What age to back, ride away, and break in?

Midnight_Ashes

Midnight_Ashes

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Apr 1, 2008
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I am very bored and feel like starting an interesting thread...

What do you consider to be the "correct" age to lightly back, to ride away and to break. Also, do you believe in turning away?
 
I am by no means an expert here but I'd say around 4 years?

I like the thought of turning away before breaking in, just to give them some time just to enjoy being horses.

Like I say, I know very little about backing/breaking, so this could be completely wrong! :redface:
 
With Minnie who was 3 in may this year has got to the stage of being sat on in a saddle and walking a few steps. i will probably sit on her again before leaving her on that front over winter. i will probably carry on doing lunge work with her everynow and again through winter though otherwise she gets bored and causes trouble when she is bored (she a rather cheeky new forest pony - between her and her partner in crime, a 13.2 pony they have well and truly managed to destroy the wooden gate onto the yard, currently held together with bailing twine until YO's husband has a chance to replace it! )


but she will then be sat on again next spring most likely and the plan is to get her to a couple of local shows with the 9 year old we have in mind to ride her (she loves her to bits and has already sat on her bareback and with saddle) just to get her used to stuff. she will then most likely have winter off again and then into more regular work as a 5 year old but even then it wont be too much. we are believers in slow and steady wins the race :)
 
Difficult one to answer I thing and one of those 'Grey' Areas.

Think it all depends on the Horse tbh, but I don't think anything should really
be backed until the minimal age of 3. Saying that both Bertie and Sioned
were backed not long after 3. Sioned hasn't done too much since and I am
in absolutely no rush, intend to sit on her a few more times, get her walking
forward with somebody sat on her happily and then not intending to do
too much at all until next Spring tbh.

Bertie has been a bit different, he has done a bit more, lunging etc., to help
keep the weight off and needs to do some work for that reason tbh.

Have been out for a few hacks now with my Grandaughter 'riding' him on
lead rein and a few Kids have had a ride on him in the field. Will probably
continue in that vein until the Weather really turns and then he also will
not do much until next Spring when I feel we can start to work them/hack them out with more of a purpose when both will be approaching 4. Even then they won't be doing too much next year, no rush, not intending
on either going anywhere.

If we have a mild Winter I am intending to get them out and about for in
hand walks as much as possible as there is still so much for them to 'see' and experience.:wink:
 
I think it totally depends on the horse and also what type of horse it is.

for instance Buzz is a middleweight cob type and he was backed at 3 and a half and ridden away. Could walk, trot and canter under saddle and had popped a small jump when I bought him. Was turned away for about 3-4 months (sat on twice and groundwork done with him in this time) and then brought slowly back into work and worked gently this year. He's now 4 and a half and will be worked lightly over winter and then start proper schooling next year. He's very immature but was easily able to carry a rider when broken in.

Heavy horse types take longer to mature so wouldn't want to break or work heavily until they're older.
 
After having several horses broken and ridden at 3 I now consider this a complete no no.

Shoulder problems, back problems, navicular, spavin. You ask anyone who has a horse ridden at three and tell me they haven't had many issues.

If lady luck will give me one more chance, I would back at 4, that is introduce to tack and a rider maybe three times then away again till 5. at least.

honestly, it's not worth it in the long run. There was a huuuuge study done in america and the bones were still growing at 4yrs.

racehorses ARE ridden at 3 maybe 2 but a light rider going full pelt and don't seem to have many probs, but on here and other forums I hear woeful tales of tbs with allsorts of problems.

Is it any wonder?
 
This is an interesting thread.

It seems the norm to back at 3.

My YO was asked to ride a young stallion and was told he was turning three, so she rode hoim lightly for a few months....the livery then didn't pay rent and was kicked off and he stayed as payment...once she received his passport it turns out he's hadn't even turned 2!!!! The YO was horrified and turned him away instantly.

I personally think some horses seem mature and developed enough at 3.... But some def need to wait for another yr.
 
They appear mature enough on the outside. But what we're asking is for a horse to carry a rider well and over many years, for this reason I think 4/5 is more appropriate.

My mind was also changed when I met a top show producer who breeds for HOYS and the suchlike and she shows all her youngsters in-hand until 4yrs. Trains them at 5 and does ridden at 6. All tbs. She has 2 over 25yrs and neither seem to have the problems mine have had.

It's only one more year and could mean the difference between vets bills later and a problem-free horse (relatively).
 
i absolutely agree with nani. i cringe when i see horses at 3 being ridden. Mine told me very firmly at 3 and a half that he certainly did NOT want to do more than a walk in hand. Why the rush? take your time at the start and it pays dividends later. Kezzie wasn't backed until 5. He's the most chilled out, accepting little dude and i firmly believe i'd have ruined him had i persisted and backed him at 3.

My experience is with cobs and welshies. They are both late developers. I believe toby was ruined by being backed at 3 (before i bought him). Even though i turned him away, the damage was done. He's always been nervous and skittery, i think that is the result of a hatchet job backing that was rushed.
 
i believe its down to the horse. not the breed, not the age, not what anyone else has to say about it. its also down to the rider to some degree. despite absolutely killing me with impatience, i decided xander was just not ready this yr - and that partly comes down to me. he learns very well, and enjoys his little tasks, but actually riding i think would be a step too far for him at this stage. physically he's not ready either. he is still having growth spurts. i didnt feel ready either, plus another factor is that i am far too heavy for him at his age/immaturity. perhaps if id been about 8 stone id have thought differently about it, but while he's still so baby-looking, i couldnt do it to him! so i am waiting until he is 4. he is booked in next summer. im still not sure whether this will be too soon, but if i still think its too soon, i'll just let him have a break for a while when he comes back. i dont believe in turning away. i do know that things sink in with horses over time, but there's no reason they have to have nothing at all done with them. some 'work' of a different nature, not too taxing physically or mentally just keeps them ticking over nicely imo. or even if they are just fussed and spoilt for a bit. but proper turning away i dont get tbh.
 
nani said:
They appear mature enough on the outside. But what we're asking is for a horse to carry a rider well and over many years, for this reason I think 4/5 is more appropriate.

My mind was also changed when I met a top show producer who breeds for HOYS and the suchlike and she shows all her youngsters in-hand until 4yrs. Trains them at 5 and does ridden at 6. All tbs. She has 2 over 25yrs and neither seem to have the problems mine have had.

It's only one more year and could mean the difference between vets bills later and a problem-free horse (relatively).
Click to expand...

I do partly agree with this - I'm horrified see 4yos out jumping big 1.10 BSJA tracks and the like as this is clearly far too much too young.

However, I think lots of horses are mentally ready to be backed and sat on at 3. I think there is a BIG difference between lightly backing and starting proper work.

All of my y/os horses are introduced to groundwork at 3 including gentle lunging mostly in walk, and long reining. They are introduced to tack, sat on and taught to walk forward, stop and turn when asked. Then they are turned away for the winter before being re-backed and starting ridden work again at 4 in the following summer. They'll probably be introduced to poles and small cross poles before starting to learn jumping properly at 5.

They have a low mileage start as we don't have anywhere to school in the winter so they basically only work 7-8 months out of 12. We invariably find they cope brilliantly with the re-start at 4 because everything was introduced gently at 3.

This is exactly what I'll be doing with Del all being well. I can't see that sitting on your horse and walking around at age 3 can do any damage as long as you're fairly light and balanced, although obviously hard work is different.
 
I used to be quite definite in my views on this but we currently have a horse who is rewriting all the 'books'. Although bred to race at two he is still growing at 4 1/2 (currently 17.2 + and in 7' rugs) so is only doing baby hacks of about 15 minutes three times a week. All schooling has been put on one side until he actually grows up both physically and mentally.

Answer to the origional question has got to be .... it depends on the horse. My very experienced breeding friends all advise not doing more than minimal 'work' while horses are still growing.
 
eml said:
I used to be quite definite in my views on this but we currently have a horse who is rewriting all the 'books'. Although bred to race at two he is still growing at 4 1/2 (currently 17.2 + and in 7' rugs) so is only doing baby hacks of about 15 minutes three times a week. All schooling has been put on one side until he actually grows up both physically and mentally.

Answer to the origional question has got to be .... it depends on the horse. My very experienced breeding friends all advise not doing more than minimal 'work' while horses are still growing.
Click to expand...

LOL, I have turned them away too at 5 and started again at 6 and a half. The brain just wasn't there, neither was the body. When we brought her back into work at 6 she went away like a train, not a hitch.

I have had some very mature and laid back and well developed 3 year olds and been tempted to strart work with them, but backed down, We start them when they are nearly 4, turn them away for the winter and then, depending on how they do, start again properly in the spring when they are 4.
 
Agree

I have to agree about the type of horse,
For instance my lad who was three in may is now broken in and just walking- he is at horse school!
He went because he was getting bolshy, bored so needed something 'extra' to think about!'. They think he will finish at around 18 hh now who fancies starting to back something that big.
Once he is walking, trot and canter in the school he will go out on farm tracks and then hacks... Jacking on his own and In company to teach him to go forward.
To hel will I turn him away after forking out x amount for him to be backed.
Just because they are backed and roding at three does notean they will be asked to ride on twenty metre circles, leg yield and piaffe.
It Is just about getting them out looking at real life experiences, putting it under their belt and having a horse that walks out relaxed.
 
brea2006 said:
I have to agree about the type of horse,
For instance my lad who was three in may is now broken in and just walking- he is at horse school!
He went because he was getting bolshy, bored so needed something 'extra' to think about!'. They think he will finish at around 18 hh now who fancies starting to back something that big.
Once he is walking, trot and canter in the school he will go out on farm tracks and then hacks... Jacking on his own and In company to teach him to go forward.
To hel will I turn him away after forking out x amount for him to be backed.
Just because they are backed and roding at three does notean they will be asked to ride on twenty metre circles, leg yield and piaffe.
It Is just about getting them out looking at real life experiences, putting it under their belt and having a horse that walks out relaxed.
Click to expand...

I have to say that if your lad is going to mature at 18hh I assume he is of draught/heavy breeding? He won't stop growing until he's around 8....even if you don't turn away...please bear this in mind when working him or untold damage can be done.
Also, turning away doesn't undo all the work breaking in...quite the contrary actually IMO :unsure:
 
Sorry to go slightly off topic (well a little bit but not really ish!) what are peoples views of breaking to drive?

June was 3 in June, she can lunge In walk trot and canter and pop a jump but we very rarely do this, she has been 'backed' asin she has been sat on and walked around once. She long reins in full harness and pulls a tyre, when the clocks change at the end of the month she will be turned away until next year and left to mature. She will be about 3 years 9 months in spring - is that to young to bring her into work and expect her to drive?
 
3 seems to be the normal but I prefer backing at 4, this is what we did with my youngster, as a 3yr she would not have been physicall ready anyway she was looking more like a 2yr old in some respects. She was left with my 2 older mares and was just taught respect to be handled/in the stable etc, then I started work when she turned 4 and backed at 4 1/2.
 
Dannii5691 said:
Sorry to go slightly off topic (well a little bit but not really ish!) what are peoples views of breaking to drive?

June was 3 in June, she can lunge In walk trot and canter and pop a jump but we very rarely do this, she has been 'backed' asin she has been sat on and walked around once. She long reins in full harness and pulls a tyre, when the clocks change at the end of the month she will be turned away until next year and left to mature. She will be about 3 years 9 months in spring - is that to young to bring her into work and expect her to drive?
Click to expand...

I would say she would be fine, just take her steady. She is nicely put together and a well rounded youngster, so I would say that bringing her back in next spring to "re-break" her would be fine. Obviously just don't expect too much of her at first.
Truffles will probably be backed late next year when he is three, then turned away for winter and brought back into work in the spring/summer when he will be coming 4.
 
mine is 3 and a half, has been sat on and hacked very lightly a few times in walk and tiny bits of trot. she'll be turned away very soon until next spring when she'll be 4. she has been longreined (lightly, eg mostly on 'hacks' in sraight lines) since she was about 2 and a half and has seen traffic regularly since she was just over two .
 
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