Did We Prepare This Filly Well Enough? Half-Draft's First Saddling!

Video Description

Today we are starting our half-draft filly and saddling her for the first time, documenting Mesa’s very first introduction to a lightweight sawbuck pack saddle. This video follows the early stages of starting a young horse, focusing on groundwork, preparation, and confidence as we begin her journey toward becoming a future mountain and pack horse. Mesa came to us about a year ago as a small, timid weanling from Wyoming, shortly after the loss of my husband’s mare, Timber. From the beginning, we knew she had the potential to become something special. Her dam is three-quarters American Quarter Horse and one-quarter Percheron, and her sire is a full Percheron, giving her the size, strength, and mind we look for in mountain horses. Her first year hasn’t been easy. Mesa fractured her coffin bone last winter and required casting, a custom shoe, and months of careful rehabilitation. After making a full recovery, she later suffered a facial injury that required emergency sutures while we were on the road for work. Thanks to an incredible vet, amazing neighbors, and daily care, Mesa healed completely and is now sound, healthy, and ready to move forward. This video is meant to document the process we personally use when starting a young horse and to share Mesa’s journey. It is for entertainment and documentation purposes only. I am not a professional trainer, and this is not instructional advice. I’m simply sharing my own approach, what we’re doing with our horse, and how she handled her first saddling. 🤠 **THANKS FOR RIDING ALONG WITH US!** As always — thank you for watching! **God Bless, and don’t forget to KEEP IT WESTERN 🤠** — Jason and Alyssa 👉 **Support the Mission (Donations Welcome!)** https://gofund.me/3ffcac745 👉 **Shop Our Official MTN Built Merch** https://www.mtnbuiltmerch.com 👉 **Amazon WishList — Support Our Herd & Doggos** https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/2UPYTFXAZ53L9 👉 **Subscribe for Weekly Ranch, Mule, Horse & Backcountry Videos!** (*You subscribing genuinely helps our channel grow — thank you!*) # 📩 EMAIL US: [email protected] # 🤠 FOLLOW OUR ADVENTURES **Instagram — Mules & Ranch Life:** https://www.instagram.com/mtn_built **Facebook:** https://www.facebook.com/people/Mtn-Built **Instagram — Hunting:** https://www.instagram.com/mtn_built_hunts **YouTube — MTN Built Hunts (Our Hunting Channel):** https://www.youtube.com/@mtnbuilthunts # 🐴 TRAIN WITH TY EVANS — MULEMANSHIP **Website:** https://www.tsmules.com **Ty Evans YouTube Channel:** https://www.youtube.com/@tsmules # 🏕️ BRANDS WE LOVE & USE Roamin Home Wall Tents — https://www.roaminhome.com Cafe Mule Coffee *(code MTNBUILT for 15% off!)* — https://cafemule.com Murdoch’s Ranch & Home Supply — https://www.murdochs.com # 📍 VIDEO CHAPTERS 00:00 Draft Cross Filly First Saddling | Starting Our Young Horse Mesa 00:30 Bringing Our Draft Cross Filly Home as a Tiny Weanling 02:45 Grooming a Young Horse + Mesa’s Backstory Before First Saddling 05:05 Round Pen Groundwork | Starting a Young Horse with the Flag 05:45 Adding Motion with the Flag | Building Confidence in a Young Horse 06:45 Centered Circles Explained | Groundwork for Starting a Colt 08:10 The Plan for Starting Our Colt Under Saddle in the Future 09:34 Distracted Colts and Groundwork | Teaching Focus and Attention 11:55 Rope Work for Young Horses | Preparing for the Cinch and Saddle 13:20 Bareback Pad First | Cinching a Colt in Small Increments 14:20 Colts That Freeze | How to Help a Young Horse Work Through Pressure 16:00 Consistency in Colt Starting | Why “Boring” Training Matters 17:04 Mouthy Colts | Handling Young Horse Behavior on the Ground 17:50 Adding Saddle Panniers | Preparing a Young Horse for Packing 22:30 Introducing the Saddle Pad | First Steps in Saddling a Colt 23:00 First Time with a Sawbuck Pack Saddle | Starting a Pack Horse 24:50 Tying a Colt While Saddling | Why I Wait and What to Watch For 25:30 Why Saddles Slip | Preventing Saddle Issues in Young Horses (Cedar’s Story) 26:50 Using a Breast Collar | Saddle Fit for Young Horses and Pack Saddles 28:00 Adding the Britchen | Preparing a Horse for Mountain and Pack Work 29:40 First Movement with a Saddle | Leading a Young Horse Saddled 30:50 Breathing and Horsemanship | A Quiet Moment with Our Foal 31:30 Property Search Update | Irrigation Rights and Why They Matter 32:30 Letting Horses Self Regulate | Plans for More Mustangs 34:46 Unsaddling a Horse for the First Time | Ending a Colt’s First Saddling 37:20 Café Mule | Our Horses’ Favorite Coffee Treat # ⚠️ DISCLAIMER Working with equines and outdoor living can be dangerous. Do not attempt what you see in our videos without proper knowledge, training, and experience. Our videos are for entertainment only and are not intended as professional advice.