OK - he needs several stages of training in life, so I'm gonna parse it out to make sure we're talking about the same thing.
Right now he needs to be halter broke, learn to lead, learn to tie, learn to stand still for grooming or for an exam and learn to pick his feet up. I'd think your hubby's friend, or whoever you trust who will come out, should spend that time WITH YOU, teaching you how to teach the horse. Make it as regular as you absolutely can. See if this person can come every day for a week and work with both of you, then you can probably continue to work alone if things go well unless you have a setback.
Later on, and I'd say at no less than a year, you can begin to lunge and/or round pen with the colt, and the same trainer can show you how to do that. Since we've got a lot of time before that happens, you have time to both read about it, and get an earful from me and Becky and the rest about the pros and cons of the various methods. DON'T do any of that now, lots of circling is not good for a baby's joints. He should get a lot of excercise, but it should be the natural free running kind.
You said to ask, so here's what I WANT TO ASK: is it better to bring a trainer "in" to have him trained with us (as we originally intended to do) or to have him "sent to breaking boot camp" as hubby's friend suggests? My husband really wants Ranger, and he really want to have him broken with us around if possible. He is not sure about the method he wants to try (natural, classic) and RFDTV's wide array of training choices is making things confusing.
Again, you have a lot of time to decide this. He can't be broke to ride till at least two... and some wait till three to be sure he's mature enough. Lots of time to consider those options.
IF I DO ALL THIS - get him gelded and bring in trainers, can I still keep this colt and not be an ass?
As long as you are willing to learn and listen to advice (not just ours, but the people you bring in to work with the colt) you aren't an ass :~D LOL
You'll hear lots of conflicting things... Horsemanship is an art, not a science. If you ask 10 horse people how to do something you'll get 12 answers. You'll have to listen, evaluate, and take with you from each person the stuff that makes sense to you. Lots of right ways to do this stuff. Try it, watch the result, try it again, re-evaluate.
In the mean-time I hope you take lessons from a good teacher. More than just riding around with the neighbor, real lessons. Maybe from the same person who's helping you with the colt, so that person is always considering your end goal as he teaches, and can help you get there.
Here's what I want to ask. Are you willing to wait perhaps as long as 3 years and spend several thousand dollars on the training and upkeep of this horse that you can't really ride for that long?
"Here's what I want to ask. Are you willing to wait perhaps as long as 3 years and spend several thousand dollars on the training and upkeep of this horse that you can't really ride for that long?"
I really don't mind waiting to ride - I need to train myself as well, so we can just learn together. My husband and I have been really blessed with good hay and forage (even during this drought) so the money I would normally spend on that can be on other things, like training and facilities. (I want a round pen and a nice stall to go with it. And pretty horse fencing. And saddles. And...etc.etc.etc.)
Oh yes, and vet bills. Lots and LOTS of vet bills. I'm thinking about insurance after my dog bills lately... :P
It's not really about the riding, it's about the horse, and that makes it worth it to wait. Maybe it's because I taught school for so many years but I really feel like learning and teaching is FUN - it's a process of which I'd like to be a part. I wouldn't want to miss it for the world...
Truer words were never spoken!