Anyone backing young sport horses during lockdown? - or delaying it?

[RiderInSurrey]

Hi there,
I'm just wondering how many of you are backing young horses during Coronavirus lockdown 2020? I have a couple of youngsters to back but am delaying it until the situation is safer, just to avoid a trip to A&E in these tricky times. Is anyone actually just getting on with the backing? or not? I'm just curious to know what everyone else is doing with their youngsters now.

 

[dogatemysalad]

Not me, but a fellow livery rode his young sports horse for the first time a couple of days ago. The youngster had been well prepared and behaved beautifully. The owner is experienced with starting babies and we have good facilities here. It's probably not a good idea for a novice, some one who rides alone at home or with a highly strung horse to attempt backing at the moment though, but then, it isn't a good idea at any time.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Even the pros are likely to be sticking to the easy horses to back just now. The tricky numbers can wait.

Anyone else, especially those who are inexperienced and/or don’t have access to knowledgable help, would be best advised to delay.

 

[TheMule]

Yes, I backed my two 3 year olds. I wrote a thread about it here- https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/backing-3-4yr-olds.787629/

 

[RiderInSurrey]

Last autumn, I did the prep for my 4 year old, he was 3 at the time... bridle with plastic Nathe bit in his mouth, saddle on, boots on (not all done in one go!, this was all introduced gradually with positive reinforcement), a brave volunteer sat him, while I walked him around. I long reined him (he was a pro in a previous life I think!). Since lockdown 2020, I've been doing lots of in-hand work with him, and loose jumping once a week (over max of about 30cm) - he loves this! I've been doing spook busting, with plastic bags, huge bale wrappers on windy days, going for long walks...I'm itching to get on, and I think he just wants to get on with it as well! But I'm always thinking of the "what if's"! I've run out of things to do now, he's too clever!