Back yourself or send away?

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horsesatemymoney

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I can't decide what to do. My lad is coming up to 4, he's done a lot of in hand work and also lunging but has been turned away for a few months. I have backed one horse before, but not for a few years.

On the pros of me doing it myself, we have a great relationship and my boy can be quite nervy and sensitive, so with somebody rough he would react. I also feel confident and would save my money for sending him away to be schooled- for this year, I only want basics and hacking. I have angreat instructor, who I could have perhaps 2 lessons a week with through the backing process. The cons are that I don't always have a helper and I have a busy life so couldn't afford to get injured if it all went wrong (although this could happen at any time.)


Sending away pros is that he will be professionally backed, i know a few people who are recommended. The cons are that not only is it expensive, but that I might need to re-send him next year, as I really dont want more than basic walk, trot, stop, turn and hacking done this year.

Help!
 
I did the basics with my rising 4 sec d gelding and then sent him away to be professionally done. He's only down the road so go to see him twice a week. He's up to walk, trot and a little canter now. Set of shoes on tomorrow and he'll be hacked also..
If you have time and experience then do it yourself but for me, it was important that he was started by an expert.
Good luck with what you decide :)
 
express_75 said:
I did the basics with my rising 4 sec d gelding and then sent him away to be professionally done. He's only down the road so go to see him twice a week. He's up to walk, trot and a little canter now. Set of shoes on tomorrow and he'll be hacked also..
If you have time and experience then do it yourself but for me, it was important that he was started by an expert.
Good luck with what you decide :)
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Thanks- can I ask how long he will be there for? And what you had done with him first?
 
I've worked with quite a lot of owners and their horses through early training and backing. It means that the owners can play a full part in the process, and this helps with the confidence of both horse and owner.

It also means that each of them can proceed at the rate which suits them, without being bound by time constraints which may apply when a horse is sent to a busy yard.
 
Hi
This will be his 4th week and the guy doing said he takes around 5/6 weeks. He started from scratch but before that he'd been lunged, sat on and tacked up. I'd also shown him since a yearling and he's pretty unflappable. I'd turned him away for a year but brought him back in last oct and he's looking really good now.
 
Mine is currently away being broken, has been there 3 weeks (2 of which due to injury) and has broken him in a week.

He goes out hacking and in the school, still a long way to go but moves off the leg nicely and is looking good! Get to ride him tomorrow.

I would say sending them off is the easiest way if you are not sure as it is a very important lesson which they need to learn right the first time.

Even if you just send off to be broken and bring him/her on yourself. The other option is to find someone who will come to you and help you break them in.
 
I would find someone to help who will come to you. Horse will be settled in home surrounding, you can do it over as long a period as it needs to, and you will know that nothing is going on that you would be unhappy about with the horse.

If the prep is long enough and good enough, then in 99 % of cases the actual getting on and mooching around should be a non event.
 
I had this question not so long ago, so i said i would attempt myself and if anything i wasn't confident in then i would send him away. I backed him and took him on rides with help from a girl on the yard, but having no experience (in anything) in teaching aids, i turned him away and booked into get him rebacked and schooled, he was booked in for 5 weeks. Due to groundwork and his attitude i got him back a week early and am now hacking out on very short hacks at home.

I thought it was good that they didn't get more money out of me! I have to say my boy was too dependent on me and having a lesson on him to teach me to ride him properly, not just treat him like a fragile baby was a good thing. He was on a super busy yard and this has made him pretty unshakable, had buses and flatbeds since he has been home and not batted and eyelid (i was shaking on the inside) - Now need to remind myself no to wait for him to try and kill me and just trust and enjoy him!! good luck with yours, i would say that although expensive i am please i was given these amazing tips should the worse happen and i have a very responsive youngster that i haven't taught bad habits to!
 
I have just backed Nell myself, I have been working in hand with her for the last year and said to myself I would send her away if I felt I needed to. Things have just happened naturally with her and she has been a real poppet. I was not sure about it as its been years since I last backed a horse and I am not so young and bouncy now!
I started by leaning over, I did months of this, just little bits at a time, then I just sat on her while she was eating hay and sat astride, did this a few times, then the next step I got some one to lead me round the school, did this 3 times I think, then I got my dad to lead me out of the yard just up the road and back, then I came off the lead rein and am now hacking her alone.
I, the same as you just wanted to master walk, trot and hacking this year really, we have not yet trotted, but I am over the moon to just be hacking out gently in walk, I want to build her muscles before we trot, i am in no rush at all.
I feel as if I have been very lucky with Nell, good luck with your horse whatever you decide in terms of backing. If you can get a helping hand briefly even it may give you an idea of if you can continue his education yourself perhaps :)
 
Having just done this myself I would say to not send away but then it depends on your personal circumstances and facilities I gues.

I had mine sine he was 15mths and did some in hand walking out, took him to about 4 in hand shows between the ages of 2 and 3 and then last Oct I decided to sit on him! We had already put a saddle etc on him and walked him about and, quite frankly he coildn't have cared less. We don't have any facilities to school at home so I occasionally booked an arena at a neighbouring yard but the majority of my 'backing' had been out on the roads really.

I have had some assistance in the initial stages on groundwork and understanding and controlling his reactions (flighgt response) as he was quite spooky. He has come on so well, we can do a fairly well-sustained balanced trot now and he understands the aids to canter and we've had a few!

I like to know i have done it myself, have no worries about anyone making any mistakes ir having done too much too soon with him. He also trusts us as he knows us so it just made more sense to me to do it myself.

I know of people's youngsters who have quite frankly been ruined by 'professionals' who have just asked too much of them in a short space of time. Unfortunately the damage was pretty irreversible and was probably another reason that I wanted to avoid going down the same route. I am sure there are some very good people out there who don't push the youngsters but I didn't fancy risking it anyway.
 
personaly I would never send away. I would always back here then I know what has and has not been done.

Also I know how it was done, and the end result is more rewarding
 
Leviathan said:
personaly I would never send away. I would always back here then I know what has and has not been done.

Also I know how it was done, and the end result is more rewarding
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^^^This.

I have heard to many horror stories, and at least doing it myself i know what has been achieved and how. I backed and started my now rising 6 lad myself, when he was 3, and i have another youngster who i will back myself next year.
 
Basically if you feel confident enough to do it, do it at home. Then worst case you can get someone in to help.

If you don't feel like you want him find someone reputable and send away. The more ground prep work the better. I spent months long reining to get steering etc and has made the breaking process very easy, like someone else said it was actually a non event!
 
I think it depends on what you're hoping to achieve in the long run. Mine has now been lightly backed, had some time off and will do a couple of months of fittening work on the lunge with me, before going off to school for a month or so to be properly brought on under saddle. I'd rather it be done correctly the first time than have to send him away for somebody else to correct my mistakes. Plus I'm very conscious that with youngsters sometimes you start riding them and realize they're just not right for you, for whatever reason, and if I do decide to sell him having him professionally schooled can only be a good thing.
 
I would normally do the backing and schooling myself, unless for some reason i didnt feel capable with the individual horse. However, i would want someone knowledgable on the ground helping. If that wasnt possible then i would have to send away or move to a yard where it is possible.
 
I would suggest send away/get someone to come out to you. If you don't have a helper your just setting yourself up for something to go wrong.

I got on a baby horse once thinking "it will be fine". It was not fine and I came off. There were people about on the yard, but no-one with me. It would have been easier if I had a helper for this horse.
 
I had someone come in to do mine at home, you can watch, help and understand what's happening. If the horse needs a break you're not paying for livery while they stand in the stable waiting.
The same trainer is now schooling her a few times a week, also takes her on hacks and teaches her to open the gates, etc. He pushes her on to new stuff faster than I would but knows when to back off and leave it for another day. I ride in between - it's great to see her progress.
 
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