2 1/2 to young to break???

Just to throw the cat amongst the pigeons who do you all roller and saddle your horses without doing it on the lunge? All of my horses are lunged/rollered/saddled/long reined. Then laid across, sat on, ridden (whilst on the lunge) then ridden away off the lunge. I've broken in 100's of horses albeit mainly racehorses but I can't fathom how you can roller safely (for both horse and person) without having a horse on the lunge in a lunge pen/penned off area.....
 
My little one (currently 15months) is already bridled. She is already used to her bridle (obv), rugs (i hope, shes fine in her box have yet to turn her out!), and we can lean right over her back (feet still on the floor, weight on floor not her). My OH and I also regularly hold hands over her back, do little dances on both sides etc ;)

When my OH replaces his current saddle, she'll start having a play with saddles any time now really. You know, stirrups against her sides etc. However I won't be girthing up tight and I won't be sitting on her til 3.5, maybe even 4 (depending on how she comes through, shes a chunky cob but in a sense that means they need breaking later as they do alot more growing).

We will, when the school is built, do lots of playing over poles, her following me round, in and out of blocks, and then leading up to long reining out and about etc. My view is that actually sitting on her is the icing on a very big educational cake that has been happening since birth.
 
Thank you to Sarah W for posting the link to growth plate info. I used to have it on my pc and lost and could never find it so it's now safely in my favourites again.

OP, just from that article alone, you can see that your horse is too young physically. Then there is the mental aspect... is your horse not entitled to a babyhood?
 
After reading that article, I'm totally paranoid about what work I've been doing with my Arab youngster!
I backed her when she was 3 1/2 and did a couple of 20-30min hacks a week and about 15 mins schooling twice a week. She had a couple of months off in January/February and I resumed her work in March when she actually became 4.
She is now 4 1/2 and is being hacked approx 45 mins twice a week, schooled 20 mins twice a week and lunged 10 mins once a week.
Is this too much for her as I weigh 9st 10lb and she's only 14.2hh?
Having read the article, I'm paranoid I'm damaging her back!
 
Aces_High. Take starting my 4 year old Arab as an example. I didn't bother with a roller at all, but she first wore a saddle when she was 3 years old. By then she was able to work on-line with me in front, beside or behind her, me standing in the middle with her working on an arc, or in straight lines, or a combination of both depending on what I indicated I wanted her to do. Using one line or two (longlining). So when I put the saddle on I just carried on doing what we'd always done. I can't work out why working the horse in circles at the end of a line is an essential part of introducing the saddle. I would just work them as normal, take them out for walks in-hand, it's just not an issue.
I would not introduce a young horse to the bridle by putting long reins or a lunge rein on, as I want the most sensitive contact I can get. When working at a distance I work from the halter, only hands on reins communicate with a bit.
First rider was me, bareback and independent of help on the ground. If a horse really gets upset there isn't a lot of help someone on the end of a lunge line can give anyway in practise, but what they tend to do is get hold of the horse's front end, sometimes spinning the rider out of the side door. So, with company present, first sat on and first rides are just an exercise between me and the young (or restart) horse. An enclosed area is handy, but I started my Arab in a paddock with other horses around, because the basic work I'd done to prepare her meant that she was ready.
Just another perspective really, there are certainly different ways of starting young horses that work.
 
you could bit, put rollers on ext and side reins (loose so they can still move head freely) and a saddle ext. you can longline and do as many turns ext as you want but not lunge as it messes up there legs you can longline any where. i take my 2 year old out on the road long lining and this helps him get used to traffic along with the feel of you no being at his side. if he has never been on long lines on road ask a friend to walk with you a little behind him but just enough so he doesnt think he is being led so in effect you are controlling him and if you have problems your friend can help you. if that makes sense you can also do basics in the field such as jumping next to him as you would when about to mount him. along with leaning over him and putting a bit of weight on his back.... now some say dont back and some say do i have been breaking and backing for over 12 years and opinions vary, you have to think is he mentally ready for you to sit on him and walk around on him? are you 100% ready for any reachion he may have? you could back now at 2 and a half if you really wanted to as long as it is only for 5 mins or so and not cantering him around ext just walking and changing rein so he is used to your feel on his back and balancing your weight then turn him away until spring say about 5 or six months then start his real education. there is no rush after all but it all depends on you and your horse and if YOU think he will cope with what is being asked of him. if you sit on him and walk for 5 mins it will not damage him but if you do back now my opinion is take it slow and once you have backed turn him away for a few months. i hope this has helped a little and good luck
 
Toast said:
Yeah, in my opinion. And i cant stand people who are too impatient to let their horses mature. At 2 and a half i would only be introducing to tack. Please please dont think that lunging isnt going to hurt, theres nothing i cant stand more than people who dont understand how stressful lunging is on young joints.
Be patient and leave your horse another 6 months to mature.
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Before we backed our 5 year old CB mare we had her hocks x-rayed my farrier thought she had some discomfort, although she was not lame. The vet said her hocks were fine but ossification of cartilage was slow. She had had two foals, one when quite young.

Vet said she could be backed but NO LUNGE work or canter for three months. Only work her in straight lines. She was put on a special supplement to boost calcium and is now looking great.
 
Yes, Imo it really is. As others have said long reining, in-hand walks etc. bitting all if fine but I would not sit onmy horse until at least 3.
 
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