Teaching a harness-trained Standardbred to accept someone on his back does not usually follow the "normal" breaking process. It sounds like you do have two solid options (training yourself or using a professional trainer) because your horse is so sweet, gentle and laid back—just like a typical Standardbred.

Most Standardbreds will allow you to saddle them, mount and drive them from their back, while you sit in a saddle with little or no additional training. To them it is just a really funky harness and they wonder how the cart got so small as to fit on their back. So they normally want to turn around and investigate this "harness and cart in one" thing you called a saddle and placed on their back. Then have someone hold him while you get on and off--you can go driving without the cart!

You didn't mention if you had ever trained a horse/animal before so I'm going to answer your question as if you haven't. Re-training a harness horse to do more than be driven from their back takes some knowledge and a very balanced rider that can be calm, insistent and consistent. If there is a good trainer in your area, then I would suggest using him or her if you have no experience or interest in learning to train the horse yourself. (A good place to learn about local trainers is at trail rides or horse shows. Find horses that you like and then find out who their trainers were.) However, if you have doubts about your local trainer and you would like to learn how to train yourself (not because you can't afford the trainer but because you want to learn), then I would suggest you carefully attempt it on your own.

Training horses, especially the first one, takes lots of time and patience. There will be things that you do that are incorrect and you won't find that out until after it has become a problem. So then you have to un-teach it and then teach the new way. Sometimes it will feel like two steps back for one step forward. Then other times things will seem as though your horse has been doing it exactly that way all his life.

Now, in my opinion, it is more fun to challenge myself, learn and then show off what we (the horse and I) have accomplished. (But then I'm interested in professional training :-) Maybe you aren't.)

So look inside yourself--what do you want to do with your Standardbred? How long are you willing to wait to get there? How much do you want to learn? What resources are in your area? When you answer these questions, you'll know whether to work on training yourself or use a professional trainer or both. If you have other questions, please let me know.

Thanks you,
Ann S.