Backing a youngster, whats the worst thing they've done?

kerrieberry2

kerrieberry2

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as above? whats the worst thing you've experience and have the horses over come it and turned out nice?

I'm hoping to back my horse this summer but he likes rearing in hand, so hoping it won't be the same when I'm on him!!!
 
Worst one I;ve had is one that bronc'd with anything on his back, including a roller!

We're still working on being "nice" but he's hacking out alone and in company almost 7 months from starting to be backed so slowly but surely he's accepting he can't be a lazy field ornament forever!
 
Always-Riding said:
Worst one I;ve had is one that bronc'd with anything on his back, including a roller!

We're still working on being "nice" but he's hacking out alone and in company almost 7 months from starting to be backed so slowly but surely he's accepting he can't be a lazy field ornament forever!
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oh bless him!! is it a fear thing or just a I don't want to play thing? how old is he? how old was he when you started him?

my boy will be 3 and a half, so thought of doing a little bit then turning him away for the winter, then he'll be almost 4!! but I wont rush it if he's not ready, going to start long lining once I've moved yards next month, get him used to the bit etc!!
 
My friend bought a yearling and did loads of ground work etc and sent him to be backed to a professional. The pro phoned her up to tell her to come and get him as he was unmanageable after 3 weeks. Unknown to her we had a spy on the yard who said he was never turned out and she had worked him once and he had reared and she hadn't bothered since as she was preoccupied with her personal life. The horse was a total wreck when he was returned. My friend turned him out for a few weeks but he was terrified. But with help from a good instructor she managed to back him (she had never done this before) but he still knocked nearly all her teeth out, stood on her, threw her endless times but now 8 years on he is traffic proof, goes on sponsored rides and she is doing dressage.
 
With ones I've done from scratch, the worst was one mare who 'humped' a bit in her first canter under saddle- not bucking or anything just going up and down instead of forwards :)

With some I've had where I've re-backed and tried to sort out someone else's mess- the worst was one who bronced and ditched me and then turned and charged at the person at the end of the lunge line!

All of the ones I've done from scratch have been absolutely fine and most of the re-done ones have been ok but took more time; apart from the one above but he was a real special case! :)

Just take your time and make sure he is 100% happy with each step before moving on and you shouldn't have too many issues at all.
 
A long time ago now, a friend and I were breaking a 3 year old her parents had breed. Nicely handled 3 y/o, lunging well then one day he turned into my friend who was lunging and properly properly came at her with his teeth, she ran and lept out of the school to get out of the way!
He went off to a pro and came back a lamb, never did anything nasty again!
 
I bought him as "broken" at 4, but whether he was or not I don't know.

I think it is a mixture of fear and not wanting to play. Knowing nothing about his history, he could well have had a scare. I went completely back to basics and long reined for ages after he accepted a saddle.

We're only hacking out once or twice a week at the moment as overloading him is a huge negative.
 
Kaylum said:
My friend bought a yearling and did loads of ground work etc and sent him to be backed to a professional. The pro phoned her up to tell her to come and get him as he was unmanageable after 3 weeks. Unknown to her we had a spy on the yard who said he was never turned out and she had worked him once and he had reared and she hadn't bothered since as she was preoccupied with her personal life. The horse was a total wreck when he was returned. My friend turned him out for a few weeks but he was terrified. But with help from a good instructor she managed to back him (she had never done this before) but he still knocked nearly all her teeth out, stood on her, threw her endless times but now 8 years on he is traffic proof, goes on sponsored rides and she is doing dressage.
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its things like this that make me determined to do it myself, rather than sending him away! build trust on the ground with him and do it really slowly! I so pleased that he's turned out to be a good horse! Its hard to believe that in a few years he could be a completely different horse!
 
Both mine, and those I've been involved with in the past haven't done anything at all at the backing stage. Fergs spooked a couple of times during the riding away stage, dropped his shoulder (and me!) once and that's about it. D occasionally breaks into trot without being asked - I'm still waiting for him to have a protest about something ;)

Fergs is turning into a lovely wee horse - rising 7 and properly sweet now. Dae... well it's too early to say :o
 
millitiger said:
With ones I've done from scratch, the worst was one mare who 'humped' a bit in her first canter under saddle- not bucking or anything just going up and down instead of forwards :)

With some I've had where I've re-backed and tried to sort out someone else's mess- the worst was one who bronced and ditched me and then turned and charged at the person at the end of the lunge line!

All of the ones I've done from scratch have been absolutely fine and most of the re-done ones have been ok but took more time; apart from the one above but he was a real special case! :)

Just take your time and make sure he is 100% happy with each step before moving on and you shouldn't have too many issues at all.
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have you ever had any young horses that rear when they are lead, when they get upset etc? that have been backed and have been ok? not rearing? but sounds like my plan is what has worked best for you! hoping by the time get matures he wont feel the need to rear!!
 
I took a friends youngster on to back, 5 weeks after I had a c-section. Probably not the best idea... all started fine although it did tank off twice while I long-reined. But was fine walking about with me on him and basic aids in the yard. However, when I took it into a small grass paddock - all was fine to begin with then suddenly it took off full pelt and I came off. Went back a few steps again for a while then felt ready for the paddock again - this time we were going fine for about 10 minutes then again, it flipped out suddenly and took off at full pelt and swerved making me come off hitting a plastic jump block. I couldnt walk for days as I ripped all the muscles in my hip - pain was horrific! At least it made me not worry about my c-section (since you're not meant to do much for at least 6 weeks...).

Annoyingly I didnt overcome it, as I couldnt risk trying again - my other half wouldnt have had it anyway! I sent the horse back to the owner, and someone else managed to back it fine I think. I found out later the saddle that had been professionally fitted didnt fit so that may have had something to do with it, but I still feel a real failure with that one - every other one Ive backed has been so easy and Ive never had any problems at all!

I didnt back my grey (in my avatar) but he came to me newly backed. He was unbelievably cold backed, would hump right up every time I got on him for about 30 seconds which felt horrid and if something spooked him during that time - well he'd explode and I'd be on the floor. I came off him quite a few times! He also bolted with me twice while out on hacks early on. He seemed to grow out of his cold-backness and then never put a foot wrong. He's an amazing horse so was well worth it!
 
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I was stood on the mounting block in the middle of the field next to horse, tapping the saddle prior to mounting when he caught sight of me leaning slightly, shot off and then doubled barrelled out. Caught me in the kidney, must say I was a tad winded!!
 
Mine reared a few times in hand as a reaction in hand, and once when leaning over saddle(how dare I touch his belly), he is now in his first month of full work (winter off). Pre break he did have a little humpy bronc and got me off. Had a pro re back him and he hasnt put a hoof wrong (touch wood). He has had some of the possibly worst potential situations I have ever had on hacks in my whole life (typical ) and he has been a diamond, never flustered once, never reared under saddle, he saved it all for 'im the biggest stallion'games with my mums cob, !
 
Had plenty of problems during the lunging/long reining stage, but I always take my time backing, so never had a problem so far... fingers crossed! I just take my time and do things at their pace. Even the odd loony I've re-broken has been fine at the backing stage... the lunging and the beginning to hack out stages have been where I've come a-cropper if I've had any problems at all (and I never have any serious problems with ones I've started myself after the backing stage).
 
Mine was a real panicer and would bronc and bolt if I so much exhaled. I realise that its a sign of going too fast, not having the groundwork in place and making a whole lot of mistakes. I tried a dummy on him but the girth wasn't tight enough, saddle slipped under belly, dummy got torn limb from limb and poor terrified pony galloped through arena fence. Went back loads of steps, tried again with me on and first trot he paniced, went full rodeo, neckstrap snapped and I catapaulted off. I had several rodeo incidents over first couple of years, when I thought he was going great he would then lose the plot at anything unusual. Happy to report that 4 years from buying him and he is wonderful, he has forgiven all my mistakes and is a lovely little dressage, jumping and Trec pony. Wouldn't swap him for the world.
 
worst I've had was one who suddenly ran for it, totally deaf to reins/voice aids (only 3rd time I'd sat on her and first time in arena), out of arena (I'd left elec fence open as I knew she was a scaredy-cat and might do this, good job I had because she'd have jumped otherwise), sprinted up field, realised all her mates were behind her, tried to turn fast (on wet grass) and slipped over. I have it all on video somewhere. Both absolutely fine but could have done without it!
A friend bought an unbacked horse from a good stud, I'd guarantee it was genuinely untried, saw it loose schooled fine. I needed a few weeks till after Weston Park 2* to take in a backer, she didn't want to wait so she sent it to someone calling himself a pro. within 3 weeks it was coming at any person on its hindlegs and trying to attack them. no idea what the idiot guy did to it, such a shame. poor horse.
 
Lost the plot, decked me on a main road, and b*ggared off home.

12mths on, he's one of the "confidence givers" to hack out with, so we end up babysitting the youngsters out on the roads. Go figure.
 
One of mine bronked every time you tacked it up, even flipping itself over backwards. It was fine to ride, got me off once losing the plot but otherwise fine. It never got over being tacked up though. Probably didn't help it was the nastiest pony you could imagine.
 
Currently going through the process of backing the rising 3yr old now. Important thing to remember is never rush and always make sure the horse is 100% with what you are doing before moving onto the next step! :)
 
Yep my girl reared inhand when she got overexcited seeing a ridden horse or being led past horses running up and down the fence line, the dancing about would turn into a rear and a bronc, but it's become less and less I believe now I'm more confident and know how to bring her energy down. Giving her rope to circle made it worse so I just purposefully walked her on close to me keeping her head down but making sure I'm not holding onto her head either so when she is walking nicely there is zero pressure on the rope. I've found a few bumps on the rope helps if I sense she's going to go up and shes preparing to. so she has gone from a proper rear to mini rears (where I have bumped the rope so its uncomfortable but not giving enough pressure to pull against from) to just a spin now which I just circle and walk on no probs. lots of reassurance and strokes helps definitely not getting at them for just doing what comes natural.

A lot of posts on here have said their youngster didn't rear under saddle but did inhand.

Just don't set a time scale by age just build on what you are doing gradually and you'll know when the times right. X
 
Just reading these gives me some hope that what mine is doing is not totally abnormal then! Backed mine myself, with a couple of lessons to help me, he's gone really well except he's decided he's going to now start napping. I took him to a show just to ride him about as was jumping my other horse. He was doing ok for 15 mins or so, just trying to turn back etc but I felt in control. However, he then flipped and spun and went into bronced mode. I sat it for a bit but then flew off. Did get back on and had someone lead him for me. Had a lesson since and thought had got some useful tips to help stop him. Took him to a very small dressage comp yesterday just to do a walk and trot test - more for experience that competing and unfortunately I never did the class as he threw a bronc again and I flew off. He was napping to other horses and his reflection in the mirror! I am now a bit broken as landed heavily on my pelvis. My concern is he's learnt a new 'trick' and that he'll try this out hacking - up to now he's been good out hacking. I can't afford to get injured!! Just need to find the key to stop him but think I need some assistance now!!
 
Mine is homebred, so had it from the very beginning. First show I rode him at (rather than inhand stuff as baby) he got bit excited, thought about a little rear. Unfortunately, ground was a bit slippy and he fell over, I fell out of the way. Neither of us hurt (ground was soft too) we both got up, horse ran in a circle, came back to me and looked at me like "wow! what happened there mum? I didn't mean that". He never did that again! lol.
One other time out hacking, he spooked at a largish 4x4 (which could have slowed down a bit more really) jumped sideways and fell in a ditch. I came off and broke my arm, not funny! That one took a bit of time to over come as horse was then a bit spooky in traffic for a while, as I think the accident did scare him (although he wasn't hurt). But getting better and better with that now.
 
Georgygirl, that's what I was thinking of doing. He has done in-hand stuff before but I feel he's just finding the whole thing too much being ridden. The people were lovely and let my sister lunge him in my time slot in the arena as I was unable to walk! Just frustrating now realising I have an issue I need to sort! From the sounds of this thread though there is hope!! :-)
 
I'm having a four year old backed at the moment by our yard owner. So far he has been very good apart from when a white cat jumped into the school in front of him. This made him rear, but not lose his rider. He has'nt had many sessions with a rider on his back and I am very pleased with his behaviour and the standard of work from the YO. She backed my other pony and he is very well behaved. My grand daughters all ride him and any friends that have children that are complete beginners often have a little go on him.
 
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