Age to back a horse?

[Birker2020]

THis is an age old debate, the age to back a horse. I'm amazed how many people think its okay to back a horse at 3 for example.

I mentioned the stages of equine development link (or one very similar) years ago on a previous post as my friend who is an equine physio gave me lots of information about it. She says with big warmbloods the last bone to form (from memory) is in the tail at something like 8 or 9. WB's are typically late developers. She sees a lot of damage in five to six year old TB's with a young racing history, i.e. being raced as 2 and 3 year olds and damage in older WB's that were backed at 3 and 4.

In the racing industry 'wastage' is a term that describes losses that occur during the training and racing of a horse, this can be due to lots of reasons but a common one is through injury. Growth plates aren't matured and horses are predisposed to injury from immature skeletal frames, undeveloped tendons and ligaments. Its the equivalent of expecting a toddler to run a marathon.

Backing too soon and working too hard (and lots of circles on an artificial surface) are the worse things you can do to horses.

 

[dorsetladette]

THis is an age old debate, the age to back a horse. I'm amazed how many people think its okay to back a horse at 3 for example.

I mentioned the stages of equine development link (or one very similar) years ago on a previous post as my friend who is an equine physio gave me lots of information about it. She says with big warmbloods the last bone to form (from memory) is in the tail at something like 8 or 9. WB's are typically late developers. She sees a lot of damage in five to six year old TB's with a young racing history, i.e. being raced as 2 and 3 year olds and damage in older WB's that were backed at 3 and 4.

In the racing industry 'wastage' is a term that describes losses that occur during the training and racing of a horse, this can be due to lots of reasons but a common one is through injury. Growth plates aren't matured and horses are predisposed to injury from immature skeletal frames, undeveloped tendons and ligaments. Its the equivalent of expecting a toddler to run a marathon.

Backing too soon and working too hard (and lots of circles on an artificial surface) are the worse things you can do to horses.

totally agree about the surfaces and circles.

I have never worked youngsters in the school once the basics (stop, go, turning left and right in walk) are learnt they are out going in straight lines out having adventures and building confidence. the rest is learnt along the way in a fun and exciting way. ie, trotting up forest track to see what's over the brow of a hill or round a corner. Its all learnt with out them really realising its learning/schooling/teaching.

 

[j1ffy]

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

This information is widely shared and referred to when the discussion about backing age takes place, but it relies on the assumption that all growth plates should be closed before a horse is ridden. A number of scientists have been looking at just that question, and more and more evidence suggests that 'appropriate' (and that's a loaded word!) exercise is beneficial to horses in all disciplines. E.g. https://thehorse.com/117784/conditioning-young-horses/

Human growth plates don't finish closing until 22-30 years old, yet it's well-recognised that exercise is very important to the physical and mental development of children.

My horses have all been backed at 3 (possibly younger with Pocholo, I bought him at rising 5 and he was already doing piaffe. He's now a very sound 17). The rare physical issues they've had have been related to poor shoeing and a field accident, Pocholo has needed some hock injections but not for the last couple of years as he's had more turnout. Until large-scale studies follow a wide range of horses for decades, we'll all rely on anecdotal evidence and a hefty dose of common sense!

 

[ihatework]

This information is widely shared and referred to when the discussion about backing age takes place, but it relies on the assumption that all growth plates should be closed before a horse is ridden. A number of scientists have been looking at just that question, and more and more evidence suggests that 'appropriate' (and that's a loaded word!) exercise is beneficial to horses in all disciplines. E.g. https://thehorse.com/117784/conditioning-young-horses/

Human growth plates don't finish closing until 22-30 years old, yet it's well-recognised that exercise is very important to the physical and mental development of children.

My horses have all been backed at 3 (possibly younger with Pocholo, I bought him at rising 5 and he was already doing piaffe. He's now a very sound 17). The rare physical issues they've had have been related to poor shoeing and a field accident, Pocholo has needed some hock injections but not for the last couple of years as he's had more turnout. Until large-scale studies follow a wide range of horses for decades, we'll all rely on anecdotal evidence and a hefty dose of common sense!

Hallelujah!
Thank you for writing that.
Id considered it but couldn’t be arsed ?

 

[j1ffy]

Hallelujah!
Thank you for writing that.
Id considered it but couldn’t be arsed ?

? I did think twice...!!

 

[HufflyPuffly]

? I did think twice...!!

Also glad you wrote that, I was being too cowardly as someone who has just backed a three year old this year ...

 

[RachelFerd]

This information is widely shared and referred to when the discussion about backing age takes place, but it relies on the assumption that all growth plates should be closed before a horse is ridden. A number of scientists have been looking at just that question, and more and more evidence suggests that 'appropriate' (and that's a loaded word!) exercise is beneficial to horses in all disciplines. E.g. https://thehorse.com/117784/conditioning-young-horses/

Human growth plates don't finish closing until 22-30 years old, yet it's well-recognised that exercise is very important to the physical and mental development of children.

My horses have all been backed at 3 (possibly younger with Pocholo, I bought him at rising 5 and he was already doing piaffe. He's now a very sound 17). The rare physical issues they've had have been related to poor shoeing and a field accident, Pocholo has needed some hock injections but not for the last couple of years as he's had more turnout. Until large-scale studies follow a wide range of horses for decades, we'll all rely on anecdotal evidence and a hefty dose of common sense!

Agreed - thank you for posting. There's a lot of nonsense out there about waiting until horses are middle aged before doing any work with them, with zero evidence that it keeps them sounder (and plenty of thinking that it might indeed hinder them further). I can think of so many examples of owners with the best intentions doing absolutely nothing of any strenuous nature until the horse is 6/7/8... and they STILL go lame with the same regularity as horses started earlier. They're just bigger, more naïve and therefore tricky to educate.

This is not me advocating for working anything HARD at 3 or 4 - and certainly not for flat racing's desire to run 2yos - but I don't think some sensible educational work at 3 and 4 is in any way a bad thing.

 

[Lexi 123]

It’s extremely common in Ireland most horse trainers when the horse is being broken once they now how to canter they will learn how to jump with the rider. Most horses are barely 3 years old and they are jumping within a month . Then they are turned away from the winter they staring competing doing jumps and jumping in Dublin horse show at 4 years old. People would look at you like your crazy if you waited until the horse was 4/5

 

[Btomkins]

I’m normally against backing until their 4th year but Zach was ready this year as a 3 year old. He’s been very gently and slowly backed with no schoolwork or lunging, just long lining and straight line short hacks a few times a week. He’ll have the winter off.

He’s a very big boy with a lot of filling out to do, so don’t want rush him too soon but equally I wanted to make sure he knew the basics before he realised his size!



On the other hand my filly likely won’t be backed until her fifth year, although she’s only 2 now so will see how she goes. She’s immature being a September baby and she so gangly and fine that I’d rather wait.

 

[SEL]

I didn't back one until she was 5 and she's been my most broken horse! Pretty much felt wrong from the moment she was under saddle, but took a while to work through baby wonkiness to identifying physical issues.

Current 4yo is having a gentle intro to ridden life but keeps me on my toes by thinking his field is a racetrack

 

[maya2008]

The growth plates thing is a warning - to not push and push until they are fully grown; to be sensible about workload and rider weight (and of course, not to back before 3).

I carried backpacks full of books as a child, piggybacked friends, played leapfrog, helped dig the garden over and built treehouses. All of those involved weight and stress on my skeleton, with growth plates still not closed. Any damage done? Nope. If I had, however, carried hugely heavy packs for miles, I could easily have deformed my spine. It’s about moderation, not about doing nothing at all!

 

[TheMule]

This information is widely shared and referred to when the discussion about backing age takes place, but it relies on the assumption that all growth plates should be closed before a horse is ridden. A number of scientists have been looking at just that question, and more and more evidence suggests that 'appropriate' (and that's a loaded word!) exercise is beneficial to horses in all disciplines. E.g. https://thehorse.com/117784/conditioning-young-horses/

Human growth plates don't finish closing until 22-30 years old, yet it's well-recognised that exercise is very important to the physical and mental development of children.

My horses have all been backed at 3 (possibly younger with Pocholo, I bought him at rising 5 and he was already doing piaffe. He's now a very sound 17). The rare physical issues they've had have been related to poor shoeing and a field accident, Pocholo has needed some hock injections but not for the last couple of years as he's had more turnout. Until large-scale studies follow a wide range of horses for decades, we'll all rely on anecdotal evidence and a hefty dose of common sense!

Thank you!!

Also worth pointing out that the way most young horses are kept is actively detrimental to their normal development as they are not moving around enough to build good bone density and muscle tone to keep tendons/ ligaments less likely to be injured. Working a young horse sensibly and correctly can go a long way to making up for this compromise. Leaving a horse until it's older to do any work is probably going to go against it if it's not kept on a large acreage with plenty of ups and downs.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Thanks for all the replies. Very interesting. I’ve got a book called training the young sport horse which emphasises the need to work them on hills etc to strengthen ligaments, tendons and bone. But I was planning to just have Felix out 24/7 on hills with other youngstock for a couple of years rather than formally work him. Not sure what I’ll do in terms of sitting on him or arena work but plenty of time to decide.

 

[ihatework]

Thanks for all the replies. Very interesting. I’ve got a book called training the young sport horse which emphasises the need to work them on hills etc to strengthen ligaments, tendons and bone. But I was planning to just have Felix out 24/7 on hills with other youngstock for a couple of years rather than formally work him. Not sure what I’ll do in terms of sitting on him or arena work but plenty of time to decide.

That is the very best thing you can do for any baby horse. Acreage. Hills. Socialisation. You will set him up for life.

 

[maya2008]

And on a lighter note… apparently my yearlings would like to be ‘big ponies’ already! They snuck under the makeshift ‘gate’ to the riding area today and joined the line, trotting when we did and walking when we did. So I started to give the commands as appropriate and they now partly know ‘trot on’ and ‘walk’ - definitely not a BHS approved method ??.

 

[ycbm]

. I'm amazed how many people think its okay to back a horse at 3 for example

There is ZERO evidence to suggest that it isn't.
.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I backed a pony at 3 no problem, he was only doing hacking, had the winter off then back into work, he is just a wee plod along for someone. ?

 

[LEC]

There is ZERO evidence to suggest that it isn't.
.

The showjumping feral horse study hasn’t been updated for a while either. This is the long term study with peder Frederickson I keep a regular eye out for. Looking at groups of warmbloods destined for sport and how influential the way they are kept is.

 

[Cortez]

I've backed 95% of my horses at 3 (that's 100's of horses), the only ones that we waited with were the gurt big gangly fellas, some of them we left until they were 5. I'd never touch a two year old, other than to fit a bit of tack and maybe walk them out a bit. I don't do a lot with them the first year, just walk, trot and a bit of canter if they're up for it. They do a bit more as four year olds, including a little ramble about at a show, and start to get more serious when they hit five if I still have them (usually sold by then). After I stopped breeding I have kept my horses in work until their late teens and never had one go disastrously wrong/lame.

ETA There was a creditable study that showed that judicious work with young horses increased bone mass and prevented injury when compared with horses that didn't start work until later.

 

[Lyle]

I start mine at 3.5yo. I think it's important to note, that mine live outside 24/7, over hilly terrain in groups. They also have regular age appropriate in-hand/groundwork as they are growing.
I start them so its walk, trot, canter in the round yard, then by ride 3 or 4 they are hacking following a lead horse. The first few weeks also include a bit of arena work, to ensure that buttons are installed. They do walk hacking over hilly terrain 2 or 3 times a week, but also have weeks off here and there.
Jumping does not start until 4+. I like to introduce walk and trot poles a bit earlier though. I Think its important to keep the work light and fun, my first priority to start a horse so it enjoys being ridden!

 

[Alibear]

Horses are so adaptable that there are many correct answers. But get to riding 3 paces on both reins at 3, then turn away until begging of the fourth year and then crack on, seems to work quite often. Daisy was left an extra year as she was so petite, apparently, she was a tad challenging to back at 4! By 6 she really was anyone's ride along as you were happy to bimble about without too much effort on her part.

 

[JustMe22]

Depends. My current horse was backed at 5 and a half although personally I'd have done it a year earlier and hacked. He's very big and totally sound but would have benefitted a lot mentally from an extra year of low pressure riding.

I just bought a 2yo a couple of months ago. I was looking at two and the other one was significantly more mature and well developed despite being born within a week of each other. Mine is 2.5 now and looks like a yearling. With him I will probably wait at least another year before light backing and only start any schooling when he's rising 4.

 

[Xmasha]

Ive backed ours in the autumn of their 3rd birthday , got the basics installed and then turned away until the spring or until they looked ready. i think its best to look at the horse in front of you, as they can go through some crazy growth spurts.
I remember having a chat with our vet about the best age to back, and he was of the opinion that on average you really dont need to wait until they are 4+ as the right amount of early exercise is beneficial.

 

[SEL]

Thanks for all the replies. Very interesting. I’ve got a book called training the young sport horse which emphasises the need to work them on hills etc to strengthen ligaments, tendons and bone. But I was planning to just have Felix out 24/7 on hills with other youngstock for a couple of years rather than formally work him. Not sure what I’ll do in terms of sitting on him or arena work but plenty of time to decide.

My friend who is a physio is looking for youngstock livery for her yearling much like that. She wants him building up his strength on different terrains whilst he's at the baby stage.

Interesting thread. I used to livery with a guy who took in a lot of v young OTTBs and some of them still looked foal like. A friend also had a welsh D that wasn't backed until he was 5 because he was just so gangly. She used to say that if she hadn't see his parents in the flesh she'd have wondered what on earth she'd bought. He's 12 now and built like a tank - in a fit not fat way - so leaving him did no harm

 

[Cob Life]

I start basic work such has plods around village in hand, in hand shows, getting used to flappy things, wheelie bin monsters, Xmas decs etc once they are 2.
in the 3 year old year I like to introduce a saddle and bridle, long reining, I don’t really like lunging. Then at 31/2 - 4 start light ridden work, depending on the horse. I very much like to take things slowly and do a few little bits occasionally.

 

[Bob notacob]

Get a light weight (eg 7 stone ) rider on at 3 or 4 with light exercise ,and then rest. Nothing worse than a bolshy 6yo that is far too strong and knows it. Get them young but treat them gently .

 

[MarvelVillis]

I always feel uncomfortable seeing ads for 3/4 year olds who have done a lot of jumping already. I started groundwork with mine at 3, he was sent away for backing 3 months before his 4th birthday, and spent his fourth year hacking. We also did a couple of clinics and went to a fun ride but nothing too intense. He has just turned 5 and my intention for his fifth year was to start schooling but that's all gone out the window since I found out I'm pregnant! So he'll continue light hacking for this winter and we can start some proper work when I'm back riding. He's going to be my horse for life so I've always wanted to take things slow and not rush.

 

[maya2008]

Just a thought, but for those who have had horse backed later that went wrong…I wonder how many horses who are backed later are rushed (by producers or dealers or those getting in a project) because their BONES have finished growing, forgetting that muscles take time to build and tendons/ligaments take time to strengthen.

Backing a 5yo this year has been the biggest exercise in patience ever. He could go out jumping next week. He has the scope (likes to jump trotting poles and clears them by at least 2ft!) and could probably make it round a course from sheer adrenaline if nothing else (v keen, loves to jump anything he can find that looks a bit like one). After less than 3 months of being ridden though, he is definitely not ready soft-tissue wise. We’re getting him fit nice and slowly on a similar timeline to the younger one, but it would be so very easy to forget and to rush him.