How does Pat Parelli's Seven Games system apply to colt starting?

Pat Parelli's Seven Games are the foundational communication framework he uses for all horse training, and for colt starting they represent a systematic way of establishing language and trust with a young horse before anything under saddle is attempted. Each of the Seven Games addresses a specific type of communication or yielding, and Parelli's position is that a colt that understands and responds well to all seven is fully prepared for its first ride — not because of what was done to it, but because of what was established with it. The Friendly Game establishes that the human is not a predator — it involves rubbing and desensitizing the horse to touch, movement, and unusual objects without the horse fleeing. For a colt, this might mean spending days simply making all kinds of contact comfortable before any yielding is even asked. The Porcupine Game teaches the horse to yield to steady pressure from the handler's hands and from the halter — the foundation of all rein response. The Driving Game teaches yielding to rhythmic pressure from a stick or rope without touching — the foundation of all leg aid response. The Yo-Yo Game develops backing in a straight line from a distance. The Circling Game establishes going and maintaining gait on a circle without constant direction — foundational for longing. The Sideways Game develops lateral movement. The Squeeze Game teaches the horse to go through tight spaces between the handler and obstacles without concern — directly relevant to trailer loading and starting. Parelli teaches that a colt at Level 1 on all Seven Games is ready to be ridden, and that the ride itself is simply a continuation of the conversation already established on the ground. The first rides using his system are typically quiet because nothing truly new is being asked — the horse already knows how to yield forward, yield to rein pressure, stop, and back. The human is just doing it from on top.