Breaking in a Youngster

K

Kub

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 June 2009
Messages
1,081
Location
Somerset, UK
Visit site
Harry is my first horse (and my first youngster lol) and I'm hoping to break him around September next year when he turns 3. I've been thinking I will do this myself, have been doing lots of research etc, but now starting to question it...

Seeing as I've never broken a horse before, would it be a better idea to send him somewhere to be professionally broken in? Would that be much more beneficial to him and me?

And if so, can anyone suggest any good places in Somerset and the sort of price to expect to pay? Thinking about it now so I can start saving lol
 
Why not use the time between now and then to get some experince helping with backing/breaking other youngsters?

If you send him away, depending on where to, expect to pay around £150 - £200 per week. Sorry I can't be more help with places to send him as I don't know any down your way.
 
Iam in Dorset, and happy to break in horses. But, I prefer to help owners rather than doing it soley myself. Its more fun and everyone gets rewarded. It normally is expensive, so I like to look at options of money saving too.
 
If he's your first horse, I'd send him away.

There are plenty of places that let the owner stay very involved in the breaking (and even let them be the first person on the horse's back) - that way you'd learn as you went along and would be in a better position to back your next youngster yourself
smile.gif
 
I guess the answers is it all depends. You said he is you first horse and first youngster, but if you are a competent rider and he is a straight forward horse and you have the support of others at your yard you probably could do it yourself. However, you will allmost definitively need a helper for parts of the backing process and also someone to chaperone your horse once you start fenturing out.
Whilst you can back horses without access to a school, having a school will make things much easier, so facilities are important.

If you doubt your abilities, it might be better to have your horse backed professionally, because it it much more difficult to correct problems then teaching things correctly in the first place. Depending on the horse you would probaly have to send him away for 6-8 weeks, and a lot places will charge around £150 per week. Could recommend someone in Devon, but thats probably to far.
 
If you haven't done it before, don't start 'blind'! If you are asking questions and doubting yourself now, send him away to be backed. Babies needs absolute confidence and surety and it doesn't sound like you can provide that.
 
My instructor breaks in youngsters, she's had all sorts, and has alot of experience! Although, we're no where near you but... she said, in her opinion, the best horses she has ever broken in are her own youngsters. She said because she has either bred them or had them for a while before breaking, they have the time to trust her and have a bond with her making breaking easier.
cool.gif


She usually takes on other peoples horses for several weeks if she is starting from scratch with them. Has two weeks to get the horse familiar with her, and then she starts the breaking in. Not everyone does the same mind!!
wink.gif


If you do send him away, you could probably do part of the ground work, and tack breaking yourself, to save time and money sending away.
wink.gif


When it's time for my coloured to be broken, I am intending to do it myself (all being well, and he doesn't get too much for me), but when it comes to backing etc... I have asked my instructor to come and help me, and do it as a lesson! That way I learn properly, and she can see what's going on via the ground and help me through relevant stages!
grin.gif
xx
 
i think you could do it yourself- i bought a 17hh 3yro as my second horse when i was 15 and broke her in myself despite the fact i'd never even seen a horse broken in before let alone done anything myself!

i think you have a good headstart as you already have him and hopefully know him well.

there are some excellent books out there (i used the ABC of Breaking and Schooling for the above mare) so i would suggest you borrow/buy a few and read them over the winter so you can decide next spring what you want to do.

if you can find an experienced person to help you that would probably be the best solution but i managed without with my mare and she turned into the most lovely riding horse.
 
If hes a nice straightforward chap I'd do it yourself. I broke in my first (not my first horse, but my first unbroken one) with weekly help from an instructor and it was great. She would come and move me up a stage and I then followed it through over the week.
As long as you have regular help you can't go too wrong, they are quite tough really!!
laugh.gif
 
I've just been through this this year. I backed my youngster myself, I had ridden newly backed horses before but had never done the prep work previously and never been the first on.

I spent a while taking her out for walks and doing longlining and some lunging before I got on, plus all the usual leaning over / weight on the back, working on feet and manners etc.

My youngster is now turned away for the winter, when I bring her back into work I think I'm going to send her somewhere to be professionally restarted. I'm spending the winter taking her out for inhand strolls at the weekend so we get to spend some time together (don't have a school at current yard). She loves going out and it'll help us, plus keep her brain ticking over a bit.

She's not difficult to ride but is very forward going / bold and I don't want to stop that / ruin her natural reactions, especially when she's out hacking. I doubt my ability to be able to stay on as well no matter what she throws at me so want to find someone who's much more experienced so she can have the right start in life.

I had thought I'd be able to do it all myself and had a very experienced friend help me. We got the basics done, walk, halt, start, trot and a little bit of steering. But doing it seemed to reveal to me how difficult it was going to be and how important it was that this was done right. I knew that but hadn't realised it if that makes any sense !


I'm considering using Adam Goodfellow or a lady called Rachel Norris, Adam's Glos (www.whisperingback.co.uk) and Rachel's Dorset (www.equussense.co.uk). Adam's been out to us before and he is quite amazing, his style really suits my youngster. Rachel's been recommended to me by a friend.
 
I would deff do as much ground work as poss with him in the next year, its really does make so much diff when it comes to backing.
If you can I would get an experienced person to help you rather than send him away, aleast then you can be invloved and learn at the same time.
 
I'm just starting longreining my 3 1/2yr homebred RID filly. I have always backed my own youngsters over the years but as I had my 3rd major spinal op last year and am the wrong side of 40 I'll get her to the point of backing and will then hopefully take her to a professional yard just 5 mins walk away for daily lessons if that's whats needed. This will keep me safe and my husband will be happier. I can still be involved with the process but leave the initial ridden work to someone else. Also because I can walk there and back I won't be paying for livery and my filly can continue to live out with her friends.
 
zandp - do let me know if you decide to use Rachel Norris I have spoken to her via email as I am thinking of taking my horse over to her next year ( not on the UK mainland so has to be planned / saved for )
 
Thanks guys, some interesting views.

I do think he's going to be pretty easy, he's really laid back and has already been tacked up and was completely fine with it. He's had someone leaning on his back etc. and had no issue with that. He's brilliant lunging on the left reign but horrid on the right, and I long rein him on the left but once again, nothing on the right. Need to convince my OH to help me do some work with him, lead him a bit more so he knows what to do.

There are some experienced people at the yard but not sure they'd have time to help me. I'm also thinking along the same lines as zandp because I'd like to do a bit of everything with my boy and don't want to teach him bad things or ruin him right at the beginning. Hum hum hum lol
 
I have just had my youngster backed at home. I found this better than sending her away as I could help & watch the only downside is that it has taken longer but all is going well so far.
good luck in whatever you decide to do.
 
[ QUOTE ]
zandp - do let me know if you decide to use Rachel Norris I have spoken to her via email as I am thinking of taking my horse over to her next year ( not on the UK mainland so has to be planned / saved for )

[/ QUOTE ]

Ooh I will, I spoke to her via email too this year and she seems really nice. i really trust the friend that recommended her to me, she's planning to send 2 of her youngsters to her next year.
 
Kub - where are you in somerset ? My RI also backs horses and seeing her working with the youngster she's got in now I really like her approach. I would use her for mine but she's already admitted she doesn't like her !!
 
A lot can happen between now and next September, your youngster will obviously change physically and mentally, usually for the better but sometimes with age and size comes strength and attitude, not all the time but all I'm saying is, I'd decide a little closer to the time because some horses train better with a stranger, some yards will only have their horses broken/produced by one individual who does not handle the horses on a every day basis and there are many good reasons for this, works for some horses but on the other hand some horses thrive better in hands of the person who has built a bond, but you must put your emotional attachment to one side and remember to treat the horse as a horse and not as your baby, otherwise they will find your weaknesses and take advantage.

I also think it does horses good to get out and about, away from the current yard and into a strict routine at another yard, while they sulk in some strange place, they also do a lot of growing up and can me much more willing to listen and therefore learn.

You will also learn a lot from a good trainer who should want you to work closely with them, going up everyday or every other day to show you exactly what they are doing, why and how, they should be willing for you to get involved, no good making a good job of a horse and handing it back for the owner to undo all his or hers hard work or change the horses routine and fitness.

One to one, if you do decide to do things at home, make sure you have the help/assistance you require on a daily basis, no good someone saying they will help you but only when it suits them, and remember not to have too many fingers in the pie, last think you want is every Tom Dick and Harry telling you how to do things....but all telling you different ways, it will ruin your confidence, confuse you and spoil your youngster.

Ground work, farrier, traffic/spook proofing and general manners, too much handling (lunging/long reining) now can sometimes have the opposite effect and turn them a bit 'too docile' as I call it, some horse are far more easier to train (when its time) and pick things up when they have not been over humanised.
 
zandp:

I'm in Street, so next to Glastonbury, between Wells, Yeovil and Taunton. Is that anywhere near yourself?

Kenzo: thanks, real food for thought there
smile.gif
I think I'm just contemplating it now so I can start saving really. I'm already planning to have a nice little fund to go shopping with so I can make sure he has a well fitted saddle, so just trying to be prepared
smile.gif
 
kub - we're near Frome so it's not too far, yard's near Nunney / Mells.

I'm saving up for mine now too, I did love the training I've done but my mare is sharp and I've been too soft with her, I think she'll benefit from having someone else train her and I can go and learn as much as poss from them.

Got to say though that being the first person to sit on her was truly amazing (and the first to walk her under saddle and the first to trot her under saddle.... and the first to fall off !)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top