By Alisdair MacKenzie, Kintail Equine
There’s no shortage of colt-starting videos online. Most feature a horse bucking, snorting, or panicking while a rider hangs on and bucks them out under the guise of “learning.” It might make for good entertainment — but it’s terrible horsemanship. A horse’s first ride doesn’t need to be a spectacle. In fact, it shouldn’t be.
For me, the first ride should be calm, relaxed, and easy for both horse and rider. It’s not a contest or a performance — it’s the first conversation under saddle.
In the Video
In the accompanying video, I’m working with Pinemore Barossa CWE (Baxter), a young warmblood taking his very first steps under saddle. Up to this point, Baxter has already learned to stand quietly for mounting — that part is familiar and uneventful. Now, we’re introducing movement while a rider is aboard for the first time.
He’s saddled in an english saddle and ridden in a halter and lead rope. There’s no rush and no pressure — just quiet direction, clear communication, and a focus on helping him understand what each cue means. The goal isn’t to show anything dramatic. It’s to show how, when the preparation is correct, the first steps can unfold with calmness and confidence.
Trust and Understanding
The first ride isn’t about achieving rhythm, speed, or shape. It’s about trust and understanding.
A good first ride doesn’t happen by chance. It’s the result of careful preparation — meticulous groundwork, consistent handling, and a relentless attention to detail. Every step leading up to that first movement has to make sense to the horse. The way the lead rope feels, the way pressure is released, the way the horse learns to move its feet with purpose — all of it builds the understanding that makes the first steps uneventful. When the groundwork is correct, the ride becomes a natural extension of everything that came before.
All I’m looking for on day one is start and stop. If we find a bit of steering, that’s a bonus. The aim is to help the horse make sense of what’s happening — to understand that the structure we established on the ground flows into the saddle. That we are undertaking something he can trust and respond to, not fear and flee from.
With Baxter, as with all horses, I begin by backing him a few steps to get his feet and mind moving. From there, we take quiet short walks and learn to stop. It’s broken up with frequent dismounts and remounts — a step back into something he already knows. Each repetition confirms that being ridden is nothing to worry about.
Some horses might offer more, others less. The key is to let the horse’s understanding guide the pace.
We Go Slow to Build Fast
It’s easy to think that slow work means slow progress. In reality, the careful, deliberate work done in these early sessions is what makes everything that follows come together smoothly.
We cement what we’ve built before adding anything new — just like setting out and checking the foundations of a structure. The lines must be straight, the levels true, the footing firm. Once that’s established, the rest can rise with confidence and integrity.
Tomorrow, the goal isn’t to introduce a list of new tasks. It’s to build on the understanding we created today — perhaps a little more confidence, a touch more forward, maybe even a gentle trot if the horse is ready. Each layer rests on the strength of the last.
This approach isn’t about being slow for the sake of it. It’s about being methodical and precise, because that’s what true horsemanship is: methodical precision and understanding over spectacle. That’s what separates true horsemen from imitators — not who can make the biggest scene, but who can produce quiet, consistent results through clarity and feel.
Building for the Future
A horse’s first ride sets the tone for everything that follows. When the process is structured and consistent, it gives the horse a clear framework for learning. Each repetition confirms the pattern: pressure, response, release, rest.
From here, progress is simply a matter of continuity — adding movement, direction, and purpose without losing balance or understanding. The horse learns to think before reacting, to wait for guidance rather than anticipate.
There’s no need for excitement or display. The value lies in accuracy, timing, and clarity. Those elements, repeated and reinforced, create a horse that can advance with confidence and correctness.
We go slow to build fast. We go soft to build strong. By laying those first foundations with care, everything built on top will stand straight and true.
© 2025 Alisdair MacKenzie, Kintail Equine. All Rights Reserved.