Atcheson Foundation and Performance Training

Tenting your saddle pad

Always make sure and “tent” your saddle pad to the pommel/fork of your saddle for wither and shoulder relief. Don’t forget the 3-4 finger rule for overflow of your pad! Depending on how much you ride check your pad every 6months to a year for replacement and deep cleaning. Need a new pad? Check out Brandiwyne Tack & Feed and don’t forget my code ALISA2023 for your discount! Happy riding 🐎

Let them be curious!! Take an old pad, take an old saddle, set it in the middle of the arena or roundpen and let them figure it out. Let them lick it, bite it, paw at it…whatever they want to do to see that this thing is not harmful. I let this filly really figure this saddle and pad out. Once she lost interest I cleaned it up and tossed it on her for her first saddling. The more that you can let them see and be apart of the whole process the calmer and better things will go. Don’t get me wrong I LOVE this saddle, but I love it because it has taught so many young horses so many valuable lessons ❤️ Once this one has had it I will buy another $300 saddle that will do the same.

Training tip Wednesday!! A lot of colt breakers will take the stirrups off their saddles when they are letting their colts stand tied for an extended amount of time. If they don’t take the stirrups off they will tie the colt so that they cannot turn around and play with the stirrups. Both of those ways are great ways to keep a colt from playing/biting the stirrups. Why is it bad that they nibble or bite on a stirrup? Well because if they grab that stirrup and the stirrup decides it doesn’t want to let go, you are in deep trouble. I have had this happen to me, thank God I did my groundwork on bending and flexing or mine could have been a lot worse!! I have heard horror stories of young one’s breaking their teeth, jaws and even their backs from trying to get away from the stirrup they were playing with not but 10 seconds ago 😖 I want my colts to be curious safely! So I will take my stirrups and tie them around the back of the saddle. That way they can still turn around, investigate this thing that is strapped to their belly and on their back. This also saves me time for when it is their turn to ride all I have to do is untie the hay string that holds the stirrups. Can you guess the finished horse in the video?

GiGi demonstrates the 2nd ”bitup” session 😍 This is only a week long session, no rider involved, just the horse learning to carry a bit and release to pressure. As with all things to create lightness in a horses face it takes time and release. I always use a Loomis gag for every bit up! The loomis has a slide action to it so it only applies pressure when they put pressure on it, the more pressure they put, the more the loomis works. I will never tie one back with a shank as it does more harm than good. Some trainers are different but I have seen this damage bars, break jaws and cause a horse to rear sometimes flipping over. In the video you can see how loose I have her BUT still have a pinky bit of pressure. I will never tie one to their chest as there is no release of pressure and you will teach them resistance. As they get the hang of things I will slowly start to work them back more. You will forever work on softness with a horse this is NOT a one week fix. This is to help them figure it out on their own before we add ourselves to the equation. Solid hands make soft horses!!

Let’s talk about ”the bitup”! So many people underestimate this extremely important step in their young horses training. This WILL NOT fix a horse with bad teeth! Get your equine dentist out BEFORE your horse goes to training (age 2) and get them checked every 6 months up until the age of 5, then once a year after that(minimum). Everyone talks about having a soft horse but it takes time and consistent work throughout their entire life. When you have the right start, it makes it easier to keep them soft. 

Training tip Tuesday! With spring coming in and the weather getting warmer don’t forget about your horses legs with heavy workouts. I love liniment gels but when I have a barn full it takes a while to rub everyone down. This is my go to on hot days after good workouts! I mix 3 ounces of liniment per 40 ounces of water in a heavy industrial sprayer. This is a great way to cool horses legs down but also help with soreness after a really good workout. Plus it is also quick and that’s a lifesaver when you have a ton of horses in for training. Don’t forget to try on a small area of your horse to make sure they do not have an allergic reaction to the amount of liniment compared to water. Check out Brandiwyne Tack & Feed to get your liniments, gels and BeneFab needs to keep your horses feeling great. Don’t forget my code ALISA2023 for your discount, your horses will thank you. I know mine do!!!

Let’s talk about WHOA!! Bud is a 2yr old and this is 17th ride now. When I start asking these colts to stop it starts on the ground. All my colts go through 2weeks of nothing but ground work and that continues on throughout training. The first week of riding is usually with a side pull or a rope halter. Every time I ask one to stop I have the same steps each time BUT I’m only pulling on one rein. 1- I rock my hips and sit back on my pockets 2- I start to squeeze with my thighs 3- I stick my feet towards their shoulders 4- I slid my hand down one rein and do a “one rein stop” The whole first week of riding that’s the only way we stop. I will start to feel that colt already searching for the stop usually by the end of the week as soon as I rock my hips. The second week I will bridle them up but we are still using a one rein stop. By Friday, the second week of riding, I want to cue (see steps above) but pick up on both reins and them walk into that stop soft and collected. When they do that I want them to back at least 4-6 steps EVERY time. Each time they will get better and better 🤩 Be on the lookout I will post a video with all the steps in detail next week!

Let’s talk about headset! When I start a colt I do not care where their head is at, I care about if I pick up on the left or right rein that they will come to me and follow their nose. As a colt gets further along I will start driving them up into the bit. Watch my hands, they never move unless to help que left to right. The more you drive your horses up into the bit the softer they will become. Milo is doing an amazing job here, when he loses drive you will see his head elevate, when he gets his drive back(staying underneath himself, picking up his rib cage, and softening in the face) you will see his head and neck level out. Again my hands don’t move but to guide and my legs drive. The more you can drive a horse into their face the head will naturally come down. An elevated horse is a stiff horse, a driving horse is a soft horse. He gets to go home Friday to complete his 60 days!

Get your horses teeth checked!!! 〰️2-5yrs of age every 6months 〰️5-up at least a minimum of 1x a year Vets and equine dentists can do teeth, check their references and do your homework. Milo was done about 3 weeks ago, pulled wolf teeth, bit set and float. Caps happen BUT don’t let bad teeth ruin your horse and it’s trainability!!!

The louder you are the quieter they will get! Picture this, you are late for your event so you are in a rush you go to toss your saddle on and your horse freaks!!! Why? Are you saddling them from the “correct” side? Are you moving too fast and being too loud? Are you tossing things that you normally wouldn’t toss? Guys this starts with the foundation!! Make your horses ambidextrous and be loud. You’ll thank me later. PS I’m horrible at actually talking in videos so please excuse my awkwardness 🫣

First ride prep, day 3, nice and easy! I want to be able to mount with no hold, feel safe but also the colt feel safe. This guy has never had anyone on his back but I did the work to make it so easy. I can’t wait to have my spotter so I can put a first ride on this cool boy 🤩 #Bud #flatgetitfarms

Today is Buds first day at school and we are learning how to hold our pencil. Horses are stiff by nature and it’s up to us to teach them to be responsive plus light in our hands. This is where things can get complicated, this is where feel comes in and that can only be taught by horses ….. lots and lots of horses. He put up a pretty good argument about it and let me really feel his weight in my hand. Some will say well he turned his head, yes he did but I am looking for him to stop his feet and give to the pressure. The first give you can barely see, it’s that subtle of a give, I immediately release all pressure. Notice the licking after, he understood the assignment 😉 Each time after that it got better and better. The end of the video is the end of our session (I did the same thing on his other side before the video) I am BIG on if they do it right more then 3xs quit. Tomorrow will be 100% better then today because we quit with no argument and an understanding. I did not pick on him, I let the release be his reward and he will search for that first tomorrow.

Milo said I really want to be a big boy!! There’s not a lot of colts where I will do a first saddle AND a first ride in one day but he 100% understood the assignment 😍 #miasfamousbug

Arrow starting to get the hang of the barrel pattern 🤩 #aspecialfirenarrow

PSA: move your colts out!! I tossed the saddle on this guy no problem, I cinched him no problem, I walked him around no problem, I cinched him again no problem, I walked him around again no problem, I cinched him one last time no problem, I even walked him again with no problem!!! The problem didn’t occur until he was asked to move out, so many people quit after they walk them then wonder why they buck when they go to get on them. I move all my colts out at every gait first saddling and every saddling after. Even when I get on them and have a first ride I will put them through every gait. This guy will wear the saddle up to dinner, will eat dinner with it on, and depending on his actions may have a sleepover with it. Get them broke and move those colts out!!! #hustleon

Batman’s Dash Ta Honey 2yr old first lope through.