nightlatch.

think foward, and our first walk

asking him to stop by influencing the left hind leg- no hind leg, but he stopped, so we'll get it next time

inside hind leg

to the right- this is Quinns 'goosey' direction

soft, thinking, flowing horse

speeding up the walk to flow into our first trot

...and influencing the inside hind so we can flow to the right

taking up the reins

thinking trot

dismount

taking off the saddle, as it slides off, Quinn gets a massage where the saddle & cinch was

taking off the halter, wait until he find you with his eye, slide it off...

and leave.

ElaineW

Wow!
Thanks for all the photo's!
I really enjoyed the post...
Wish I was there!

jackspark

I'd be thinkin explosion all the time

That's why I'm not ridin Quinn and you are! Beautiful first ride technique, thanks for the photojournalism

Yes_But_Neigh

Kels: BEAUTIFUL job with Quinn! He is such a stunning horse and SO lucky to have you! I learned so much just from the pictures and your descriptions. I would have never thought to catch his eye before taking the saddle off. LOVE the third picture down where he's mid buck and his ears are straight forward looking and Brent.
You are so very lucky to have been raised the way you were with all of those horses and your natural talent. I just love reading your informative posts, esp if they have pictures. Hope you're enjoying your time with Deb- what an experience!

Chablis

Would have been fantastic to watch! Great photos!

What a super horse.

whudson

Wow...That looks like it went really well. What a nice start for the boy

Gillies_mom

wow - can I ask some questions?
How long did that take, from putting on the saddle through to finishing?
and also when you say asking him to stop by influencing the hind leg - what does that mean? you'll have to spell it out to me before I get it.
Looks like you're having a blast,
Kate

cheerios

wow! great photos.

Brent Graef is going to be within several hours of me twice this fall.

I'm definitely going to go and audit.

Gallop On

Love the pictures. They really show a strong progression of his attitude! I love Arabians, hopefully will get one myself one day, I just need to get off my Morgan addiction

He looks like a very intelligent horse. Great job with him!

PasoBaby_CarolU

Thank you Kelsey! This is pretty much what we did with Buddy last week, but no pictures. I will be repeating this with Alayna on the line tomorrow, so I am SOOO glad you posted this. It makes it a lot easier with pictures.

Looks like he did well...as did YOU! Always scary to be the first up (especially after those explosive BUCKS), but having confidence in the ground person makes all the difference in the world.

Great job.

alexwein

cynthia peterson

Wonderful! Brent is fantastic. He is everything you want all wrapped up in one piece. And you getta "two for" with his lovely wife being so talented and giving. Brent can take a person just as far as you want. He can colt start on green and help a greeny rider. He knows advanced movements and what it takes and looks like. He doesn;t push anything on someone, but is there with the answers and "howto & whyfor" if you ask or need it. Plus he and his wife both were Parelli students who know the weak spots of Parelli to help you correct what damage (or good to continue with) was done there. He's not intimidating, he makes you feel good about the whole horsemanship deal and go on with what you thought you couldn't do. He's just this quite, gentle, horseman who comes off as only wanting the best for you and the horse no matter if it's the first time you ever seen him and your only there to audit. I seen Clinicians know where the money is and play up to those they think will be the "paying crowd" they can sell things to. Here's a guy and his wife who are just helping people and horses..... kinda' warms the heart

And, I just have to say you have a lovely horse and you did a fine job riding him. I had many Arabians for many years, started many of them. Most don't buck much, (but when they do, you didn't see it coming!) But they sure can run off blindly and you wished you had been bucked off before you both cleared the fence, scrabbled over the road and down a ditch! But, no other breed bonds to you like a RB Arabian.