Backing a horse on your own

[Lu_Miksa]

Has anyone backed a horse on their own? I mean without a helper on the ground. how did you get on / what techniques did you use?

 

[splashgirl45]

i would say, dont. surely there must be someone who could be there with you even if not horsey..why put yourself at risk of having an accident and no one knowing...

 

[paddi22]

yeah i have no arena or helper so i have to do it myself. I luckily have a grassy lane that runs up a steep hill at the back, so after i do all the leaning over and desensitisation stuff, i just hop on and aim them in walk up the hill.. my thinking is they can only go straight, can't buck easily cause its uphill, if they piss off they will run out of energy by the end. and its a straight line so easier on them mentally.

 

[Schollym]

You should have someone on the ground. To call an ambulance if it goes wrong. A

 

[Cortez]

Yes, I have broken many this way, BUT I am a pro rider who used to specialise in breaking and had a stud farm where we broke our own and did all the handling from day one so it was just routine. No magic techniques, just standard, progressive training and knowing the horses and their individual characters.

 

[daffy44]

Yes, I have done a couple on my own, and its been fine, but I have to admit I didnt like it and I wouldnt recommend it. I used to be a backing rider, so I'm pretty experienced with starting youngsters, but the two I did solo were not fun, and I wont do it like that again despite the fact I didnt have any problems.

 

[Ambers Echo]

I've backed 2 and rebacked 2 bought from the field with unknown histories so I treated them as unbacked. Alone all the time as for the first one I was on a yard with no help and after that I just did it the same way each time. Actually getting on their backs was just one more step in a long logical and stress free line of steps and they did not react at all to it. They had by then had stirrups weighted, seen me waving my arms like a loon above them (from a fence) so seeing me up there was not strange, been leaned over from both sides, taken my weight fully while leaning over etc. A few reacted slightly to being girthed up the first time but none reacted to being sat on. One found moving off a bit weird - having to balance herself with me on top. But it was just a momentaty bit of tension - nothing dramatic. But it took ages. I did it purely for the experience of doing it and had all the time in the world. I am sure others could get it done a lot quicker but I am not a good enough rider to cope with airs above the ground so the slow and steady route suited me better.

 

[Rowreach]

But is the OP asking about backing when she is totally alone, or just not having a person there to hold the horse/help on the ground?

I've backed on my own when the option is to have a not-clued-in helper on the ground, because you are far safer doing it by yourself than with dodgy help.

But I knew what I was doing, and I don't recommend it!

 

[millitiger]

I’ve done a number of them by myself- there isn’t a particular method for it and I’d go so far to suggest if you’re asking how to do it, you’re probably not best placed to attempt it.

It’s the same process 95% of the way as it is with someone on the floor, you need to make sure they’re well desensitised to movement, understand your cues for stopping, starting and turning and I prefer to do it away from fences in case anything goes rogue!

 

[Pinkvboots]

I wouldn't do it can't you just get someone to help you at the start like for the first couple of sits on at least?
I sort of backed one of my Arabs like that someone held him when I got on and walked with me the first few times, then after that I pretty much did it myself but he was incredibly easy and I had done so much ground work with him we trusted each other and had a good relationship.

I just think for the first time getting on an unbacked horse is taking a massive risk especially as your not even in an arena, anything could happen really what if you come off and seriously hurt yourself who would know you are lying there.

 

[Ambers Echo]

I assumed the question was about a helper on the ground not no-one there at all? I would never sit on a horse for the first time with no-one around. I won't jump with no-one around either.

 

[Rowreach]

I assumed the question was about a helper on the ground not no-one there at all? I would never sit on a horse for the first time with no-one around. I won't jump with no-one around either.

That's how I read it. And I agree with the jumping thing too.

 

[Lu_Miksa]

I was just interested in how people did it if they didn't have a helper on the ground as I am sure that everyone doesn't have someone who is available every day to help them with backing. We are at the stage where she has been sat on and lead around by someone so we are just working on this for now and she has not batted an eyelid at anything. I spend a lot of time getting them used to all different types of thing but I just seeing how everyone else does it if they don't have someone.

 

[Carrottom]

I agree that no helper is better than bad help, but you need to have someone around in case of emergency. If I'm getting on a horse I don't know I get hubby to watch from the kitchen window, otherwise I find he distracts me from totally concentrating on the horse.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I kinda backed both of mine on there own. Tons and tons of groundwork was the plan to success and it worked!
I say 'kinda' as when I first led across their backs I asked someone to come hold one of them who was slightly flighty and the first 'ride' I made sure was on a weekend in the arena with a friend watching for the first couple of times but apart from that the ground work and the rest of it was done by myself on my own, hacking out was mainly how I backed mine.

Ground work ground work ground work is the key to success and having a bond so you know them well. Lots of long reining out, so when you start hacking its no deal as they know the route, not a lover of lunging no good for the joints but it does have its place.

 

[MagicMelon]

Ive backed a few, although most I had someone there only for the initial leaning over the back part. My current mare I did completely on my own - I just did lots of groundwork and also swore by making small enclosed areas - I dont have a school so just a field and stables. So I would highly fence (with electric tape, not on obviously!) a small area of the yard when I first began getting on, so she didnt have enough space to go mental! Then I just made the area bigger and bigger as we progressed under saddle. I did lean over her a few times in the stable if I was grooming etc. just to make it "normal" before I properly got on board. Its perfectly doable, I had no issues except one day where Id been walking about on her for a week and she decided to explode and dump me twice in quick succession as soon as my bum touched the saddle, but she never did that again.

 

[nikkimariet]

No. And I wouldn't. Most horses go from being unbacked to wobbling round in 1-3 weeks and if you do the groundwork and are confident about the process it's more like 1-2 weeks.

It's not even a case of having someone to help it's also a case of someone helping you if it goes wrong?

 

[Gloi]

I have, but then again I have done lots of things that I wouldn't recommend to others.

 

[turkana]

I've done it as well, I had no school either just got on with it in the field, the horse went to to become a very nice riding horse so it was ok. But looking back it was rather foolish & I wouldn't recomend it. It's definately a good idea to have a sensible person around just in case.

 

[SpringArising]

I wouldn't do it. My horse is pretty safe but even so I tend to not jump (or only do small ones) when I'm alone. And I always text someone to say 'I'm about to get on, if you don't hear from me in half an hour send help!'.

 

[Lu_Miksa]

Thank you everyone for your answers! i managed to helps someone with the first few rides and now we are starting our solo rides (with someone watching)

 

[MasterBenedict]

Yes. But I had owned from a yearling, done lots and lots of groundwork in preparation, and was absolutely sure of his personality/any quirks before attempting to get on board. I also let my other half know where I was/what I was doing/how long I intended to be etc. Helped that he was a complete seaside donkey and very chilled and easy (the horse, not the other half!).