after backing a horse..

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jack9

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how long do you turn them away for (if at all)?....

im wanting a 2 year old to back next april when its three, so as i have never backe d ahorse before i would most likely be sending it away as i wouldnt want to mess up the education! but after that - (upto 6 weeks?).... talking june... could i just school/hack/play over summer and then would i have to turn away over winter?

thanks :D
 
I have just backed my 3 year old, (it is the first one I have backed though, so I am sure there are more experienced people who will reply). I rode him roughly once a week for about 10 weeks and have now turned him out in the field. He is doing one more show (in hand) next week, and then I am planning on riding him a handful of times in about October, just before the cold weather sets in. Then he will be turned away again until Spring.

I backed him myself though, very slowly.....I started long reining in April, and rode him for the last time at the end of July, so it was a 4 month process, rather than the 6 weeks or so if he had been sent somewhere to be backed....
 
Hi, i back quite a few at work in the spring/summer months, once weve got the initial bit done, join up, rollers the saddles long reing the on we get then, thats usually about 4-5 weeks we do a week in the school doing basics then out for hacking untill the winter coats start coming through in october (as we do all ours from the field as there much quieter, relaxed and happier this way. We then turn away till the following march where the real education starts, they always seem to do really well this way and have minimal bucking ect. They also tend to come back pretty much where we left off, we usually nack on them 2 weeks as 4 year old ready for fun the following summer.:)
 
i didn't back my horse until he was 4 and didn't turn him away at all. some youngsters aren't ready to be sat on as 3 year olds so just bear that in mind...
 
The first youngster I had I kept in work from when he was backed and didn't turn away, TBH he was always a bit nervous and now I wish I'd turned him away to relax a bit.

The second horse I backed late summer and tuned away for 6 months to mature, physically and mentally, the brought her into work in the spring and she was very settled and straightforward, I was suprised at how much she remembred. I'd do it that way again.

It does depend on the individual horse tho
 
Hello,

I'm doing bits and pieces with my 2 year olds now at the moment, they are turned out 24/7 and hadn't even been tied up until I got them, were just working very slowly at getting them to do from the ground - I have lunged them both with some success, I will long rein them and take them out on roads before they are 3.

When they get to 3 I will then back them and just go out hacking so they can relax and make sure they build up muscle tone and are balanced before I start schooling properly for carriage driving.

Its slower process probably than most people but I find my horses are very level headed god knows they need to be with me and a carriage behind them!
 
I backed very slowly at 3, and have now turned away - will be for at least six months, to let him mature and grow. Tbh, he may have longer off, depends on where he's at. Pain in the backside as not riding, but I still manage to spend hours at the yard faffing round with him ! :D sm x
 
Tilly was backed coming up to 5 and wasn't turned away. She was ridden 4-5 days a week - mostly hacking for an hour or so and gradually introducing school work. She was ridden for 3 years before having last winter off and now back in full work.

My newfie will be backed at 4 next year and again I'll take it slowly with her. Depending on how she goes will depend on whether she's turned away or continues.
 
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I like to back in the summer that they are 3, get hacking and moving off the leg. Then about Sept / Oct turn them out for the winter and bring back into work the easter of their 4th year. I tend to find this works for most, although each are individuals and some will go slower / take more time that others.
 
Does anyone not turn away? I'm not sure how these 4yo can compete if they have not been schooled over the winter? Sorry if its a thick question!
 
as above! ^ thats what i was thinking lol


intresting all view points.... see my plan if i got a youngster would be to back at 3 (if they were mature enough)....and then perhaps lef to chill for a few weeks (well month or two) but i dont see why they need 6 months off.....??

each to their own and im not knocking anyone at all - just my view :)
 
jack9 said:
as above! ^ thats what i was thinking lol


intresting all view points.... see my plan if i got a youngster would be to back at 3 (if they were mature enough)....and then perhaps lef to chill for a few weeks (well month or two) but i dont see why they need 6 months off.....??

each to their own and im not knocking anyone at all - just my view :)
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because the vast majority of young horses are not physically or mentally ready to stay in full work

the traditional way of starting them as young as 2 or 3 is because they are physically weak and so were easier to work with, rather than trying to handle a full grown and muscular unhandled 5 yr old - believe me, I've done it and he was entire as well - I spent about a year breaking him in and cursing his owner :P

Time spent starting a youngster off correctly pays dividends in the future
 
thats fair enough if the horse needs 6 months off then thats all good.

i have seen one a while back which was 4 and in regular work which didnt get turned away - nice type - way outa my budget (3.5k).... but stil. hence the questions...
 
i am planning (if she looks mature enough~) to back my youngster, will probably send her away to be done but aim to get it done at the end of the summer when she turns 3 (march foal so she will be approx 3 1/2) then keep her in light work during winter, up here we will have the normal 2-3 weeks when you cant do anything due to the weather, then come spring time up the work load and start doing some small comps early summer - thats the plan but plans can go tits up with horses :rolleyes:
 
My horse has just come back from being backed this week and he is 3 i have been told to hack, lightly school for the next 6 weeks and then turn him away untill spring next year then he will be getting sent back for a couple of weeks but it usually depends on your horse as mine is a late maturer he needs time to grow and chunk out and is more likely to get sore back etc if i kept him going
 
then on the other hand look at racers..... and i saw a vid of a popular eventer on here that sits on them at 2 (not doing much with them...).. just sitting then backing at 3.....

im *not* saying i would back at 2 (i woudlnt) i would back at 3 but not sure i would give them that much time off.... mabey hack/school in walk 2/3 times a week over winter.
 
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