2 year old - "riding quietly"

[MizElz]

On page 124 of today's H&H, 15hh 2yo bay filly

Please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks that is far too young? There is a pic of her being ridden also (she's advertised as 'teenage project') and I wouldnt say she's being ridden 'lightly' at all

 

[tricksibell85]

Em i disagree with you - i know of 2 youngsters that are 2 and have been backed quietly and are now turned away. They took to it very well.

hmmmm maybe you should think about race horses?

 

[helenhorse]

[ QUOTE ]
Em i disagree with you - i know of 2 youngsters that are 2 and have been backed quietly and are now turned away. They took to it very well.

hmmmm maybe you should think about race horses?

[/ QUOTE ]

agree we mouth and 'back' them at 2 and then turn them away untill they are 3 and then we start doing quiet hacking and gentle schooling. my best ride (TB) was backed and racing at 2)

 

[hellspells]

I'm with MizElz on this one as from what she says the advert says they are not intending to sell the horse to turn it away they are selling for money as a 'broken' two year.

Its wrong and yes race horse may race as two year olds but that does not means its right for all horses - what about giving them time to mature etc????

 

[Angua2]

I think it depends on the horse.

I wouldn't perhaps consider it with horses that are late develpers as this can stunt development

TB's for example are usually racing as 2 year olds... they will have been in training prior to that too. My mare an exracer was done at that age however, she only did about 8 months in training before been "retired" when she came to us we carried on riding her but kept her in very light work

 

[tricksibell85]

Depends on the horse - i know someone thats selling 2 2YO's as backed! Don't see the prob!

 

[Cop-Pop]

Personally I wouldn't back until 3 but I guess if the horse is developed enough and the rider is nice and light it shouldn't matter too much... If I was buying a horse I wouldn't want one that was backed and worked properly at 2 though.

 

[Kallibear]

Totally agree that it's too young. I have an 18month year old gelding and I wouldn't even consider so much as thinking of sitting on him, now, or in the next 6 months. He's far too small and immature.

It does depend on your definintion of a '2yr old' I supose though - a 2yr old could be nearly 3yrs old. It could also be just turned 24months.

And what you class as 'backing'. Having it wearing a saddle and literally just getting on for a sit - yes, I'll be doing that at 3yrs old. But actual work, (trotting, cantering, riding out for half an hour+ etc), I wouldn't want to do that to any horse (regardless of breed) before they were at least 3.5, 4 years old.

As for the racehorse exmple, just because they do it to 18month old baby's for money, it doesn't make it right. The number of break downs and the average ex racers life expectancy proves it so.

 

[Honeypots]

Being advertised as a 'teenage project' would be the worrying part for me.
I backed my cob at two but didn't 'work' him until he was 3 / 4 yrs... in fact, that was short lived as he didn't really mature for 'proper' work until he was 8yrs!!

 

[MizElz]

I know racehorses are ridden very young...but for riding horses, that isnt generally taken to be the norm, is it? And I understand those who have flagged up the difference between 'backed' and 'broken' - the picture in the advert would suggest the latter, however...and like Honeypots, I dislike the notion of her being a 'teenagers project'. I'll leave you all to make up your own minds regarding this particular instance - to me, she looks very young, very babyish, and if she were mine, she'd be turned out in a nice big field for a year to grow into herself. But that's just me!

Didnt want to post the ad, but if you search HHO's horses for sale under £1500, you will find her.

 

[tricksibell85]

I never once said the race horse thing was right

But how do you all know they dont mean "teenage project" as in bringing it on slowly. Doesnt mean its being sold as a riding horse.

Think you are all making some big assumptions. I thought thats what "projects" were all about? bringing something on

 

[Angua2]

IMO that looks like a racing reject.... so yes would be expected to be riding quietly. But I would question the 'teenagers project' tag.... as that could be asking for trouble ( but then I don't know that many teenagers)

 

[Angua2]

sorry I should clarify... I don't know that many patient sensible teenagers!

 

[tricksibell85]

em well i do!! dont see the problem TBH.....

 

[abbie77]

terrible as far as im concerened it sone thing for racehorses to be backed at a young age but you have to remember they are ridden by jockeys that are very light that horse is quickly going to become a handful in the wrong hands it should be turned away to mature there is nothing wrong with backing it and turning it away but for god sake selling it as a riding quietly you are only asking for the poor thing to end up in the wrong hands

 

[lexiedhb]

QR- just because it happens in racing, and other places it seems, doesnt make it right, and IMO you are asking for all sorts of muscoskeletal issues by riding 2YO's continuously! As for a teenager and a 2YO "project"........ erm NO!!

 

[kirstyhen]

I saw a horse the other week that was four and had just been broken, to my eye he looked like he needed turning away for another year to grow up. I hate to think what he looked like at two

How can anyone say "We back all ours at two", do you not take into consideration the individual horse??

IMO a twoyear old is not a "broken project" for anyone, but a (in this case) backed youngster needed to be turned away before continuing it's education.

 

[abbie77]

our warmblood was nearly 5 before we rode him properly it really took him time to fill out and grow up mentally i cant see why people are in such a rush to back youngsters

 

[Cahill]

there is a pic of a 5month foal on `fugly` being ridden

i think proper racehorses are different because they are born earlier in the year and fed differently.






http://fuglyhorseoftheday.blogspot.com/

 

[MizElz]

I'm glad the majority dont think I'm bonkers!

If I had a spare field and £1500, I'd be tempted to buy her myself to turn her away and let her grow up as a 'normal' horse. She looks sweet

 

[abbie77]

i dont think you are mad quiet the opposite in fact i know what you mean if i did not have a stallion i would be tempted too poor girl i do hope she finds the right home

 

[kirstyhen]

Just had a look at the add, and she does look like a failed racehorse. I still would want to turn her away for a year before bringing her back into work. Galloping on a racetrack with a midget doesn't really equate to "proper" schooling with a normal human being on board!

 

[abbie77]

i like people with sense

 

[kirstyhen]

My yard manager rehabs ex-racers and most of them get turned away for at least 6 months before coming back into work, regardless of age. She likes them to learn to be horses again.

But then again she is getting the horses that no one else wants

 

[Syrah]

I don't think you're mad at all.

Just because racehorses are backed, trained and raced at 2yrs old doesn't make it right.

Just because a 2yr old looks mature, doesn't mean it's joints, skeletal structure is mature.

3.5yrs is the youngest IMO for lightly backing and 4yrs old to bring into work if mature enough mentally.

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

I think racing is wrong to race 2 yos, competitions are wrong to have 4 yo jumping classes and adverts like the one above are just as wrong.

I have no probs with a mature 3 1/2 yo being backed and then either turned away or brought on very slowly, but never a 2 yo. Show it a saddle and bit and roller, but not mounted work.

To me its just greedy for a fast buck.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Horse in my sig is 3.5yo.
I started riding him when he was about three. He is probably the most sensible horse on the yard.
He hacks out and is used in lessons once or twice a week, including jumping - it's just the way the YO does things.

 

[L00bey]

What about p109 sadly one must go the second one 15.2hh 2 years old now jumping bsja

hope its a typo or im reading it wrong...

 

[Shilasdair]

My Shire x Tb has just turned 4 ...I haven't done anything with her...except leading in hand with boots, etc on.
I had planned to start working her now, just to the point of backing, and then turn her away when the winter kicks in.
I hadn't bargained on the Gloucester monsoon and swamp season though so haven't done anything yet

S

 

[Faithkat]

Absolutely appalling riding a 2 year old. I have a 17 month old filly who has been for sale since she was born but I have now decided that I'm not going to sell her until she is at least 4 so that she cannot be ruined/damaged by some numpty backing her at 2. She will not be backed until she is 4 and mature enough to take it without causing her damage which will manifest itself later in life. I'm afraid I wince when I read all these posts saying it's OK to back and work 2 and 3 year olds. Have you ever seen x-rays of a 2-3 year old's legs where it is obvious that they are still doing a significant amount of growing??