We recently asked our Facebook visitors, "Should colt starting be a competitive event?" Based on this informal survey, the answer is a clear No. See the comments below.
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Responses
- Jurana Jelacic - what is colt starting?
- EquiMed - Horse Health Matters Colt starting, also known as Breaking a Horse, is the process a young horse goes through as it is being taught to carry a rider.
- Naomi Andrew - No, I don't think that it should. I agree with Jessica, modern natural horsemanship needs to be showcased so that the average person can learn the techniques and apply them to their own horses...but I don't think that it should be done at a big event - such as equitana and in 3 days.....I witnessed one horse soooo stressed and upset for the entire 3 days it would have taken such a long time to turn that horse back around....
- Jessica Marie Duncan - if i do my job right, first rides are quiet, pleasant affairs. i specialize in retraining dangerous horses - those guys can be tough. they know about people, riders and how to nail them. green horses are, by comparison, a cakewalk. properly introduced to their jobs, they find no reason to be violent.
- Lynn Baker - No. It takes too long to do properly, and you don't need the distraction of other starting horses. Every horse needs a different amount of time, maybe different methods/equipment; & it shouldn't be rushed for the sake of competition. Rodeos (some) already have wild horse races.
- Jessica Marie Duncan - without a doubt, modern natural horsemanship should be showcased, and it's way past time for trainers to get the spotlight. that said, trying to start a horse in such short time spans is gimmicky and counter-productive. they'll have to be fixed later if they're pushed too fast.
- Shireen Lee - No!
- Kim Bagnell - May I add a Horsemen Facility on starting a Horse correctly !
Its all about the "HORSE" .....With Bob Johnson and his Pardner , his Brother , Gary Johnson ! ......Kim&theHerd - Angel Martin - NO!
- Laura Carson - No