Age to back a horse?

[Ample Prosecco]

I keep seeing 3 year olds for sale who are in work including jumping. If they are 3 this year they must be only just 3. I thought it was more common to back at rising 4? (Or later). Not rising 3? These are potential event horses.

I know TBs are racing at 2 and they also back earlier in the US. What do they do in Europe? How can you tell if a horse is ready to back. Is it breed specific? Or related to size?

I’m not making any value judgements - just curious. And thinking ahead to my plans with Felix.

 

[ihatework]

I’d always do a little bit with them at 3 (and I class 3 as the year they are born - they are well into 3 at this time of year, they aren’t rising 3).

I don’t agree with them produced for ridden sale at 3 though.

It’s the quality of what you do when they are young, not the quantity

 

[Ample Prosecco]

I assume if they are shown jumping at 3 at this time of year they must have been backed earlier in the year - at rising 3?
Unless someone is jumping a horse they only first sat on a few weeks ago?

Maybe I assume things take longer than they need to!

 

[ihatework]

I assume if they are shown jumping at 3 at this time of year they must have been backed earlier in the year - at rising 3?
Unless someone is jumping a horse they only first sat on a few weeks ago?

Maybe I assume things take longer than they need to!

If you were so inclined, a good rider with a straightforward 3yo would be popping fences within 6 weeks. Not under saddle if it were my 3yo, but it’s done plenty frequently enough. Remember it comes very naturally to a purpose bred horse

 

[Barton Bounty]

I would work with them as early as possible, but backed at 3 but no full ridden work till 4 probably

 

[shortstuff99]

I've backed all of mine at 4.5 years old and never had an issue. I start doing some in-hand and ground work at 3.5.

 

[millitiger]

I like to back in the autumn of 3yro year and have a few v.short hacks round the block and then they're back out again until 4yro summer.

I don't jump under saddle until winter of 4yro year earliest but i appreciate that's later than most pro riders, particularly if they are looking to sell.

 

[reynold]

I accept ponies are different but I backed and rode all mine from the summer of when they were 3 (heights from 11.2 to 14.2). I tinkered around with them at 2 - e.g. putting boots on, holding a bit in their mouth, putting a roller and/or saddle on their backs but this was done maybe every 4 to 6 weeks or so at 2 and the backing and riding at 3 was around once every 2 weeks. Just 'mini' introductions to things.

All mine lived well into their 20s, one to nearly 30, another to 26 and 2 are still alive today at 21 and 23. All still sound until just before the end.

The one thing I didn't do was too much lunging on circles and although I didn't ride them over fences at 3 they were loose schooled in a 20x60 with poles lying on the ground for them to learn to accept them.

My method of backing, with sometimes weeks between sessions, was dictated by my circumstances with a full time job and 9 to do so weekends were spent catching up on farming jobs as well as riding and horses.

Hence I feel that 'intensive' backing sessions where the horse is worked nearly every day for 6 to 8 weeks is more likely to damage them than well spaced out sessions over a period of 6 to 8 months.

But then ponies are 'different' and tend to be quick learners (of both the good and bad) so what I did might not suit competition horse youngstock.

 

[Horseysheepy]

10 were backed at 3, broken at 4.

1 mare I didn't back till 4 as very immature.

 

[ycbm]

I backed all mine in the spring of their 3rd birthday year if they weren't already older when I bought them, but I would never jump a 3 year old. I have seen a man drag hunt a 3 year old for several hours and frankly I was disgusted.

Ludo was very hypermobile so he did almost nothing over the winter before he turned 4.
.

 

[nutjob]

I just sat on mine, who was 3 in June, so just over 3 not rising 3. I won't jump him until next year.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Edit: irrelevant

 

[Caol Ila]

No hard and fast rules. I haven't sat on my four year old yet. Hoping to do it in September. If she hadn't had the bloody foal last year, I might have backed her earlier, but she was both extremely physically immature - nursing must have used up most of the resources she needed to grow herself - and the foal at foot stopped me from doing a lot of the training I wanted.

This photo is from March, as a rising four-year old. She still looked like a fugly two-year old.

 

[RachelFerd]

Isaac jumped 4 crosspoles at 3 in the September having been broken in 4 weeks earlier... And then he went on hols until February of his 4yo year.

 

[Starzaan]

I back at five, but they do basic in hand manners work from 3, such as tying up, loading, grooming, clipping etc.
They are backed at five, do eight weeks of very very light walk hacking, fifteen mins twice a week, then turned away until the summer of their sixth year. We keep it light and gentle until they’re seven or eight as I like biiiig horses.

 

[tda]

https://equineink.com/2019/08/10/the-stages-of-equine-skeletal-development/

 

[Goldenstar]

I like to back at three but I do turn away afterwards

 

[Ali27]

I’ve just bought a 2 year old who will be 3 next May. I’m planning on doing lots of groundwork - long reining on roads, despoooking stuff and will possibly sit on her next Autumn a few times but will back her lightly in Spring 2024 when she is 4! I won’t jump her or do anything major until she is 5! I’m in no rush at all! She is my next forever horse and I have my 20 year old still to keep ticking along

 

[splashgirl45]

i backed mine when she was 3, had a few walks round the field on her and had the basics of walking from standstill and turning left and right, all at walk. during the winter i continued walking her in hand with my friends who were hacking out so she saw traffic, dogs, other horses and she got used to them having a canter away from us . i didnt get on her again until the following year when she was 4, and then i just did a little bit of hacking with my friends, mainly walk and trot and cantered a few times just for a short way to see how she coped , then stopped riding as she was croup high and started doing more when she was 5. lost her at 24 to a stifle injury in the field

 

[LEC]

I back in autumn of being 3 - it’s literally back and hack for 6 weeks. A lot of the time mine are big and weak so don’t even canter them in the school with a rider on unless they are forwards and capable. Then come back at 4 in spring.

 

[Red-1]

I like them backed at 3, worked lightly for 6 weeks, which will include hacking and yes, popping the odd fence. Then turning away until they are 4.

The quickest I jumped one was for a pro. She had been under saddle for just 2 weeks, but was light and naturally balanced. I would not personally have chosen to do that, but she found it easy and was actually 4 when backed.

 

[TheMule]

I back them at 3- very quiet progression to a bit of light hacking and a couple walk/trot of sessions in the arena (I don’t lunge at all or really do much else in the arena except some basic groundwork) They then get turned out until the Spring of their 4yr old year.
As a 4yr old they again mostly hack but also do little bits in the arena and a few small jumping sessions if they're ready. I like them to have an outing or two at 4, but they won’t formally compete until 5. They then get turned away again in the winter.
This strategy seems to make well rounded, easy young horses who are keen and ready to do a bit more at 5

 

[Taliesan]

I didn't back my horse until he was about five and a half. (I've owned him since just before his third birthday.)

Looking at the charts of the equine skeleton and when it matures I did not feel comfortable sitting on him before that point.

When I did back him it was pretty much just teaching him to line up at objects so I could hop on, a minute or two of walking and helping him get the idea of left and right.

I then didn't sit on him again until a month or two ago (he was six at that point) and even then it was just thirty seconds or so of him carrying me out on hacks. I will ride him for a short while, get off and walk a fair way before then hopping on him again. My plan is to gradually increase the amount of time I sit on him out hacking as he builds up the strength in his back to carry me.

Riding for me is a small part of his education at the moment - I mainly focus on groundwork to build up his muscles, balance and strength that way.

I am in absolutely no rush with him at all and will happily take all the time I need to in order to ensure his body is strong enough to do what it is I am asking of him. I fully anticipate that he won't be properly ready to do 'normal' riding stuff until he is seven or eight.

Just because I am not riding him doesn't mean his education has stopped though. We do regular groundwork sessions, long walks out in hand (both locally and ones that I've had to drive to in the horsebox), box out for groundwork lessons with my instructor and go to local venues to take part in low-level clear round competitions as well.

He's such a joy to spend time with I don't really mind what we are doing to be honest!

.

 

[Red-1]

I back at five, but they do basic in hand manners work from 3, such as tying up, loading, grooming, clipping etc.
They are backed at five, do eight weeks of very very light walk hacking, fifteen mins twice a week, then turned away until the summer of their sixth year. We keep it light and gentle until they’re seven or eight as I like biiiig horses.

This has made me feel so much better. Mine was backed last year at 4, but then has been in consistent, increasing work ever since. We will have done 3 camps in 6 weeks, with many lessons etc. all thorough.

Now 5, he has another camp this weekend and a couple of lessons booked after that, but then I am pulling shoes and turning away for a few months, while there is still decent grazing, starting walk work to pick back up at Xmas. Many people think that is silly, as he is really my only ridden horse.

I was going to do some ground work/clicker just to keep his mind ticking as he is next to Rigsby as opposed to in with him (Rigsby doesn't seem to like him!) but nothing else.

 

[maya2008]

My preference is to back in the autumn of their 3yo year. Unless there is a pressing reason not to, I get them out of the school asap and stay out of the school until they turn 4yo, riding 3x a week gentle hacks. Jumping (v small) from spring of 4yo year, and still only riding 4x a week at that age, mostly hacking with once a week schooling. Heavier work when they turn 5yo. That’s for a smallish non-sports type.

I have backed later than that (6yo oldest so far) and slightly earlier (3yo with v lightweight child rider, v gentle and fairly short hacks).

Of those I have had all their lives, only one suffered from anything mechanical that caused their death - arthritis in the TB (I didn’t back that one!). Vet said he was impressed she made it to the age she did, but she had a fairly easy life so that might have helped!

I don’t turn away on purpose, but if I’m unwell or the kids are, the young ones are always the first not to be worked, so they get the odd week or two off here and there. Seems to suit them. All mine love to go out and explore, so aren’t v keen on long lay-offs. We’ve been walking the yearlings out this summer and they come up to me begging to be caught to go on walks now ?.

 

[Starzaan]

This has made me feel so much better. Mine was backed last year at 4, but then has been in consistent, increasing work ever since. We will have done 3 camps in 6 weeks, with many lessons etc. all thorough.

Now 5, he has another camp this weekend and a couple of lessons booked after that, but then I am pulling shoes and turning away for a few months, while there is still decent grazing, starting walk work to pick back up at Xmas. Many people think that is silly, as he is really my only ridden horse.

I was going to do some ground work/clicker just to keep his mind ticking as he is next to Rigsby as opposed to in with him (Rigsby doesn't seem to like him!) but nothing else.

I often get asked how my big horse is still in such good condition - he’s 14, not a mark on him, not had a days lameness in his life, and new vets always insist on looking at his teeth because they think he’s 7.
He was backed at 5, and then did almost nothing until he was 8. He’s 17.2hh and only stopped growing at 8yrs. I’ve taken it so so slowly with him, but now I have a horse that will be sound well into his late twenties.

One of the best ‘old’ horses I’ve ever had at livery with me wasn’t backed until he was 12 - he went on to represent GB many times at dressage, and was still teaching people advanced movements at the age of 30.

There is such a tendency to rush horses. There is never harm in leaving them be, popping them out on good grass with friends and letting them mature, relax, get stronger. Never.

 

[Caol Ila]

My Highland was started at 8/9, then turned away until he was 10/11 (nothing to do with him - life and Covid happened). I'm hoping he lasts a while. At least I know he wasn't hammered as a youngster.

 

[Barton Bounty]

https://equineink.com/2019/08/10/the-stages-of-equine-skeletal-development/

Thats really interesting ?

 

[Barton Bounty]

I often get asked how my big horse is still in such good condition - he’s 14, not a mark on him, not had a days lameness in his life, and new vets always insist on looking at his teeth because they think he’s 7.
He was backed at 5, and then did almost nothing until he was 8. He’s 17.2hh and only stopped growing at 8yrs. I’ve taken it so so slowly with him, but now I have a horse that will be sound well into his late twenties.

One of the best ‘old’ horses I’ve ever had at livery with me wasn’t backed until he was 12 - he went on to represent GB many times at dressage, and was still teaching people advanced movements at the age of 30.

There is such a tendency to rush horses. There is never harm in leaving them be, popping them out on good grass with friends and letting them mature, relax, get stronger. Never.

This is good! I have just started a just turned 4 year old, been working for last 4 months on groundwork and long reigning without tack then added bridle, we now have a saddle on, first time on friday! Hes taking it all in his stride and will do anything he is asked, I would say he still hasnt GOT IT yet but in no hurry to push him along. Im a gentle breaker not hash bash, whip out ?

 

[dorsetladette]

My 2yr old will be sat on in the spring (when he turns 3). He's very intelligent and causes chaos if his mind isn't kept busy. He already understands the concept of long reining so we do a little. He's worn all sorts of tack and harness. He'll do some light hacking maybe 30mins once a week over the summer and that will be about it. Just enough to stop him looking for mischief to entertain himself.
little Reggie is probably going to be a late starter and I doubt we will do much with him until he's 3 turning 4 as he is a different creature all together. I think it really depends on the pony in front of you.

I'm not a fan of all the young horse classes that seem to be around now. 4yr old shouldn't be jumping 1.10m IMHO