Advice on pre breaking and backing process

[Mb02]

Hi everyone, I was looking for some info on the pre breaking and backing process. Would you advise getting the horse used to being bitted and saddled before they go for breaking or would you let the professional handle it all? If so what age would you introduce bitting and a saddle?
thanks in advance!

 

[Littlebear]

Hi everyone, I was looking for some info on the pre breaking and backing process. Would you advise getting the horse used to being bitted and saddled before they go for breaking or would you let the professional handle it all? If so what age would you introduce bitting and a saddle?
thanks in advance!

Maybe if you have booked a pro already or have one in mind ask what they would prefer? It may come down to your capability and confidence in doing any of it yourself.
Mine is rising 4 this year, over the last few months i have been getting him used to wearing the tack, voice commands, long lining and has been sat on (not ridden more than that yet). If i were to hire someone now they would only have to do the actual riding part nothing else, but for me it has been a breeze and horse has coped well with all of it. You do run the risk depending on the horse and your own abilities to deal with any hiccups that you could make a problem that wouldn't have otherwise been there for the chosen pro.

 

[Littlewills]

Pros prefer them untouched. They will also start from the beginning and do everything from scratch themselves anyway. That allows them to check for problems or gaps in training. So I'd leave well alone.

 

[ihatework]

Everyone I know who does breakers prefers to get them raw

 

[milliepops]

it doesn't really take them long to adjust to being bitted and wearing tack anyway, usually it's easily taken care of as part of the whole process.
I would also leave it to whoever you choose.

 

[maya2008]

Another who says to leave it. Quicker to start from scratch than to fix problems. It would be nice if your horse led in hand politely, could be handled safely, travelled (you have to get them there!), was easily caught and knew what a stable was though!

I back my own and the biggest predictor of an easy, smooth process is a well handled horse prior to backing. One who has been to shows in-hand etc will take hardly any time compared to one who is completely unhandled! Same end result though. I have two now who were at opposite ends of that spectrum on arrival. One is a first ridden now in her teens, and the other happily takes a child or novice hacking at not quite 6. The first took a week to back as she had been out and about, nothing phased her. The second took many weeks - he had to learn to lead first, then to go first...and so on!

 

[tristar]

i would want to know the horse is happy with all the basics, but then that depends on you and your skill set and confidence around lunging tacking up

a horse who can lunge well with tack on is semi muscled and semi fit ready to long rein and be finished by backing will at least be confident which will help with adjusting to a strange place and people

 

[daffy44]

I would discuss it with the person you are sending the horse to, it also depends on your experience with young horses, but as others have said, most pros are very happy to have horses that have done very little.

More important, in my opinion, to send a horse that has had its teeth recently done by a dentist, feet recently done, and a quick check by a physio to make sure nothing hurts, that way you know the pro has a healthy, comfortable horse to work with.