There are a couple of points worth making at the start of this page… The first is around the term ‘breaking in’. I use this term simply because it’s a very familiar term for a lot of people and for many it will provide a clearer picture of the information given in this page than any other term might. Having said that, I struggle with this term as personally I don’t believe there should be any ‘breaking’ involved in the process of training a pony to be ridden. The second point is this: there are many methods out there for teaching ponies to be ridden, this is simply one. I invite you to use whatever fits for you and your pony and discard the rest.

So you’ve got yourself a pony that has never been ridden before and you’re wondering where to start. I’m going to assume that this pony knows the basics – it has been handled, can lead and tie up, and you can catch it and pick all its feet up. If this is not the case refer to the page ‘Training Young Ponies’ and start there.

To begin training your pony to be ridden, stand on one side of your pony and lean against it. Once it is happy to accept this, lean over that side (where a saddle would sit) and apply a small amount of weight without actually taking your feet off the ground. Do this on both sides. In the same lesson you can begin to familiarize your pony with a saddle blanket. Let the pony sniff the saddle blanket and begin to rub the saddle blanket over the pony, starting from where the saddle would sit and moving out from there. If your pony is not comfortable with the idea of the saddle blanket, fold it into a smaller and smaller size until the pony will accept it and then gradually unfold it so that it appears to increase in size. Before moving on from here you want to be at the point where the pony is very comfortable with the saddle blanket from both sides and is happy to have the saddle blanket sit on its back where a saddle would.

This initial phase will take longer or shorter depending on the temperament and amount of handling your pony has had. If your pony has had limited handling it is also good at this point to be leading the pony all sorts of interesting places to get them used to different sights, sounds and smells.

Once your pony is comfortable with you leaning on its back, begin to apply more pressure until you reach a point where you can lift your feet off the ground and lean your full weight on it’s back. Do this from both sides and talk to your pony as you do this so it will be familiar with having someone on its back making noise. At the point where the pony is comfortable with this, we usually get a second person to help. One person will then hold the pony while the other person gently climbs on one side and slides off the other, this is also good to do on both sides. We do this more and more slowly until the pony is comfortable with having someone sitting on its back. It is good to keep repeating this lesson until the pony is fully comfortable with this and the person holding the pony can then begin to lead the rider on the pony. It is useful to use voice commands such as ‘walk on’ and ‘whoa’ while the pony is carrying the rider so that the pony can begin to associate these commands with the desired actions.

At the point where the pony is happy to have a rider led around on it, you can then begin to introduce more gear. Find a saddle that fits the pony well, add a girth and gently place the saddle on the pony. If your pony has been well handled this should not be a problem. If it is a problem then the pony needs more handling before you move on. Do the girth up on the saddle to the point where the pony is still happy and lead it with the saddle on so it can get used to it. Add stirrup leathers and irons and let them hang down so the pony can get used to these also. The following times where you take the saddle on and off, make an increasing amount of noise and movement as you do so until you can put the saddle on and take it off as quickly and as fuss free as you would with any other riding pony. At the same time gradually tighten the girth more and more until it is as tight as it will be when the pony is being ridden.

Repeat the process of adding a rider once the pony is comfortable with the saddle, and have a second person again lead the rider around on the pony. Once the pony is comfortable with this, it’s a good time to introduce a bridle and begin the process of ‘mouthing’ the pony – getting them used to the bridle and bit. This along with long reining is something we intend to cover in more detail on another page, so we’ll only mention it at this point. There are also of number of other foundational things your pony will need to be taught, like backing up, respecting your space and behaving well on the ground and we’ll look to cover some of these in future pages too.

Once your pony is comfortable carrying a rider and having a bit in its mouth, you will be at the point where you can begin spending lots of hours practicing the basics of riding with your pony. It is very important to be consistent with your pony and allow them time to work out what it is that you are asking of them as you ride them. Be patient with them and reward them with scratches and praise when they get things right. Remember that each pony is different, some will learn much faster than others, some will understand most things very quickly but get stuck on one point, some will just breeze through the process. It’s far easier in the long run if you take more time at the start to get things right.

Always do your best to start and finish on a good note, remember to train your pony on both sides, stay safe and have fun!