The Jeffrey technique in colt starting is utilized by many of today's horsemen, each with their own approach. It is a great tool to help the horse first accept the mounting and weight of the human.
The better your groundwork preparation, the more of a non-event the actual mounting is, as shown on the mare in this video, who has had thorough groundwork and desensitizing with the owner, as well as with me in our previous session.
I've tried to share some steps that I have had luck with so far, picked up from various horsemen. The steps can be spaced over several different sessions, and you can use a mounting aid or have someone give you a leg up at each step if you are concerned about creating defensiveness in the horse if you can't mount smoothly from the ground.
We try to retreat BEFORE the horse feels he needs to react, but if he does, remember to 'lift a drift and bend an escape.' In other words, if he's just drifting, we lift the rein to get a feel on his nose and try to stay with him until he can stop his own feet, but if he's escaping, we get control of the situation by asking him to turn and face us and reconnect.
This situation can be like a pressure cooker, where if you don't occasionally release the pressure by allowing him the time and physical space to process what is going on, he can build up a lot of tension and anticipation and blow his top, even if he 'looks' calm. Give him a chance to think and release some steam by retreating and reconnecting and letting him untrack his feet a little bit.
It is VITAL that he is accepting, not just tolerating, each step before you move on to the next. It's not enough for him to be able to keep his own feet still on a loose rein. Watch for signs of acceptance like blinking, lowering the head, licking and chewing, shaking the neck, sneezing, and yawning.
Watch Kel Jeffrey video from 1950: [ Ссылка ]
