[Milton'sMama]

Before I ever sit on one it needs to:

• lead respectfully (including trotting in-hand, backing up, standing square, and turning/pivoting)
• stand ground tied, straight tied, and cross-tied quietly
• stand to be bathed and sprayed (fly spray, etc)
• allow me to clip bridle path, legs, (and whiskers and ears if applicable) with no fuss
• stand and be respectful while feet are handled, picked, trimmed, and (shod if applicable)
• willingly allow me or anyone (vet) to touch any part of him/her (ears, mouth, belly, flank, legs, etc)
• quietly accept injectible and oral medications (shots and pastes)
• load onto, stand quietly on, and unload from a trailer
• accept saddle and bridle with no fuss
• lunge obediently both in a round pen and on a lunge line at all three gaits and with a solid whoa
• obediently ground drive while tacked up pretty much any place I point them
• cross poles, logs, puddles, ditches, tarps, bridges, etc. both when led and ground driven
• allow me to pet or groom or pick poop or whatever when they are loose in a stall, paddock, or pasture without any fuss
• move out of my space when asked

I'm sure there are more. I always think that the better the horse has these things established, the safer his/her future becomes. That's why it's always worth the sweat and time to help them be the best horses they can be. It's the ones that have issues with the things above that often find themselves in bad situations because no one wants to put up with their shenanigans.