I have always wanted to own a Quarter Horse, but life has played its usual trick and I am now the proud owner of a rescued, unhandled, 2yr old Selle Francais gelding. He has a fantastic temperament and a very trusting nature (considering the abuse he has already suffered)and looks to make about 17.2 hands
When he reaches 3yrs old, how should I go about training him western style?
Any recommendations of books to read would be greatly appreciated.

Hi and welcome , the western horseman books are all good try starting colts by Mike Kevil, that title should be helpfull, good luck

You have made a good start by being on the Western Shop!! Everyone is very friendly and always willing to do their best to answer any questions you post! I should know I post enough!!

If you have a local trainer or centre which can give western lessons, I would recommend having them periodically so that you are really ready when you come to back your horse. This is something I would have liked to have done loads more but geography makes it a costly exercise to get lessons!!

I am sure you do this already, but I am a firm beleiver in laying the foundations early on, as long as you work him in short sessions, and allow time for lessons to sink in, groundworking is a great way to bond, and to prepare him for Western. For example, if you have a Parelli instructor local to you, or you can obtain some of the training aids (Parelli website), the Parelli games can be great for teaching them to do turns and stops to your signal, which would certainly help later on if you were to do any precision western like trail classes or reining!

there is no specific western way of backing a young horse, you strat a little sooner and do often more on the ground but starting a horse is starting a horse you still work on the same traiing scale and still want to achive the same outcomes.