Backing older horses (5+)

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Landcruiser

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People were mentioning having a "backing older horses" or "backing 5/6 yr olds" thread and I couldn't find one so have started one. Apologies if there's another.
Anyway, I'm 7 weeks into backing my 5 yr old mare Hummingbird. I waited until she was properly 5, in the hope that her front would catch up with her croup, but nope.. She also had a lot of medical issues at 3/4 including a meniscal tear in her stifle joint, with ensuing surgery, box/small pen rest, lengthy rehab, then ulcers, then selenium deficiency, then last winter she had mud fever that got infected - honestly, she's a vet's dream. Oh, and she jumped a gate in March or rather failed to jump in and landed on it, causing mostly superficial but extensive abrasions and a nice slice out of her fetlock on her "meniscal tear" leg.
So with all that, here we are at 5, having done a ton of groundwork over the 2 and a half years I've had her. Pre injury she went to Hartsop Farm for Kelly Marks' "Perfect Manners" course, and she's done several TREC obstacle clinics in hand, and a "Top Barn" in hand obstacle day. Last winter I started walking her out in hand, and we walked about 60 miles together over several months. She did a "real" Winter Trec in hand and won her class with almost perfect marks.

7 weeks ago, having done a lot of saddling, tying stuff to the saddle, leaning over etc I got on her, with Adam Goodfellow (IH) as my ground man. She was an absolute dream to back and she's pretty much been a superstar ever since. She's bitless, was started in a TCS but now has a properly fitted Strada.

Given how much solo handwalking I'd done I wasn't worried about hacking. First walk out OH came, second time I fancied it he was away so I went solo. She was a little unsure a few times and I hopped off to pass the local pigs that she doesn't like, but no spooks at all. Today we had our very first hack in company - a friend came and rode my old gelding, and I had my first ever few strides of canter after I held her back and my friend took him to the top of a nice sloping track with good footing. No bucks and a really nice feel of impulsion from behind. Maybe those long back legs are going to be a positive!?

Going forward I'm working on finessing her steering, and on building her strength slowly. She can already do laterals which she learned in hand but has easily transferred to ridden - sidepass over a pole anyone? Easy peasy. So lots of slow work over poles, laterals, hacking straight lines building up stamina. She'll do winter TREC if there are any close by, and then hopefully we'll be ready to start a few real summer TRECs next yr when she's 6. She's showing a lot of promise because she's very bold and "up for it."
 

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I don’t think 5 is old. As long as basic handling has been carried out and some socialisation l really don’t think age is as much as a problem as some people think. Years ago 10 was considered old and the work load was much heavier than today in many circumstances. Today ponies go on much much longer some into their 30s.
 
We have a 6yo (started in April) and a 10yo (started mid June) going at the moment.

6yo was very very feral, so we’re still working through some residual issues - feet are a slow work in progress, but we’ve managed dentist and vaccs, she hacks confidently in company going first/last/middle and has strengthened and muscled up hugely. Plan is to start schooling in the autumn. She’ll like dressage, I think. Loves going in an outline, being pampered, real girly show off mare!

10yo is very excited about being a ridden pony, having also been feral (but more straightforward than the other). Confident, striding out, keen to go. Willing to give a less confident horse a lead. Steering and brakes are a work in progress - very basic atm as to be expected! Focus is on making her totally childproof and easy.
 
Oh, she's a grand sort, and lovely to see a proper strawberry red roan, I haven't seen one for years. I've broken a few older horses (I used to break all my broodmares as a matter of principle), and some of the bought-in ones were 9, 10, 11 years old. They are generally lovely to do, but sometimes a bit more opinionated in the beginning than the three year olds.
 
gallopingby said:
I don’t think 5 is old. As long as basic handling has been carried out and some socialisation l really don’t think age is as much as a problem as some people think. Years ago 10 was considered old and the work load was much heavier than today in many circumstances. Today ponies go on much much longer some into their 30s.
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It’s not old at all, I think the thread title is because I was lightheartedly commenting on the backing 3 and 4 year old thread that mine would be too old to take part as I am choosing to wait til he is 5 or 6 to back him.
 
I backed mine at 10. She'd had a lot of groundwork over the years, but due to my health issues it didn't happen until then. Unfortunately, I broke myself back in November and haven't been able to do any work with her since, so I'm slightly worried we're going to have to start from the beginning again. As an aside, she was really easy to do, although she does have opinions!
 
I had one who was backed at 7 years old as had a checkered past including ending up at a meat farm which is where he was bought from in terrible condition, tried to die etc. Went out eventing at 8 doing 80/90s and then 100 at 9 and Novice at 10.
Lovely horse and just the sweetest character. He was huge at 17.2hh so probably did him no harm to wait.
 

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Little cob seems to think she needs to make her own decisions still 🤦‍♀️. Will surge forwards, completely unstoppable, if she feels the lead horse is struggling with confidence and needs a lead (or even if she thinks it would just be a good idea). Then once in the lead, revert back to sweet and obedient again. I get that she is trying to help, but it isn’t needed or wanted!!
 
maya2008 said:
Little cob seems to think she needs to make her own decisions still 🤦‍♀️. Will surge forwards, completely unstoppable, if she feels the lead horse is struggling with confidence and needs a lead (or even if she thinks it would just be a good idea). Then once in the lead, revert back to sweet and obedient again. I get that she is trying to help, but it isn’t needed or wanted!!
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That sounds, disobedience aside, rather lovely.
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ycbm said:
That sounds, disobedience aside, rather lovely.
..
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She’s been a mum herself multiple times and she’s made her own decisions for herself and her herd for nearly 10 years so I do get it, I do. It’s just an interesting conundrum trying to figure out how we will explain to her that this isn’t, actually, a good idea if she has not been asked to help. Knowing she’s not actually trying to do anything wrong.
 
Super looking horse OP , well worth waiting to start her ridden career imo

My last horse wasn't started till he was 5 years old , he had rubbish conformation including pigeon toed
After a slow build up he became my superstar TREC horse , competing for years at level 3 and never once being vetted out

Hopefully you'll have years of fun with her
 
Well…we finally got the dentist to our older mare, who arrived feral in February. Passport says 10, but was done in 2022. I was thinking older, based on her general appearance and how easily she puts on muscle (or doesn’t). Dentist says she’s 16-18 years old!

So you absolutely can back a 16 year old brood mare successfully, just in case anyone ever wants to know! Did have a few minor disagreements about whether she or child were in charge at first, but that’s sorted now.

She’s an absolute sweetheart, plenty of energy but sensible and completely bombproof. One of our youngsters spun and ran at the cows today and, having only been backed in June, she allowed my son to direct her to run down the fleeing 4yo, leap off while she was still moving, catch the pony and bring her back. All in a bareback pad…because she really is that safe!
 
Anyone else still plodding along with an older green horse/pony?

I have:

16yo little cob who is being the most angelic, most sweet mare ever. Totally trustworthy and safe, having only been backed this summer. Will look after a wobbly riding school child, a nervous one, a half asleep one. Doesn’t pull for grass either. Is learning school movements and getting her balance in canter on a corner, plus baby jumps at the moment.

6yo Welsh D who was backed last spring and learned that she had a left canter lead today - she was very pleased with herself! She has turned into a sweet gentle soul who my son adores (feeling’s mutual). Had too many foals too young so I want to work on straightening her up behind and strengthening her hips before we do much more than hacking and flatwork. She’s an old fashioned type so still solidifying and has quite a bit of bone. No rush, she’s already straighter in trot and canter, just got to get my son to sort the walk.

Anyone else??
 
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maya2008 said:
Anyone else still plodding along with an older green horse/pony?

I have:

16yo little cob who is being the most angelic, most sweet mare ever. Totally trustworthy and safe, having only been backed this summer. Will look after a wobbly riding school child, a nervous one, a half asleep one. Doesn’t pull for grass either. Is learning school movements and getting her balance in canter on a corner, plus baby jumps at the moment.

6yo Welsh D who was backed last spring and learned that she had a left canter lead today - she was very pleased with herself! She has turned into a sweet gentle soul who my son adores (feeling’s mutual). Had too many foals too young so I want to work on straightening her up behind and strengthening her hips before we do much more than hacking and flatwork. She’s an old fashioned type so still solidifying and has quite a bit of bone. No rush, she’s already straighter in trot and canter, just got to get my son to sort the walk.

Anyone else??
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There's always Fin, though it might not be fair to call him 'green' anymore. He's just weird.

He ends up getting a lot of time off at this time of year because he gets a bit funny about the outdoor in the dark, and he won't hack alone, and there's virtually no one hacking before it gets dark 'cause most people have real jobs. I can ride him under the floodlights; it just takes lots of effort and concentration and at this time of year, I also suffer from a severe case of I-can't-be-f&*(ckin-ar$sed.

He has been hacking out with Hermosa a couple times per week, ridden by my friend who lost her horse in September. This week, he got a stone bruise so has been off games, and the weather sucks anyway. When he's out with Hermosa as his hacking buddy, the male ego takes over, and he acts like a different pony. It's weird. He gets very, very pushy about wanting to be in front of her, to the point where my friend had to do a one-rein stop because he grabbed the bit and tried charging in front of us. This is a pony who has spent the last three years acting very, very scared about leading, and still does when he's out with geldings or my husband on foot. But with Hermosa, he is all brash bravado. Until he sees something he doesn't like. Then she has to pass and take lead. :rolleyes: His bravery is totally an act, and she knows it. But as soon as he gets his courage up again, he's back to trying to bulldoze his way to the front. My friend has been only allowing him to pass when he's being reasonably civilised, and holding him behind us if he's being pushy.

Is it 'cause she's a mare, and he feels like he needs to act like he has a pair (he obviously doesn't, literally and metaphorically) to impress her? Is it sibling rivalry? Both? I don't know. When we've hacked with other mares (not often since my friend's mare -- owned by his current rider -- died), he is a little braver about being lead pony, but never obnoxious about it.

Hermosa, of course, gives no sh1ts either way and just rolls her eyes.
 
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