Backing babies - how do you judge when there physically/mentally ready?

[cobface]

As above really
My cob will be 3 in may and planning to back her round spring time. Shes come on lots this summer and looks like a different horse. Shes quite well built and has evened out bum height wise.
Just want to make sure she will be 100% ready as i do not want to start too early.
I have backed and long reined my 3yr welshie this summer but this will be my first time with a horse big enough for me to personally to back. I have help at hand if i need it but hoping to do much as poss myself she is fairly easy going and very laid back.
When do you tell if they are ready?

 

[Gilbey]

From the sound of it she sounds ready! I usually play saddles and bridles at end of year 2, then leave them until they are 3. The answer is not to do much too quickly, make it fun for them too. Lots of carrots and mints as a reward. I wouldn't start daily work hacking etc until they are at the end of year 3 though. Have fun I love breaking babies and have just bought myself two yearling Trakehners!

 

[Shysmum]

I checked with my vet first during a jabs visit, and we decided he was ready to be broken lightly (he's 3 and a cob), and now I've turned him away until the spring. I hope I've done the right thing, but he was a star, took to it like a duck to water, and was so keen to get out and about for his 10 minute hacks !

sm x

 

[cobface]

Thats good to know
She is getting her first bridle and bit in a few weeks probably introduce a roller too (she has worn one once and not bothered by it.)
Looking forward to spending lots more time with her

 

[alesea]

I think it's just gut feeling. We're about to start backing out 3 year old this time.

I think that the general idea atm is to lightly back him this Autumn and then turn him away 'til Spring to do a bit more filling out as physically he's not quite ready yet- he's shot up again and gone bum high. However mentally he really needs something now. We did a little bit of lunging with him earlier this Summer and his attitude in the stable improved so much that we've decided that he needs something doing with him just to mentally stimulate him. So we're going to work with our very experienced instructor and just take it slowly, step-by-step, and we'll stop if he doesn't seem right.

So far we've done some in-hand work in a headcollar, bitted him and done some in-hand work with the bridle on, and lunged him in a cavesson (so he can start working out how to balance himself and where his feet are!). My sister has also had a sit on him bareback in the stable- he didn't give a stuff what she was doing, he just wanted his hay!