Back at 4 or wait??

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pinkypug1

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keen for opinions.
Homebred ISH 15.2 gelding 4yrs (July)
I’ve had bridle & saddle on for a mooch around in long lines 3x no issues.
Not sure whether to back this year (will be sent away to a pro) or long line more over winter and wait until next year as I feel he’s got a bit more maturing physically to do.
He’s at home so keeping at grass for as long as I need is not a problem. He will be sold once backed. Are buyers put off being backed at 5 rather than 4? I don’t want to rush him but don’t want buyers to be put off either. Thoughts?
 
If you feel he has more maturing to do, personally I'd wait until he was 5 x There's no harm in waiting an extra year as it would give you the extra time to really nail the groundwork and long lining, with the bonus of him being able to mature more too without the weight of a rider. I currently have a 2 year old and I don't plan on doing much with him till he turns 4/5 as he is growing like mad and is easily en route to 16.2hh. Doesn't help that he also keeps shooting up after being level for a day or so 😂.

I can't see buyers being put off by the fact that he would be being backed at 5 rather than 4 - perhaps it might even encourage more people to consider viewing him as it shows that he won't have been doing tons at a young age x I certainly wouldn't discount a horse that has been started at 5 rather than 4 - I'd ask why he wasn't started at 4 of course but lack of maturity is a perfectly valid reason to wait a bit longer and it wouldn't deter me from buying x
 
Thanks for your reply. I’ve not sold a young horse in many years. So unsure what the market prefers these days! I sold my last homebred as a 13 year old. He’s easy to have around & i’m keen to see him under saddle so don’t want to sell unbacked and I’m in no rush to move him on.
 
I would prefer for backing to be later, though I'm a leisure owner so my main aim is longevity of my new pet. It depends on what he's going to be marketed as, you see competition horses in young horse classes jumping enormous stuff. But are they still sound at 12?
 
Have him lightly backed. It tends to help them mature mentally and physically and if you are planning to sell then yes it will put off lots of buyers if you wait till 5. He doesn't have to do a lot, just have a light weight rider on and get the basics installed.
 
9tails said:
I would prefer for backing to be later, though I'm a leisure owner so my main aim is longevity of my new pet. It depends on what he's going to be marketed as, you see competition horses in young
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Im not marketing him for a professional. I ideally want a long term loving home with a teen or small adult to do grass roots level, he may well be a superstar or a complete dud 😂 if I don’t find the right buyer he can stay with me that’s why im in no rush with him.
 
Personally, I think that buying him as a 4 year old so that I can spend the winter getting to know him and then back him in the spring having already built a solid relationship, would be preferable to buying an unbacked 5 year old in the spring and jump straight into backing. But that is just me.
 
I would lightly back now then if you want you can turn him away to mature more. I find they do not forget what they have learned.

I would be a little suspicious of a horse that wasn't backed until 5 as I would wonder if some-one had had a go earlier and it hadn't gone well.
 
Tarragon said:
Personally, I think that buying him as a 4 year old so that I can spend the winter getting to know him and then back him in the spring having already built a solid relationship, would be preferable to buying an unbacked 5 year old in the spring and jump straight into backing. But that is just me.
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Thanks for reply. I will be having him backed before I sell as I want to see him under saddle myself. I’m also happy to keep him and educate him for a year and sell more established if I need too. I’m just not sure to back now as an immature 4 year old or wait until early in his 5 year old year?
 
eggs said:
I would lightly back now then if you want you can turn him away to mature more. I find they do not forget what they have learned.

I would be a little suspicious of a horse that wasn't backed until 5 as I would wonder if some-one had had a go earlier and it hadn't gone well.
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Thanks for reply! I do find it sad that now a days people are suspicious of horses that have been left to mature and always assume something is fishy about it ☹️ hopefully this mindset will change with time
 
I sat on my mare at 4, just did the basics at walk around the field so turning left and right moving forward and stopping , thats all and then got on again in the following spring and hacked out mainly with a tiny bit of schooling on the hack, then the following year did a bit more… she wasn’t at her full height till she was 6 .. I would think it’s better to do a little bit now so he has had a person on top, could you do that yourself and then send him away to be ridden on next year.. I think that would look better on an ad.
 
dorsetladette said:
I agree with the theory of leaving any 'real' work until they are 5 (rising 5), but I do think they need to mentally be doing something at 3/4 to get them in the right mind set for work. 5 years old's can sometimes a bit of attitude if they haven't done much work previously.
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I know it's only riding VERY lightly but carrying a load isn't the only kind of work, there is so much actual groundwork and non-ridden work that can be done with young horses. I would objectively assess his posture and musculature for backing, very few young horses are in the best state they can be for backing in these terms. If he's like 90%+ of others, then I'd work with him for a couple of months on really good postural stuff to help him with his own balance, proprioception and posture, and reassess regularly, then back lightly once you think he's well placed to carry that extra load, whether it's this year or next.
 
sbloom said:
I know it's only riding VERY lightly but carrying a load isn't the only kind of work, there is so much actual groundwork and non-ridden work that can be done with young horses. I would objectively assess his posture and musculature for backing, very few young horses are in the best state they can be for backing in these terms. If he's like 90%+ of others, then I'd work with him for a couple of months on really good postural stuff to help him with his own balance, proprioception and posture, and reassess regularly, then back lightly once you think he's well placed to carry that extra load, whether it's this year or next.
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This is what I’m thinking too. I will assess him again after a good summer of ground work leading out around the roads etc and if he’s ready he can off for light backing over winter.
 
If you back at 5 you are in the Kevin years. I have backed two 5yos - one mare and one gelding. I wouldn’t willingly do so again. 4 is a bit close but biddable enough for now, so I would back this summer then turn away for the winter.
 
I am tentatively looking for a horse. I saw 1 I liked but when I asked more, he has just turned 4, had been hunting and jumping round 90cm courses. That put me off entirely. I had hoped he was 4 turning 5.

I think carry on with groundwork over the summer and in the autumn lightly back, then winter doing bits and pieces on the ground then send for proper backing in the spring.
 
If your aim is to sell, will he fetch at least the cost over a year more if backing at 5? Gut feel is you can get away with lightly backing and selling now, but if backing at 5 you would probably need to put more work into him so he's a bit more established.aybe lots of groundwork and general life training including long reining to make sure he's well prepared for hacking out. I think people will expect less from a 4 than a 5 year old regardless of when he was backed.

I might be wrong though. If he's a nice good looking willing sort maybe it doesn't make any difference.
 
mariew said:
If your aim is to sell, will he fetch at least the cost over a year more if backing at 5? Gut feel is you can get away with lightly backing and selling now, but if backing at 5 you would probably need to put more work into him so he's a bit more established.aybe lots of groundwork and general life training including long reining to make sure he's well prepared for hacking out. I think people will expect less from a 4 than a 5 year old regardless of when he was backed.

I might be wrong though. If he's a nice good looking willing sort maybe it doesn't make any difference.
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Thanks for response. He costs me very little as he’s at home. I think I will prob back him early winter, hack out lots and sell in Spring.
 
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