Colt Starting Part 2 with Richard Winters

Q: What's the order of the colt-starting steps?

Per Richard Winters: get attention through pressure and release in the round pen, then control feet on the lead rope (sending, backing, disengaging hindquarters), then desensitize to equipment and stimuli. Each step is foundational—skipping any of them produces gaps that surface later under saddle.

Q: How long should each step take?

Per Richard Winters: depends on the colt. Some progress through all three steps in a few sessions; others take weeks. Don't rush a colt past a step he hasn't internalized—the foundation matters more than speed.

Q: What does "control his feet" actually mean?

Per Richard Winters: send him left and right in a 20-foot circle, back him with a wiggle of the lead, disengage his hindquarters with the inside foot crossing over the outside foot. Those skills install the language you'll use under saddle later. Without them, mounted cues confuse the horse.

Q: When am I ready to mount?

Per Richard Winters: when the colt accepts the saddle quietly, moves through all gaits with it, yields softly to lateral cues from the ground, stands tied calmly, and lets you flap stirrups, bounce, and lay across without concern. Add another week of half-mount work and you're ready for the first ride.

Q: What if my colt regresses partway through?

Per Richard Winters: back up to the previous step, reinforce, then advance again. Regression usually signals a foundation gap or a stress point. Patience and re-installation cost less than pushing through and producing a colt with permanent holes.

Curious about Colt Starting Part 2 with Richard Winters and want a no-fluff horse-industry read?

Colt Starting Part Two, One Step at a Time

by Richard Winters Horsemanship Colt Starting Part One Colt Starting Part Three

I recently walked by a building site which had a picture posted of the projected edifice. As I observed the large mounds of dirt, ditches, culverts, and pipelines, I couldn’t imagine how this chaotic scene would one day resemble the Architects picture. Yet, experience tells me that it will all come together as envisioned. One step at a time!

I’ve felt the same way when I’ve stepped into the round pen with a new two or three year old colt to start. How will this thousand pounds of skittish, spooky, and wild horse power ever develop into a gentle, willing, and compliant equine partner? Now that I’ve been through this transformation hundreds, if not thousands, of times, I know the answer. One step at a time!

Step one: I need to get their attention. Pressure and Release; I’ll move my colt around the round pen at the trot and lope in both directions. When it’s my idea, I’ll release the pressure and see if the colt will stop and look at me. This is where I establish leadership.

Step two: Dancing Partners; Can I direct his feet on the end of a lead rope? Can I send him left and right in a twenty foot circle ? Will he back away when I wiggle the lead? Can I disengage his hind quarters with his inside foot crossing over his outside foot? I need to control his feet. I must be able to direct his movement while handling him on the ground.

Step three: Desensitize; All of my body movement and all of my equipment can easily be seen as a threat to my colt. I need to desensitize him to these things. That means putting my hands all over my colt’s body. I’ll begin to rub with rhythm. This rhythm is critical . The consistency and rhythm we bring in our body language is vital in helping the colt get comfortable and accepting. I’ll swing the end of my lead rope over his back a number of times. I’m careful not to let the end spank him on the other side and I’ll do it all with rhythm. Now my body. Can I hop up on both sides of my colt? I’ll lay over my colts back and continue rubbing. What if he starts to move away? I’ll simply tip his nose to me and disengage his hindquarters. Now I’ll start again. No, this exercise is not for the inexperienced couch potato!

If you’re going to be a colt starter you’d better be mentally and physically up to the challenge.

Step four: Saddling; How can I prepare my colt for this experience? I will often place the lead rope around my colt’s girth, snug it up with my hand, and ask the colt to move his feet. These are little things that will help my colt grasp the “big picture.” Now I’ll rub the saddle pad all over his body as I have previously executed with my hands, rope, and body. Again, everything should be administered on both sides. Next, I’ll set the saddle on his back. This is where you need to have feel, timing, and balance. A colt might spook and your saddle can end up on the ground pretty quick. Now you have a leery colt who is convinced that he shouldn’t have that “dead cow” strapped to his back. I smoothly snug up my cinches. Most of my colts will hump up and buck a little (or a lot) when first saddled. That’s O.K. A puppy would do the same thing if you tied a ribbon to his tail.

If the saddle or ribbon stays on, they’ll soon get comfortable and ignore it.

Now this article is not intended to be a comprehensive “how to” manual for you to follow. I’ve simply described the steps (in very general and abbreviated terms) I take in preparing my colts for their first ride. Sometimes I’ll accomplish all of this in thirty minutes. With other colts it might take days. This is not a speed event. Like the old horseman said, “Take the time it takes and it will take less time!” It’s a lot for them to digest and we’ve a long way to go. Yet, we’ll get there, “One step at a time!” Colt Starting Part 3, Mounting Up and Riding Off For more information about Richard Winters Horsemanship please go to wintersranch.com.

Key Article Takeaways

Per Richard Winters: colt starting is one step at a time—chaotic at first, ordered by the end.
Step 1: get attention—pressure and release in the round pen until the colt looks at you on cue.
Step 2: dancing partners—direct his feet on the lead rope, send, back, disengage hindquarters.
Step 3: desensitize to all the equipment and stimuli he'll encounter under saddle.
Each step builds on the last; skipping any of them shows up as a hole later in training.

Questions readers commonly ask:

What's the order of the colt-starting steps?

Per Richard Winters: get attention through pressure and release in the round pen, then control feet on the lead rope (sending, backing, disengaging hindquarters), then desensitize to equipment and stimuli. Each step is foundational—skipping any of them produces gaps that surface later under saddle.

How long should each step take?

Per Richard Winters: depends on the colt. Some progress through all three steps in a few sessions; others take weeks. Don't rush a colt past a step he hasn't internalized—the foundation matters more than speed.

What does "control his feet" actually mean?

Per Richard Winters: send him left and right in a 20-foot circle, back him with a wiggle of the lead, disengage his hindquarters with the inside foot crossing over the outside foot. Those skills install the language you'll use under saddle later. Without them, mounted cues confuse the horse.

When am I ready to mount?

Per Richard Winters: when the colt accepts the saddle quietly, moves through all gaits with it, yields softly to lateral cues from the ground, stands tied calmly, and lets you flap stirrups, bounce, and lay across without concern. Add another week of half-mount work and you're ready for the first ride.

What if my colt regresses partway through?

Per Richard Winters: back up to the previous step, reinforce, then advance again. Regression usually signals a foundation gap or a stress point. Patience and re-installation cost less than pushing through and producing a colt with permanent holes.