As title how much do you pay for backing services, and what do you get for that money. Interested in the people that come to you if possible, if not the sending away option. Thanks
I was quoted £100 for the actual backing process and £30 per half hour session thereafter. I used a friends daughter for the backing in the end - it was in my eyes a low risk situation as the pony had been well established from the ground
I paid 750 and he was there for 9 weeks. It would have been the same price if he'd have been there for 4 weeks or 4 months. He deals with problem horses so only sends them back once bombproof and have brakes etc.
My first horse I paid 125 a week about 12 years ago.
Local breakers to me charge about £150 per week, with the horse going to them, I don't know anyone who travels to owners home to break. I personally think it is only fair for the horse to go to them, when I am breaking a horse I may do something with it three times in one day in short sessions. Also you get to read how they are feeling that day which determines what you do with them each day.
I will be paying £120 a week this includes full livery/hay/straw etc and up to 40 min 'work' a day 6 days a week- work may include groundwork/getting used to tack etc etc and mainly hacking. He's going for 4 weeks around Xmas so I can relax over Xmas with the new baby. The girl is fully insured and a pro rider with her own yard and team- she used to school my last boy and she's a good event rider so I know he's in good hands
I charged £100 a week, plus £30 for livery with us whilst breaking - charged mileage instead if horse didn't come to me, but honestly it's more hassle and if you have a good enough rep enough will come to you.
For that, horse was worked five days a week, sometimes multiple times in short periods over a day. I usually liked to have them 6-8 weeks, and would have them hacking out in walk and trot with short bursts of canter in that time (very easy ones might have done a little schooling and some pole work etc, trickier ones may have taken longer or else may not have done any schooling or much canter work).
I would always advocate sending a horse away - they grow up so much. They really settle into an adult routine of work, and so many 'babies' who came to me were really different in attitude by the time they went home. It's like going away to university/college for people - they have new friends, new workload and have to settle in and grow up a bit.
I paid £125 per week, but that was when the guy was first starting out on his own!
boy was there for 4 weeks, leant to lunge and was ridden walk, trot and canter and hacked out in walk and trot! I had lots of work to do afterwards, with steering and getting him to understand the bit! now he's lame so is off work
I recommend a fairly local person, I believe it is £160 a week, but she has a great success rate, and that is to not only back, but to bring on and when the horse goes back to the owner they have all been great, the training has "stuck". She will work them every day, sometimes twice a day on a very nice yard with daily turnout.
I paid £110 per week, and that was horse worked 5 days/7, hay, stable (stabled at night), grass, feed if she'd have needed it. I could go see her any time I wanted and pony was there 6 weeks.
It took me 3 years to pluck up the courage to send her to someone else's care and my ill health meant I had to do something as couldn't look after her and I've got a cracker of a pony now.
Khalswitz - I agree. My 7yr old was such a baby but seeing her in videos and when she came home, she was much more grown up.
For a wee pony I've been quotes £80 a week - worked every day and another worked out with daily schooling and £15 a day livery to be near 1k, but pony would be capable of a prelim dressage test.
2 very diff places. So you get what you pay for it seems.
I recently paid £100 per week, this included daily training of some sort, general care and feeding. I was also invited to visit to ride as often as I wanted, to train and ride with guidance
My mare was broken at my livery yard as the lady who I was going to use worked there anyway. It took her 5 weeks 6 days per week from first putting on tack to jumping a small track of 60cm fences & some small x country fences & hacking out. It cost me £100 per week that included livery fee (24/7 at grass) as she was more relaxed being out.
Producers round here (show) charge about £100 a week (North west england) i suppose theres a lot of competition around here though. Local producer will come up to my yard though and do a session every day (she live about 10 mins away)
I paid £110 pw for full stabled schooling livery for the first 4 weeks and £70 pw full grass schooling livery after that. I felt that it was excellent value for money. However my dumb arse horse has put himself off games til after Xmas due to "trying" to jump a small metal gate (another story lol ).
I charge on average £110 per week which will include everything (except vets, farrier etc)., although the charge does change for what the owner wants for the horse i.e. 24/7 herd turnout or stabled.
I only take on one backing livery at a time so they get my full attention