Breaking in an older broodmare?

[IhaveTooMany]

I think I know the answer but looking for that someone to say it can be done and do it!
Unbroken broodmare, 11 years old. Very sweet. Really unsure of everything outside the field, scared of the tractor and everything else on wheels bless her. Obviously been a broodmare in the fields most her life hasn't seen much. I've had her 2 years she has bred 2 lovely foals for me.
She's a 16hh very sturdy friesian and I would love to break her in for myself to plod about on. Am I being silly and would I be wasting my energy, should I just leave her alone to be a broodmare? Has anyone experience breaking in a slighly timid older mare? Any success stories, do I need a reality check?

 

[Pinkvboots]

I know loads of people that had Arab broodmare's and backed them late they were mainly fairly easy to do.

I don't see why not give it a try and take it slow and see how you go.

 

[FitzyFitz]

If her temperament is calm and she is people oriented, she shouldn't be too much of a problem.
I backed a 14yo PRE broodmare last year and she's now a happy hacker and riding club horse. Her temperament is lovely though, forward but calm, and plenty friendly and willing to please. I very much enjoyed the weeks I spent riding her around until she sold.
Only issue I really had (apart from oh god I have no muscles what do you MEAN I have to walk and turn and hold you up all at once?) was she was super weirded out by someone being above her at first, so I spent ages grooming her from a tall block and climbing on and off things while leading her and walking her alongside ridden horses. I think she had literally never seen a ridden horse before she came to me, and she was quite tall so not like anyone handling her would ever be above wither height.

I had another late backed PRE broodmare, age 12, I didn't back her but brought her on from a very green state. She was highly strung, fiercely independent, and had been the boss mare in every herd she'd ever been in. She was not impressed with the concept of having to do what she was told by a human, and was also very flighty. Took a lot of work to get her even halfway sensible, although people that met her when I first got her and then saw her the next season thought i'd got a new horse! One of them was quite disaparaging about my 'previous horse' until I told them it was still her, so that was quite satisfying in its own way
She DID make a fantastic competition horse, up to advanced level in endurance (80km+ her longest ride of her career was 128km) because she was incredibly driven and a complete powerhouse with a laser focus once she got her mind on the job. Not for the faint hearted, but frankly her temperament was never easygoing even as a broodmare.

If you have a good relationship with yours, go for it! Worth a try at least. I would suggest doing LOTS of groundwork and hand walking in as many different situations as you can find, then longreining through the same. You want her to learn to trust you, and how to handle scary objects and situations before you're on her back. It can take a long time but it's well worth it. However long you think it'll take... double it, lol. Better safe than sorry with a more timid type. Then when it actually comes time to get on and ride it'll be a complete non event and you'll go from first sit to hacking out in no time!

 

[gallopingby]

Yep it can be done just needs time and patience and maybe someone else around to give you a hand when you need help.

 

[maya2008]

My son is backing an 8 year old field ornament at the moment (not ours thankfully, don't need any more!) and we have at home a 10 year old project as the next size up for my kids - still partly feral, will be backed this summer. The 8 year old has spent her whole life as a tame, if slightly ignored, pony, and she's a bit interesting to lead out and about because she's never seen ANYTHING. So I would recommend lots and lots of leading out in-hand and from another horse if you can. The 10 year old is off Dartmoor so will hopefully be fine with the standard things (traffic, people, dogs, buggies etc!).

 

[IhaveTooMany]

Amazing replies thank you so much. I will definitely give it a go.

 

[Goldenstar]

Do give it a go do lots of poles and work on the ground around developing the core muscles and thoracic sling before you back her .
She will take longer to develop that young horse.
It would be a fun one to record with weekly videos and pictures broodmare to riding horse
Let us know how it goes.

 

[cornbrodolly]

Perhaps get your vet to check the mare s back muscles? Some Friesians are weak through the back [ personal experience backing them ] and lack robustness. Don t be offended! On the other hand we backed a warmblood mare who d had 4 foals, but had good strong muscles still, and she proved an excellent riding horse.
Before I rode my mare [in avatar] after she d had a foal, our vet did check her , which he thought unnecessary, but she carries side saddle now , and I wanted peace of mind.

 

[dottylottie]

if you already own her, i don’t see what you’ve got to lose by trying! wishing you all the luck with her

 

[IhaveTooMany]

Perhaps get your vet to check the mare s back muscles? Some Friesians are weak through the back [ personal experience backing them ] and lack robustness. Don t be offended! On the other hand we backed a warmblood mare who d had 4 foals, but had good strong muscles still, and she proved an excellent riding horse.
Before I rode my mare [in avatar] after she d had a foal, our vet did check her , which he thought unnecessary, but she carries side saddle now , and I wanted peace of mind.

She has an amazing top line for being a broodmare so hoping there's no issues with that I'll see how she feels and just completely take my time

 

[Gloi]

I have and found them more sensible and accepting of things than some youngsters.

 

[HopOnTrot]

I’d probably look to do it as you would rehabbing kissing spines, not saying she has KS but the principal is the same, build up the shape and strength of the back from the ground, before you get on.

 

[blodwyn1]

I bought an unbroken 5yr old section c mare in September and sent her away to be backed which was unsuccessful as she panicked when they tried to sit up on her. I am now regretting buying an older mare as she is proving difficult. I have gone back to the beginning with her at home.

 

[maya2008]

I bought an unbroken 5yr old section c mare in September and sent her away to be backed which was unsuccessful as she panicked when they tried to sit up on her. I am now regretting buying an older mare as she is proving difficult. I have gone back to the beginning with her at home.

The initial sit can be a bit more dicey - we use a dummy (well two… I have two giant teddy bears in increasing size) and then my daughter, who is light enough her dad can hold on to her and whip her off if needed. Once you’ve got past the first week and they have relaxed, you’re usually good to go. My own project is being fine about being sat on but special about the reins, which is a new one on me, but we’re working on it with the dummy and being led from another horse - she’s just stopped grumping at me when I use the reins from higher up and it’s been weeks!

My experience is:
- 6 year old, well handled. Easy as pie.
- 5 year old with failed backing behind her. Ran. I waited till she stopped. Didn’t do it again.
- 5.5 year old, semi feral. Bucked like a trooper when kid sat on properly the first three times, then chilled.
- 5 year old, no bucking but ran when the kid sat on him. Did micro second sits until he relaxed then the week of increasing walking. Totally fine after that.
- 8 year old field ornament. Spun with a child on at first. Stopped that with long reins behind. After the first week of sits with daughter decided riding was her favourite thing ever and now dances with excitement when you bring her in.
- rising 6yo with history of failed handling (my project), now handled and very sweet, absolutely fine to sit on but panics if you try to use the reins, even a light touch, despite long reining fine. We’ll work round it!

Not that young ones are always easy, we’ve had a 3 year old and a 4 year old with a panic button bucking when you sit down habit, both of whom had been ‘lightly backed’ before us.