The most important tool I use in starting colts and teaching them ground manners, is this easy start rope.

It’s not an ordinary hard twist nylon rope, but it’s 3/8 inch round braided nylon and it has a special coating that enables it to slide easily.

When the colt stops resisting, the rope automatically slides and he is immediately rewarded for coming ahead or putting his head down.

He will quickly learn that the pressure is released when he gives to it, rather than pulling and resisting against it. 

Another piece of equipment he uses is a canvas sack.  Over the years, he has found that this type of light canvas gives him the best results in sacking a colt out.

The whole object to sacking a horse out is to teach him that there is nothing to be afraid of. Things might look scary but they won't hurt him.

This is 20 feet of 3/8 inch soft cotton rope which was hand braided with an 8 inch loop at one end.  Gary uses this important piece of equipment for many different steps in starting his colts.