Breaking help

[Christsam]

Right. I have a Warmblood gelding who will turn 4 in January and I am hoping to have him broken in during the Spring (he was not quite bulked out enough for proper work this year). Now, my question is has anyone broken a warmblood in themselves or do most of you have them sent away?

I will explain.

I have been riding for 20 odd years and have backed, broken and brought on youngsters before. However, these have been ponies and cob types and not anything like my boy. I am starting to doubt whether I can do him justice by breaking myself even though deep down I know I can. I have owned him since he was three months old and so everything he knows from when he came home at 6 months is what I have taught him. He still has babyish moments but leads fine, no problem in the stable, catching, will lunge to voice commands (halt, walk trot and canter), long reins, accepts saddle and bridle quite happily and I have been up on him so he did a little this year. Now, I could get him sent away and have the rest done for me. However, I have asked everyone at the yard and they all say that what I have done with him has made him into an amazing horse and I should carry on myself but he does have a major stubborn streak and I dont know whether, because I am Mum, he will try it on more with me and whether it would be better for him to go back to his breeder to break or whether, as he has pretty much only ever had me handle him, it is better for me to carry on.

Rambling I know but anyone have any advice? There are people on the yard who will help, i.e. will lunge me on him etc. Guess what im looking for is reassurance that people have had good experiences breaking their own and that I should (wo)man up and get on with it

 

[Christsam]

I do have piccys in the breeding thread if anyone wants to see him.

 

[millitiger]

If it has all gone well up to this point and you have experience breaking other horses I would just go for it

I've broken all of mine on my own (ocassionally with a legger upper if I can find one!) and done ponies, cobs, tbs, warmbloods etc.

The one who took the most time/care was a lovely, solid, very quiet ID x TB mare who took a good 3 months to get going; so I wouldn't worry too much about him being a different breed to what you are used to

The only thing I have found with bigger, better bred horses is that if they do act out, it will be bigger and quicker and more exuberant- but I find that tends to be 6-12 months after breaking when they have found their feet a bit more

 

[Christsam]

Thanks for that. Seems to be what everyone else is saying. I have permission from my boss to take a whole month off in the Spring to break him (i have a nice boss!) so I have the time to spend with him first off.

I have noticed they they tend to not kick off when you expect and you think "oh this is going well hes not fussed" and then he explodes into playfulness after a few times of doing something! Maybe its just me getting older and worrying its gonna hurt more than when i was a teenager falling off! He does have this thing he does though when you are on him (have only walked on him so far and one unexpected canter) and if he is thinking of playing up he really picks up and flicks his front feet out so at least i get warning!

 

[Goldenstar]

If its going well I would kick on yourself TBH , they are usually naturally athletic off their forehand horses and that is the main difference if it goes wrong they can do things that most just backed horses can't ,very often they never have that struggling to walk straight with human on back feeling ,that's a generalisation of course.
I would do your month get him ridden away and then send him some else for a month to live somewhere strange and be hacked about I always did this my home breds it was always worth it.
The yard I chose also an agricultural contractors on site so they came back used to huge tractors trailers ,all sorts it was marvellous.

 

[Christsam]

If its going well I would kick on yourself TBH , they are usually naturally athletic off their forehand horses and that is the main difference if it goes wrong they can do things that most just backed horses can't ,very often they never have that struggling to walk straight with human on back feeling ,that's a generalisation of course.
I would do your month get him ridden away and then send him some else for a month to live somewhere strange and be hacked about I always did this my home breds it was always worth it.
The yard I chose also an agricultural contractors on site so they came back used to huge tractors trailers ,all sorts it was marvellous.

Thank you, that is something to look in to. Luckily they have famring equipment on the yard where he is and he is in the middle of the yard so sees the tractors, etc all going past and there are a lot of farms around so this year he has really got used to tractors! that is the other main thing I worry about. riding out for the first time on him. He can not react to something and then see the same thing and go nuts! though he has got a lot of maturing mentally to do. everyone says he still has babyish habits! Do you ride out the first few times with someone or on your own with maybe a walker? I was talking to someone who said they never hack youngsters the first times with another horse as then they are more likely to baulk at going out on their own whereas some people are of the view it calms them down to have a steadying influence.

Gosh this last 3 and a half years I have been waiting for this moment and now im panicking!!!!