Age for backing

[Sandstone1]

I have a youngster, I intend to back him at 3, lightly. Do a few short hacks etc then turn away un til he's 4.
Talking to a friend today who is horsey but no experience of youngsters, she said why do you have to wait when racehorses are raced at two.
Had to try and convince her that it's far better to take your time and let them grow. Still not sure she gets it though.
I have had a few people say I should be doing more with him, I'm not going to be pushed in to rushing with him.
In fact if I don't feel he's ready at three I won't back him til he's 4.
Not sure why I'm posting this really! Just get a bit fed up of having to defend myself I suppose.

 

[Andalucian]

You're right, they're wrong. If you want a horse for life, take your time. Their skeletons don't fully fuse until they're 6, so sit on at 3, light hacking, schooling at 4, more regular schooling any tiny jumps at 5, proper work at 6.

 

[Kezzabell2]

I sent my boy away 2 months before he was 4, I was planning on doing it at 3 and a half but he wasn't ready! physically he looked really but mentally he wouldn't have coped with it! he was still too baby-ish! struggled to get him away from me on the lunge, so until that was sorted I wasn't getting on him! in the end I found a lovely local guy that had facilities that had just started working for himself, so he backed him for me! had no issues, he lunged first time!

just because racers are backed younger doesn't mean its right! just look at all the problems they have later in life! I had a 19 yr old that I was looking after a few yrs back that was ready to be PTS but his owner wouldn't do it! he was in a worse state than my mare who is 29 and wasn't backed until she was 4!

 

[be positive]

You shouldn't have to defend yourself, your horse can be started whenever you choose, I was talking to someone yesterday who has only just sent a 7 year old away for backing as it was too immature mentally to do earlier, just because some racehorses are started early does not make it right for a riding horse who will hopefully be working well into its teens when most racehorses are long retired.

 

[Sandstone1]

You're right, they're wrong. If you want a horse for life, take your time. Their skeletons don't fully fuse until they're 6, so sit on at 3, light hacking, schooling at 4, more regular schooling any tiny jumps at 5, proper work at 6.

Thanks, I know I'm right and I won't be pushed in to doing anything I'm not comfortable with.
Just surprised really that people who should know better think it's ok.

 

[Sandstone1]

You shouldn't have to defend yourself, your horse can be started whenever you choose, I was talking to someone yesterday who has only just sent a 7 year old away for backing as it was too immature mentally to do earlier, just because some racehorses are started early does not make it right for a riding horse who will hopefully be working well into its teens when most racehorses are long retired.

I know, this is what I said about racehorse too

 

[Wagtail]

I was planning to back my girl this summer as a 3 year old but she is still too small and so I am leaving her until next summer. I will have no qualms about leaving her until she's five if I still think she's too small. But since buying her I have read more about the time it takes a young horse to mature and I actually now have changed my view that they should be lightly backed at 3 and think the light backing should not be done until they are 4.

 

[MissTyc]

Mine is now backed as a 4yo -- she'll be hacking lightly with school every 2 weeks to keep an eye on straightness over the winter, and then only in proper work probably middle of next year when she is closer to 5. She likes working, but is physically immature, even though she's mentally totally game. Easy too overcook a horse!

 

[Sandstone1]

Yes, I'm quite prepared to wait til he's 4 if necessary. I'm determined not to rush him. If I don't feel he's ready he will just do a bit of groundwork until he is.
I'm not influenced by other people, just surprised people think it's ok to back so young.

 

[Slave2Magic]

My boy is a big strapping lad at 17 hands but I am still leaving him until next spring when he is 4. I don't see any benefit to backing at 3.

 

[Illusion100]

I always planned to have my current horse backed in his 4th summer (this year), he's off in a few weeks to get the basics covered, then will do nothing over winter, then will go back in Spring to re-cap and take it from there. Depending on how he goes, maybe some baby dressage, SJ and a little XC schooling in his 5th year but nothing particularly taxing until he's 6.

He hasn't even been loose jumped yet even though I've been waiting 4 years to see what he can do! They've only got so many miles in their legs and I don't see the point in using them up early on a physically/mentally immature horse just because 'you can'.

 

[WelshD]

A friend recently commented about someone elses two year old 'they are using him in a riding school - he certainly took some breaking' as if it was normal, poor pony

My boy has had a rough ride with allergies, he was backed at 4 and has done a bit on and off, he was turned away for most of the summer this year and now (about to enter his sixth year) has he really come in to his own strength and body wise. He will enter the show ring as a novice two years behind many others but I am very pleased that I delayed

 

[Rhodders]

I backed my welsh d at 4 - i've had no issues at all, I'm glad I waited he's doing great 7 months on he's confident relaxed and happy

 

[leggs]

my arab was supposedly backed when I bought her at 3 but you couldn't tell!!! all my other horses that i've had since foal have not been backed until 4.5, my latest even at 7

 

[Sukistokes2]

I would say four!
If this horse is a keeper why rush!! Read the post about the girl hacking a three year old and her having problems. It is of course up to you but with Moses I have had to be careful.
<<<<
I have so far not regretted taking it slow and he is a well balanced young horse.

 

[melissa1971]

I've backed mine this yr as a 5yr old he mentally wasn't ready before I'm glad I waited he has been no problem at all

 

[Slightlyconfused]

We brought an unbanked six year old from breeder in July straight from feild, well he had had tack on and could lunge but they need to down side so not much time to do more.

We have been playing with him on the ground since, learning about rugs, traffic, stables, fields to walk around as well as exercise sheets and these weird humans jumping up and down all around him and even sometimes against him...... We will continue to do this until marching next year and then send him away to be backed ready for the nicer weather.

I don't like don't it this time of year as the the weather can get in the way too much. But playing over the winter I really don't mind.

 

[Sandstone1]

At the moment I'm planning to back him late summer when he will be coming up 3 1/2, he is Welsh d and quite chunky but if I don't feel he's ready I will leave it til he's 4.
If it goes to plan, all I want to do next year is the basics. A few short hacks. Then leave him for the winter and start again when hes 4.

 

[Goldenstar]

Unless the horse is very big and immature I have always found it's a big mistake to leave it and always backed at three .
Starting a horse off at three does not mean you need to to do too much work if you are skilled and focused in your work .
My choice is to teach the basics of lunging the voice commands introduce all the tack get them long reining in walk about the place back them get them accepting the rider and ride them off the lunge lightly sometimes I would stop at this point and put them away .
If I do a bit more I lead them about a bit from another horse in walk so they can see some sights and do a few short hacks .
Often I left cantering until I bring them back up at four if cantering happened fine but anything weak or sharp often benefit from you leaving it.
The five year olds that came onto the yard I worked on where they did a lot of starting where often very difficult not something I would inflict on a horse of my own .

 

[old hand]

Agree with Goldenstar horses are much bigger and stronger at five, mine are big moving jumpers and if you leave them too late they can be difficult. However usually just tack them up and get them used to walking and halting etc at three , get on and have a walk about so that they do not find it a problem later. Then turn them out until four when they normally just take it all in their stride. Work then depends upon their maturity but generally just hack about til they are five. The worst horse I had was an untouched five year old, however, he turned out to be irish and had been tried several times before. only leave them until later if you know their full history was a lesson i learnt! And don't believe what you are told check it out.

 

[gmw]

Illegal to use a horse under four years in a school surely!

 

[Goldenstar]

Illegal to use a horse under four years in a school surely!

As far as I remember four is youngest a school horse can be