Hannah_xx
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Hello everyone!
I wanted to share my work with Binki, and also this will hopefully give me some motivation to keep up the training and not be slack!
A couple of weeks ago I made it my mission to get back into my horses. The past few years I’d lost a lot of my confidence and motivation in riding and training my horses.
Binki, My 8-9year old Brumby is overdue to be saddle started/ backed (broken in..I just don’t like the term). I first meet Binki 6 years ago. At the Brumby sanctuary I was volunteering at, He had been caught (by the government/parks) some time in the past year from the wild and was ready to start training. Never touched by a human before I began gaining his trust. It took many weeks to finally be able to stroke him and get a halter on, He was quite a challenge. Fearful and uncertain of what I was asking he would often turn his bum to me to avoid contact. Not to kick me, but to block me out.
I wish Brumbies could stay wild, forever. But the lucky ones get join the human world and sadly the Australian government slaughter and cull the unlucky ones.
Once I could confidently lead Binki around the confined and safe yard we started taking big steps outside the yard, green picking out on little walks which is a pleasant and positive experience for them when they feel safe enough around you to eat.
Binki in 2017
Our travels were urging us on before returning home to England. Binki was turned out in a large paddock along with Cappa, another extremely fearful Brumby I was training so they could process what they’d learnt with me, grown up a little, have some time off until it was their turn to find a home.
Fast forward a year later, I was back in Australia and to my pleasant surprise Binki and Cappa were still at the sanctuary ready and waiting more training from me
..fast forward a little more time..
We needed up moving to Australia and of course..Naturally I bought Binki and Cappa. The three of us were bonded, and good friends.
Now..Fast forward a few more years and Binki has suddenly gone from a lanky playful 2 year old to a fat and cheeky 8/9 year old.
I started ground work in preparation for backing a few years ago. Teaching him to lunge, long rein (horse talk, sorry if you’re not horsey reading this!). Wear a saddle etc etc. And then I stopped doing much except for the odd bush walk in hand.
That leads us to now.
Binki is ready, past ready to be ridden. So a couple of weeks ago I bought him back into education. Preparing to sit on him for the first time. I did lots of work at the mounting block, jumping up and down, leaning over his back, putting my leg over until finally..having an actual sit.
He was awesome! He hardly seemed to care, he turned his head to sniff my foot. For which I gave him a bit rub on his forehead to tell him ‘it’s okay’ I got on and off a few times, just to practice the mounting. And also shuffled my weight on his back slightly.
The next day I did exactly the same, And encouraged him to move on a little, either in a straight line or in a tight circle. Nothing big, just small steps. With lots and lots of praise and lots of time.
He felt great, He felt unsure of course..this is new to him. But he’s prepared with all the other education we’ve done, He knows it’s just the next step and he’s trying to work out what we’re trying to achieve.
Most people think of horses being ‘broken in’ think that the horse will buck, run off and go a little crazy at least.. That’s what you see in the movies, And often unfortunately what you see ‘in real life’ on social media.
But they are horses reacting to a situation they are not prepared for. They’ve been rushed, huge important steps have been skipped. There’s no trust, and certainly no relationship. A horse never forgets his first ride if it’s a bad one, You’ve immediately set the horse up for failure. He will be worried for future rides, He hasn’t learnt. He’s just trying to survive.
Binki was showing me that he was processing all that he was learning, So I gave him a few days off before our next session.
On our third session he was just a sound as the last, If not more. He knew what to expect. It was no big deal. This time I asked for a little more, a few more steps on each walk. Asking him to stop very regularly in order to praise him and also test the breaks.
There was a few times where he would get a little confused, and back up instead of going forward..his way of saying ‘I don’t get it, I can’t do this, it’s too hard mum!’ I just remain calm, keep talking to him and once he stops I give him a pat and ask again.
I was absolutely chuffed with our third session. His response to such a new big and scary (for both of us!) event has been superb and I’m so proud of him!
So far I haven’t sat on him with a saddle. This is because I want him to feel me, to feel my movements which will help him understand what I’m asking. And also it’s less worrying for him, the saddle is extra weight. And thirdly, I feel safer that I can just slip off quickly if anything went wrong.
Binki is also wearing a bitless bridle. There is no bit that goes in his mouth. I’m not against them..But for my Brumbies I don’t feel a bit is necessary.
I didn’t intended on writing such an essay, I do apologise and thank anyone who bothered to read all that haha! I was just going to share some photos of the ridden process but then thought I’d add a bit of background information and before I knew it I’ve gone overboard haha. Although I’m saying that, I of course haven’t explained much of the process. There has been a lot of preparation and training over the years that I have brushed over without explaining.
Also, just to add. I’m not a professional. Binki is the second horse I have backed. Cappa being my first, Cappa responded to his first rides just the same as Binki. I enjoyed riding Cappa for a summer before losing my confidence in teaching him the next steps and since then I have only worked him about 3 times in the past 2 years. Which is a real shame. My hope in starting Binki is to learn more, get my confidence back (in my abilities). And then get back to Cappa.
It’s winter now and I know my motivation is going to decline in the cold weather, so I’m hoping that sharing this thread will give me some inspiration to keep going and share the progress.
Me with Binki and Cappa
I wanted to share my work with Binki, and also this will hopefully give me some motivation to keep up the training and not be slack!
A couple of weeks ago I made it my mission to get back into my horses. The past few years I’d lost a lot of my confidence and motivation in riding and training my horses.
Binki, My 8-9year old Brumby is overdue to be saddle started/ backed (broken in..I just don’t like the term). I first meet Binki 6 years ago. At the Brumby sanctuary I was volunteering at, He had been caught (by the government/parks) some time in the past year from the wild and was ready to start training. Never touched by a human before I began gaining his trust. It took many weeks to finally be able to stroke him and get a halter on, He was quite a challenge. Fearful and uncertain of what I was asking he would often turn his bum to me to avoid contact. Not to kick me, but to block me out.
I wish Brumbies could stay wild, forever. But the lucky ones get join the human world and sadly the Australian government slaughter and cull the unlucky ones.
Once I could confidently lead Binki around the confined and safe yard we started taking big steps outside the yard, green picking out on little walks which is a pleasant and positive experience for them when they feel safe enough around you to eat.
Binki in 2017
Our travels were urging us on before returning home to England. Binki was turned out in a large paddock along with Cappa, another extremely fearful Brumby I was training so they could process what they’d learnt with me, grown up a little, have some time off until it was their turn to find a home.
Fast forward a year later, I was back in Australia and to my pleasant surprise Binki and Cappa were still at the sanctuary ready and waiting more training from me
..fast forward a little more time..
We needed up moving to Australia and of course..Naturally I bought Binki and Cappa. The three of us were bonded, and good friends.
Now..Fast forward a few more years and Binki has suddenly gone from a lanky playful 2 year old to a fat and cheeky 8/9 year old.
I started ground work in preparation for backing a few years ago. Teaching him to lunge, long rein (horse talk, sorry if you’re not horsey reading this!). Wear a saddle etc etc. And then I stopped doing much except for the odd bush walk in hand.
That leads us to now.
Binki is ready, past ready to be ridden. So a couple of weeks ago I bought him back into education. Preparing to sit on him for the first time. I did lots of work at the mounting block, jumping up and down, leaning over his back, putting my leg over until finally..having an actual sit.
He was awesome! He hardly seemed to care, he turned his head to sniff my foot. For which I gave him a bit rub on his forehead to tell him ‘it’s okay’ I got on and off a few times, just to practice the mounting. And also shuffled my weight on his back slightly.
The next day I did exactly the same, And encouraged him to move on a little, either in a straight line or in a tight circle. Nothing big, just small steps. With lots and lots of praise and lots of time.
He felt great, He felt unsure of course..this is new to him. But he’s prepared with all the other education we’ve done, He knows it’s just the next step and he’s trying to work out what we’re trying to achieve.
Most people think of horses being ‘broken in’ think that the horse will buck, run off and go a little crazy at least.. That’s what you see in the movies, And often unfortunately what you see ‘in real life’ on social media.
But they are horses reacting to a situation they are not prepared for. They’ve been rushed, huge important steps have been skipped. There’s no trust, and certainly no relationship. A horse never forgets his first ride if it’s a bad one, You’ve immediately set the horse up for failure. He will be worried for future rides, He hasn’t learnt. He’s just trying to survive.
Binki was showing me that he was processing all that he was learning, So I gave him a few days off before our next session.
On our third session he was just a sound as the last, If not more. He knew what to expect. It was no big deal. This time I asked for a little more, a few more steps on each walk. Asking him to stop very regularly in order to praise him and also test the breaks.
There was a few times where he would get a little confused, and back up instead of going forward..his way of saying ‘I don’t get it, I can’t do this, it’s too hard mum!’ I just remain calm, keep talking to him and once he stops I give him a pat and ask again.
I was absolutely chuffed with our third session. His response to such a new big and scary (for both of us!) event has been superb and I’m so proud of him!
So far I haven’t sat on him with a saddle. This is because I want him to feel me, to feel my movements which will help him understand what I’m asking. And also it’s less worrying for him, the saddle is extra weight. And thirdly, I feel safer that I can just slip off quickly if anything went wrong.
Binki is also wearing a bitless bridle. There is no bit that goes in his mouth. I’m not against them..But for my Brumbies I don’t feel a bit is necessary.
I didn’t intended on writing such an essay, I do apologise and thank anyone who bothered to read all that haha! I was just going to share some photos of the ridden process but then thought I’d add a bit of background information and before I knew it I’ve gone overboard haha. Although I’m saying that, I of course haven’t explained much of the process. There has been a lot of preparation and training over the years that I have brushed over without explaining.
Also, just to add. I’m not a professional. Binki is the second horse I have backed. Cappa being my first, Cappa responded to his first rides just the same as Binki. I enjoyed riding Cappa for a summer before losing my confidence in teaching him the next steps and since then I have only worked him about 3 times in the past 2 years. Which is a real shame. My hope in starting Binki is to learn more, get my confidence back (in my abilities). And then get back to Cappa.
It’s winter now and I know my motivation is going to decline in the cold weather, so I’m hoping that sharing this thread will give me some inspiration to keep going and share the progress.
Me with Binki and Cappa
one of the many things my horse taught me - patience, slow and steady. Keep going through winter now you’ve started - get a good coat 
Sounds like you’re building great trust with Binki and Cappa x
He took a long time to mature physically though!
). And we’ve also been fine tuning our vocal commands on the lunge etc.
or sheep 
well we’d be in a hedge backwards or making a quick unexpected turn for home … 
