This video is the first part of a short series that shows a colt starting in real time, almost completely uncut (I removed about ten seconds of footage where I picked up my flag ;o).

• Name: Banjo
• Breed: Solid Paint
• Age: 3 years old
• Genre: gelding

The idea comes from the Ray Hunt Colt Starting Series. Thanks to these DVDs, I have been able to start colts, following and studying that great man working four young horses. All details were there, including these little moments which are not extraordinary but actually show important things to the beginners: patience, consistency, ability to reward everything _ even the smaller efforts!
I do not pretend to have the tenth of the skill this horseman could share with us, but I think it can be interesting to have a view from the inside of the whole colt-starting process…

The horse is called Banjo, he is a three-year old solid Paint gelding. He had been saddled a couple of times about a year ago. Eight to ten months ago, a heavy-handed cowboy wannabe pushed him hard along the round-pen and the only consequence was a wounded hind leg!
Since then, he has not been worked nor handled, he just spent months in the field with Louisiane and another young mare as afraid as Louisiane.

Day 1 has been dedicated to the basics:
¤ Groundwork Fundamentals;
¤ Groundwork Foundations;
¤ Desensitizing to the saddling;
¤ First mounting.
We have spent one hour and fifteen minutes in total and finished on a relaxed note from the saddle.