Question-Box International Open Day France
- APPEL Board
- Jan 19
- 4 min read
During the Open Day in Bourg-en-Bresse visitors had the opportunity to submit all kinds of questions in a box provided for this purpose. As we ran out of time during the Event, we suggested to publish the Masters’ answers in the Appel-Club.
Question asked during our Open Day (sheets placed anonymously in the ballot box)
At what age can you start training a young horse?
In hand?
On the lunge?
Under saddle?
(Training young horses is a vast and fascinating subject, and I do not claim to provide an
exhaustive answer here, but I will use this question to explain the general progression in
accordance with the principles of the École de Légèreté...)
As soon as a horse is born, like all prey animals, its survival instinct makes it a formidable
receiver of information and analysis for learning.
If I answer your question in general terms, I cannot help but point out here that, consciously
or unconsciously, from the very first contact and with every interaction, you are teaching the
young horse something, regardless of its age...
Its perception of physical and mental pressure is quite different from ours and therefore
often generates unexpected and incomprehensible reactions if we are not prepared...
Clear verbal and non-verbal communication (consistent throughout the training process) is
essential for developing an initial relationship based on trust.
Let us assume that the horse trusts its rider and has accepted being led in a halter, with the
rider standing on the right or left side of the horse.
Training in hand with a cavesson can begin between 2 1⁄2 and 3 1⁄2 years of age.
This is the key point: it is a matter of education - that means explaining and teaching clear
communication in order to develop an increasingly complex dialogue. At this stage, sessions
will be very simple and short (15 to 20 minutes).
In halt, the horse starts to learn to follow the pressure with the cavesson, he learns to move
backwards when feeling vibrations on the lunge line, etc. Then, at a walk, we take control of
the shoulders and walk in a straight line, then bend the neck, extend it, turn, make more or
less wide curves, change direction while keeping the lunge line tight but supple, and teach
upward and downward transitions between walk and trot first.
When we control the shoulders at a trot as well, the quality of balance and symmetry will
continue to improve and you will be more likely to teach transitions to a canter easily and
calmly.
When it comes to work in hand with the bit, we must first ensure that the foal has no dental
problems and that it readily accepts the snaffle before introducing it to flexions and work in
hand in forward movement. To do this, it is advisable to simply have it wear a fairly thin
snaffle (which does not take up too much space in the mouth) under the cavesson.
International
Open Day
Bourg-en-Bresse (France)
These conditions will determine the age at which the flexions and work in hand can begin,
generally around 3 1⁄2 years old. Sessions should be short and should stop as soon as the
slightest progress is made at the beginning; it is better to repeat later than to prolong during
the learning phase.
During the first lessons, the horse is taught to respond to the different actions of the hands,
the aim being to have a light, flexible and mobile horse. The rider begins with jaw yielding
(confidence-relaxation) then neck flexibility and availability in all directions, keeping the poll
open. With hand actions exclusively on the corners of the lips, the young horse learns the
combination of demi arrêt/descente de main (vibration upwards/stop acting-lowering the
hands) on both reins to raise and keep the neck in self carriage, the action of one hand
upwards on one side to bend it and Action-Reaction (constant pression on the corners of the
lips until the horse takes the reins and has a reaction downwards, opening the poll) to
extend it.
The rider also teaches shoulder mobility with the neck rein and introduces the action of the
whip to teach the horse to be active and to move the hindquarters sideways by yielding to
the pression.
With this understanding of hand and whip actions, the young horse is ready to begin
mounted work as soon as it accepts the saddle and rider on its back.
With such preparation, a young horse without any particular physical difficulties is, from the
age of 3 or 3 1⁄2 years old, in the best conditions to acquire the basics in a few months.
Learning to walk and trot straight ahead, with slightly tight reins and in medium or long neck
position, to accept bends and counter-bends, basic turns with opening reins, the actions of
the neck reins and the isolated leg teaching him to give his haunches. Once these exercises
are well understood, starting to canter on both reins is not difficult.
Respect for the joint and muscle development of the young horse once again requires
emphasizing the idea of teaching rather than forcing positions!
With weight on its back, it is important to organize short sessions, generally a maximum of
40 minutes, including preparation on the lunge.
After a few weeks of training, giving him the opportunity to live in the field with his fellow
horses for 6 to 12 months, or resume working for periods of 2 or 3 weeks during these
months... will allow him to continue growing.
Training can be resumed gradually between the age of 4 and 5, ensuring that what has been
learned is retained before adding new lessons.
NB: Young horses that are particularly sensitive and/or have suffered physical or
psychological trauma may require different preparation, but in such cases, trust has not
been fully established we would therefore be in a different situation
.
I wish you much enjoyment and great success with your horses!
Master Teacher Stéphanie Durand July 2025
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