let me start of by saying that my horse is VERY green

he was used as a breeding stud up until about 1 year ago (he has been gelded)-- and nobody had ever been on his back before

i bought him in november with the impression that he had some reining training but needed miles under his belt-- which is fine i've been able to work with horses that have been started

i gave him the winter off, not by choice (the weather wasn't cooperating with me at all this year )

anyway once the ground wasn't so muddy i started lunging him-- he was being a turd about it, but i associated it with having the time off.

i did this for a few days until i realized that he really didn't understand a thing that i was asking of him-- once this was established he and i have been doing a lot of ground work (walk whoahs, lunging, etc) to get him to understand verbal commands and cues

here's my dillema-- i've never started a horse under saddle before and i also haven't really ridden in about 3 years so my seat isn't exactly what it used to be

he's a really good horse and tries so hard to please me-- he just doesn't get it and i want to do this the right way

any suggestions here would be a BIG help

Ideally I would recommend a trainer. Someone that will work with you to get you on the right path with your horse too.

If that is not an option, perhaps others better versed in the latest DVD's can offer some advice.

I would have to agree with Cheryl. You would be best off at least getting someone to help you and him or do it for you. Other wise find some dvd's of your favorite trainer watch them 2-3 times and then take it one baby step at a time and don't rush it better for you to over do it then not do it long enough and just make sure if you do some thing on one side then make sure you repeat it on the other. That goes for saddling the horse, mounting and dis-mounting. Working on both sides are often forgotten but is very important.

Good luck and be careful.

Well, I am not what I would classify as a "trainer" but I apprenticed with one and have started several horses under saddle. I am currently doing so w/my 2 yr old gelding. If you can't afford a trainer, what you're doing is a great first step. Teach him to lead, tie, pick up feet, load, bathe, everything he needs to know on the ground. How do you lunge? Do you know about "join up"? Disengage his hindquarters, introduce him to every potentially scary thing you can find, toss ropes all over his body, find a large piece of wood for him to walk over, introduce him to cars(running and off). Take a plastic grocery bag and tie it to the end of a short lunge whip if you have it, and slowly introduce it to him. The goal is to be able to rub it all over his body w/out him spooking at the noise. Don't go too fast though, first just "clear the air" around him and gradually get closer.
Once he has all that, start introducing him to the saddle blanket. Let him smell it, lip it, and rub it all over him. If he doesn't spook toss it on his back and take it off several time, from both sides. Yes you mount from the left, but everything you do to one side you must do to the other.

After this it gets tricky, it all depends on the way he reacts to all of these new things. Once you get to this point message me.If you have any questions message me and I can try to walk you thru it. Good Luck!