Backing my mare

[Chloea3]

Hi all,

Just need some advice and opinions for backing my horse.

She’s a rescue so not entirely sure what breed she is but the rescue centre reckon she’s a Thoroughbred x trotter. I got her at 7 months old and she’ll be 3 in April.

She was bitted at 2 and has now been going good on the lunge for a little under a year. We have long lined which needs a little work but slowly getting there. We also go out hacking in hand and she is good as gold. She has recently been lunged in side reins loosely (just at walk and trot). And I have sat on her for no more than 5 minutes, twice and she was not wobbly or anything.

My friends trainer who competes intermediate dressage and backs horses for a living, suggests there is no issue backing her when she turns 3.
A few of the girls at her yard have back their horses at 3 with no issues, and suggest I do the same when
ive asked.

My only issue is, I’ve done a lot of reading (as most worried horse parents do) and read a lot of horror stories and success stories.

I am just concerned she is still a little gangly but am also concerned if I leave it too late, will she become to ‘feral’ and difficult to back being the moody mare she is.

My plan has been to, back her in walk and trot and possibly canter (dependent on how how she goes) let her have a break over winter and start with the more intense stuff following her 4th birthday.

I know it’s difficult to judge from images (especially poorly taken ones lol) but have attached anyways, they’re about a month old.

if it’s anymore help; she’s 14.1, I am 5ft and about 50kg, she’s on light chaff, prep mix and stud cubes as recommended by Baileys.

 

[be positive]

I think she is doing more than enough for a rising 3 year old, I would not want to be lunging one regularly at that age as it will be putting some stress on her joints even if done quietly, I have backed 3 year olds, usually well past their actual birth date, that took to it well and had a couple that were just not physically or mentally ready to ride away, at the other end of the scale I backed an 11 year old who took to work like a duck to water and certainly wasn't feral despite minimal handling in her former life as a broodmare, most have been backed at 4 or 5 and very few had done any actual work until starting the process, just had the very basics of being led and handled.

I would not expect a well handled pony to go completely feral if left now for another 12 months even if you only did the basics each day until then, if she is moody there may be a reason and that could be because you are doing too much and not giving her time to absorb her lessons, as she presumably had a bad start she may be in more need of time completely left to be a horse, it may be she does go a little feral but if you have done a good job with her up to now she will remember and may really benefit from a few months with less handling.

To me she looks a bit weak, downhill and I would probably wait until well into the summer before doing any more than the odd walk in hand and maybe get the long reining better established so she can hack out that way rather than being led, give her a couple of months riding away and if she does well keep her ticking over through the winter, I would rather start a bit later and keep going than start too soon and have to give a complete break .

 

[Leo Walker]

I'd stop the lunging immediately. You've been lunging her from when she turned two. Thats not good. I'd turn her away now for a year to minimise any damage done when her growth plates werent closed.