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Tiger Gets a Lesson
On the Hot Walker

Tiger has been in training and is doing well. He has been ridden several time and is learning to move out with a rider on board. 12/15/03

Hunter's Paper Tiger Tiger is over three years old now and becoming kind of studly. We have left him a stallion to get the muscle developement. He has had a lot of ground work, but has also a lot of extra energy which he expresses by pacing around his paddock.

I decided it was time to teach him about the hot walker and give him a chance to wear the saddle and bridle while he works off some of that extra energy. He is too slight of build to ride yet, and won't be taking a rider until he is 3 or 4. Although we have had Margaret on him before, it was not independently, nor would I consider him broke in by any stretch of the imagination.

The picture below shows Tiger groomed up and ready for his saddle. He has had a saddle on from time to time since he was about 8 months old. We started with a bareback pad. At a year and a half we started sitting Margaret on him with one of us leading Tiger and one of us holding Margaret. Of course, Margaret was small and light.

Here are some pictures of his first hot walker lesson. Oh, we use the hot walker on youth that are too slight for a rider, to diversify their training from just the round pen. Tiger gets to go on walks up our quiet country road as well as working on long lines. He is very willing to please, a real sweet heart.

This saddle is too large for Tiger, but it gives him an opportunity to feel the saddle on his back. This is my most "beat up" saddle, such is life!

Here is a nice pic of the hot walker, it can exercise up to four horses at once, we don't put four on it at one time, however. I find it much more effective to have only 2 on it... usually Tiger and Hearty. It has two speeds (low - walk and high - trot), forward and reverse. I find it very helpful for exercising the ponies who are too small to ride or too fat, like Hearty, who needs more exercise than the others. I don't use it for foals, pregnant mares, or horses who have issues with being tied.

Tiger wears his too big saddle well, and has accepted the bit. He is standing while tied to the walker. He has a LOT of growing to do yet... his legs still seem way too long for his body. This stance is his natural stop. I did not set him up, he just stopped when the walker stopped.

Tiger has such a good disposition, he will make a lovely pony. If you have kept informed about him, you know that he jumped a 3.5 foot fence when he was just 4 months old.

I have high hopes for his abilities as he matures. In the spring he will start training seriously, including more time on the long lines, using the long lines to teach him to jump. Trotting over poles, free jumping and beginning Dressage lessons using long lines and side reins.

There are many things you can do on the ground to prepare your pony for being ridden. These foundational training sessions are so important. I just can't emphasize them enough! I hate to hear of ponies who go to auction because they are not safe for children to ride. I believe strongly that it is because they are not trained like big horses... most adults are too large to ride them. They are also not given the proper ground work, which would save many sad moments for children, ponies and parents. If you would like to learn more about training ponies for kids and finding a safe pony, please visit our pages: The Shetland Pony - Getting a Bad Rep and Safe Ponies for Children.

All of our ponies are completely trained before a child is allowed to ride them. The same goes for our big horses, too.

To learn more about Tiger, visit our Updates page.

For more training articles visit our training department.

For information about caring for your horse or pony, visit our care department.

Using Long Lines - a training article by Pam Hunter

Sneak Peek at our upcoming Cross Country Course
Visit our New Facilities in Quilcene, WA

Learn about our horses and ponies, start with Hunter's Misty Morn

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