NOTES TO HELP YOU TRAIN YOUR STANDARDBRED TO SADDLE
If you are considering buying a Standardbred or have recently acquired one – Great choice! You will have a friend for life when you own a Standardbred. Much like a faithful pet dog, you will find your Standardbred will want to please you in return for a happy enjoyable life.
Yes, they can take longer to get moving correctly under saddle. Just know that you will not be alone here and with time and patience the Standardbred can conquer most, if not all, that you ask of it.
When looking at Standardbreds, consider what discipline you wish to do. Showjumping, dressage, trail riding, western …. the list goes on. Standardbreds come in many shapes and sizes. Some are small and wide, others small and narrow. Some are long in length, some have shorter backs. They range in height from under 14hh to over 17hh but, commonly they range between 14.2hh to 16hh. If you are unsure of the correct type of horse you need, seek more knowledgeable advice from a more experienced friend or a professional such as an instructor or from the SPPHAV.
In our opinion it is best to train your Standardbred yourself, even if you are novice in riding and with horses. While most Standardbreds that have just stopped racing, or race training, can be saddled and sat on without problems, we suggest that you spell your horse for a few weeks, adjusting feeds from the hotter feeds given to racing Standardbreds to a feed program more suitable to your pleasure horse. Spend this time getting to know your horse, take it for walks, brush and comb it, sit in their paddock just spending quality time together. When you decide it is time to put the saddle on your horse, make sure you have someone there with you, holding your horse until you are settled in the saddle. There is nothing wrong with having your friend or partner lead you and your horse for a few minutes before you take control of the reins yourself. If you are having riding lessons, have them on your new horse.
The following are some pointers designed to guide you in the right direction when re-educating your Standardbred. You must consider that a Standardbred straight-off-the-track is “green” when it comes to riding.
If you are a confident rider you should be able to do most of the training by yourself – best with the occasional help of a riding instructor. Train your Standardbred as you would train a hack.
If you are novice, make sure you select a suitable Standardbred. We recommend you look at horses that are over 5 years of age and, preferably, one that has done a fair amount of racing. Anything younger may not suit a novice / new rider. Better still, you could be lucky and find a Standardbred for sale that has already had some riding miles. Trail riding places often use Standardbreds and some are happy to sell them on to private homes.
If you are a novice rider you might consider sending your new Standardbred to a reputable trainer for some initial basic training. The time factor, for this training, should be discussed with the trainer taking into consideration your, and the horse’s abilities.
Trail ride your new Standardbred as much as possible. This will settle your horse, under saddle, quickly. It will help strengthen your horse for riding and the bond, between you both, will form and grow.
Lunge your Standardbred regularly. Lunging can be used to help your Standardbred get balanced, not to lean in, not to race around and, most importantly, to create and perfect your transitions. The use of side reins is recommended. If you have not used them before, be sure you seek some advice on the correct use of side reins and their purpose when training your horse.
The Trotter. Trotters usually have a long back and can take a little longer to strengthen through the top line, than a pacer will. Obviously a Trotter will not amble or pace – but they do have a big trot. Lunging with side reins and / or working over trot poles will help bring the trot back to a medium stride suitable for riding. Some Trotters will trot very fast, rather than canter. This is where working on transitions on the lunge rein will help create your canter transition which, in turn, will lead to your canter.
The Pacer. Obviously Pacers have 5 gaits – walk, trot, canter, pace and gallop. Some like to amble, rather than trot. The amble is a slow relaxed pace. The Pacer can make a very elegant ridden horse and they seem to adapt a little quicker than the Trotter. To stop your Standardbred from pacing under saddle, you need to help balance it by lunging. Every time your horse paces, you say no and go back to the walk if you are trying to trot or to the trot if you are trying to canter. Correct transitions need to be established and it is best to use the lunge and side reins when working on the trot to canter transition. As your Pacer becomes stronger through the top line, the canter will progress from a few strides to a full circle. Always encourage any little bit of effort given by your Standardbred so it understands that it is the canter, not the pace, you are after. On a trail ride, use the same principal – say no and stop the pacing whenever your horse falls into the pace. Some Pacers need little work and will canter quite well from the start while others can take 12 months, or more, of regular work to produce a competition level collected canter.
Remember, these notes are only a guide to help you understand what may be required with your Standardbred, not a training program.
Be patient, your Standardbred will achieve walk, trot and canter under saddle. Time is the essence, the more hours you can put towards your training each week, the faster you will achieve your goal. One to two hours a week may not be enough in the initial training period.
Also, make your training sessions “fun” for your horse. Flat work one day, a trail ride the next, then (say) lunging on another day. Even go out for walks together and see what you and your friend can get up to! Reward your Standardbred with hugs and pats and by stopping. If your Standardbred has truly tried hard and achieved what you have asked of it, the best reward is to finish up for the day.
Basic equipment that you will need to get your horse working under saddle includes:
The Standardbred is a very honest horse, and horses love to play. So, enjoy your training, make it play time, not a chore. Good luck!
The SPPHAV has members who are available to help out over the telephone and with lessons and training; you can contact the following members of our Committee for further advice.
Honorary Chair Rebecca Lund
President Karen Barton
Secretary Maree Lund