breaking in at 2 years old

Fairynuff

Fairynuff

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from where I come from youngsters (if not TBs) are broken in at 3 years old then turned away to mature. At the end of March my QH filly who was born 10/02/08 is off to be backed etc. I feel awful but sadly that is how its 'done'. TBH she is becoming a right madam and is needing to have her energy focused into something. Does anyone have a QH and can relate to me? Ive started to mouth her as I did with my TB, what else is useful before they are 'broken?'
 
With our youngsters at work (Arabs) if they were getting a bit full of themselves we would introduce boots/bandages/numnahs/surcingles and sometimes trimmers/clippers...we would practce loading and travelling and do lots and lots of in hand ground work (which was all useful anyway as they were bred for showing). Have to say we never backed before 4, but Arabs do tend to be slow to mature...not sure about QHs but there is lots you can do to give them something to think about without acutally backing them
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I normally don't back my youngsters until the spring of their third year but I did back one in the autumn of his second year as he was built like a brick sh1t house and was starting to get bargy.
 
Thanks for your reply GP. My filly has beenrugged, saddled, walked in hand with all the fancy bits (walking over plastic and co), has loaded blah blah blah. She is now at the point whwre she doesnt seem to know what to do with herself! She lives in but is turned out 5 hours a day with my old boy. For the moment I cant offer her anything better and tbh she isnt one who creates a stink while turned out. I have been told that QHs HAVE to be broken NOW and that is the end of the story! I feel like a bad Mummy but at the end of March..........horsey university, here we come
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Well I have a 17 month QH x TB and his sire (QH) was not backed until his 5th year (they were busy and he was doing a bit of stallion duty). He was an angel to back as was my boys half sister who was backed at the same time aged 4. Why do they have to be backed so early? Not trying to criticise - just interested as we had not planned to back ours until his 4th year as he was a September foal. He is however well handled and loads and does ground work and will be bitted next year or sooner if needed. He will be long reined next year as well.
I will watch replies with interest.
 
Who is saying they 'have' to be backed so early? It's your horse, get her backed when you feel comfortable. Would no one back her any later, would they refuse point blank and turn down the money just because she is a year older?

If you don't want to get her backed yet then don't. Lots of people say you 'have' to do this or that, but that doesn't make it true, or them an expert. I think there's still loads you can do with her- bomb proofing, walks out in hand if you have bitted her. I think some nice walks out would be enough for now, but it's your horse. Just make sure you do what you are comfortable with and don't be pushed/rushed into anything.
 
My little QH was backed at 2 ish. but the trainer was concerned he needed some more time to grow and mature so he did some basics and got on him a few times then turned him out with his brood mares for the summer , a good trainer should give you a honest apprasel of what to do.. its amazing how much you can do with a young QH think of the reining futurty and how they perform at 3... they must be starting them as long yearlings, what do you hope to do with yours?? Hey good luck hope you and horse do well QHs are fantastic
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'Have' too. What twaddle. No horse HAS to be broken in at 2. Your horse, you decide when you think the time is right.
 
TBH i don't mean to be argumentative but I think its shocking to consider backing a youngster at this age. Forget about size, weight baring ability etc - they are babies and just don't have the mental capacity to cope. I know racehores are but lets be honest, its about how fast they can run and little to do with any long term well being. It also means they can get an extra years competition out of them.

If a horse is starting to look for something to do you'd be best looking at doing more ground work. Not only will it engage their brain but will have much of their training done before you even get on their back. Even 15 minutes of productive training can be mentally exhausting so shouldn't be too much.

I just feel its asking far too much from something which is literally only 24 months old.
 
I personally don't agree with backing any horse before 3 - ive got a WB x Welsh filly who is just rising 3 - she's been bitted, long reined etc, and is just now starting on a long lunge bringing her up to backing and breaking to drive but i'd never have started her before and she has at times been a complete and utter pain, seeming like she needs to do more, she is also 16hh and built like a tank so could easily have done it but mentally they are just babies, personally i'd stick to what you want and give him another year to mature, after all they are only babies once - good luck.
 
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At the end of March my QH filly who was born 10/02/08 is off to be backed etc. I feel awful but sadly that is how its 'done'. TBH she is becoming a right madam and is needing to have her energy focused into something.

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Sorry but what a load of twaddle someone has told you. Riding horses should be backed when they are physically mature enough to cope with the work and weight of a rider. The dont have to be done at any set age at all.

And as for people saying that horses get pushy, or bored and silly and need to be ridden, or needing their energy focusing, well imo thats a load of rubbish too. That just means that the horse hasnt been given enough handling to teach it manners and basic unridden education. With youngsters this is often ongoing for many years. Its not a case of teaching it something then never having to do it again.

Im not sure who is advising you but i disagree with them!
 
Breaking at 2 seems to be an american thing. In some ways I can understand where it came from, as catching and breaking in a wild 4 year old would be a more daunting prospect than a 2 year old.

I know someone from a pony club background who was eventually convinced to back and break-in her 2 year old. The trainer pointed out that his legs were mature, which is true. However, the back and neck are the very last bit of the horse to mature. See Equine Studies institute. However, I know this horse is now 12 and he has been sound and in work ever since and he is fine.
 
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TBH i don't mean to be argumentative but I think its shocking to consider backing a youngster at this age. Forget about size, weight baring ability etc - they are babies and just don't have the mental capacity to cope. I know racehores are but lets be honest, its about how fast they can run and little to do with any long term well being. It also means they can get an extra years competition out of them.

If a horse is starting to look for something to do you'd be best looking at doing more ground work. Not only will it engage their brain but will have much of their training done before you even get on their back. Even 15 minutes of productive training can be mentally exhausting so shouldn't be too much.

I just feel its asking far too much from something which is literally only 24 months old.

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this ^^^
my ex racer was backed late as he was a chaser, so he was backed at 3, and raced at 4. I credit this with how he raced for 11 years, had few injuries, and carried on being ridden until 21, most other racers have broken down well before then
Whats the rush? I would rather back later, and have more years ahead, than back early and ruin something
 
I stand by what I said re asking the trainer.. if they are happy then it should be ok.. you are going to a western trainer ???
if not I would leave it another couple of years
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The anglo arab I look after was broken at 2 and I have to say, its not my cup of tea. I would, as others have pointed out above, rather wait and have a longer working life.

The anglo developed a rather amazing sway back which is obviously not good at all, and while I can't prove it was because he was backed too early, he showed no signs prior to this.

It won't hurt to leave her longer to mature, and sadly, just because thats how its done, or that trainer says its ok, doesn't make it right. If no one challenged the 'traditional' tendencies, we'd never make any progress!
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We used to let kids go out to work, now we know better. Just because someone else says its right doesnt make it so. Shes YOUR horse you make the right choice for her and dont listen to people who are in a rush.
I have a horse born in May 08 i wouldnt dream of backing him before he is 4. My daughter has an ID x he is just 4 and done alot of groundwork but hasnt been backed yet.
We have a pony on loan who was ridden at 2 he hasnt been 100% sound since he was 12 yrs old!!
Whats the hurry, let her grow up.
 
She's too young and you don't have to do anything you don't want to. My mare was a handful at 2, but much calmer and more mature at 3, and ended up backed at 4 when she was even nicer to know. You can do plenty with a 2 year old to prepare them for backing and make them less of a handful, but there is no reason to back them. There are trainers who think this is OK (I am friends with one) but that doesn't make them right.
 
Sorry, but I want to add to that... If someone posts an advert here with a 2 year old being ridden everyone says "poor baby, that's so wrong". The same applies to quarter horses started by western trainers. Many knowledgeable people have proved that all breeds of horses mature physically at the same rate, Dr Deb Bennet for one. 2 year olds are babies physically and mentally and I think we owe it to them to be patient enough to le them grow up a bit before riding them.
 
Wilma, am I right in thinking you are not in the UK?

Two years old is considered 'the right age' for breaking by many people where I live too and they don't just start them and then turn them away, that's it, working life started. Is it usual there too?
 
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I have been told that QHs HAVE to be broken NOW and that is the end of the story!

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Why don't you do some research for yourself and make an informed decision for the sake of your horse? Mind you, being stabled with only 5 hours turnout per day isn't ideal for a young horse. She needs to be out exercising those developing limbs. Still, restricted turnout isn't an excuse for backing her too young and putting her to work.
Some horses are fine being started young, but many pay for it in later life. Actually, not much later in life. My big cob retired at 12 years old with early onset of arthritis in his front legs, and the opinion of the vet was that it was because he was backed and working at 2. Baby horses find it hard to work from the hind end while carrying weight, so tend to "pull" themselves along heavy on the forehand instead. My friend had to retire her beautiful dressage horse early, probably for the same reasons. If you plan to keep your horse into old age, why risk it for the sake of a year?
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I wouldn't back a horse at 2 - regardless of breed/type. With mine they were mouthed at 2 and began basics - going for walks, bombproofing etc - once this was done a saddle was introduced but only so they are familiar with tack for short periods of time - for example i'd sometimes put a saddle on and go out for a walk. they were then backed at 3 and did some ridden work, nothing too strenuous and ridden away at 4.

i wouldn't pay any attention to anyone telling me my horse 'must' be this and 'must' be that - she is your horse and you can have her backed/broken whenever you want! Another year is nothing to wait - given the health implications of those broken/backed too young
 
I would never, ever back a horse at that young age. Our youngster won't be backed until he is at least four and possibly five. Backing them at aged 2 makes me feel quite sick. They are still babies physically and mentally.

Each to their own of course and I know racehorses are backed early too. Doesn't make it right though :-(
 
I've lived in the US (riding english and western), France and obviously the UK. In the US it is considered normal to break horses in for western riding at about 2 years old but not necessarily for english riding. Western saddles are very different from english saddles and spread the pressure of the saddle and the person much more uniformly over the whole back rather than a short part.

QHs tend to be shorter backed with strong backs and more compact generally. Also a good western rider will aim for a young horse to be stretching working from behind at all times, this isn't bad training for any young horse and is definately better imho than just sitting on a field kept unmuscled horse age 4 and expecting it to carry ones weight, which happens in the UK far too often.

I have known horses backed at 2 that are now 26 and still 100% sound and in work, just as I have known horses backed at 4 or 5 and are lame 3 years later. I'm not for or against backing at a young age IF the horse is ready mentally and growth spurts are taken into account.

OP - personally I would work on lunging/long reining your girl to build up her back muscles sufficiently to be able to hold a saddle and even if you are not planning on riding western, if you want her to be backed age 2 I would personally send her to a TOP western yard where they can teach her correctly and then turn her away when she is getting tired/bored/overwhelmed. You can then bring her back into work easily and she has something to think about. The main thing is to listen to your mare and make sure that learning stays fun.

Hope she turns into a star for you and good luck.
 
I think you'll find that most people have the common sense not to just get on any young horse, irrespective of their age, without doing lots of in hand work to help build up the horses muscles, flexibility, understanding of the aids from the ground etc first Rocky01.

You don't think a 2 year old would be unmuscled then? And you feel it would skeletally mature?

I'm stunned.
 
i dont like backing too young. i think alot of them may be ready mentally but not physically.
i understand a lot of yards backing to sell will do so at 3, but i even prefere to leave them until 4 years old.
my 19year old was backed at 5 and so was my 6 year old. they dont have a splint or lump between em.
i will be backing my 4 year old this year, she will be about 4.5
 
Rocky01, with respect, that is just the same old justification for starting 2 year olds that many western people always trot out. Just as in the racing industry, there are plenty who will justify backing 2 year old horses. Whatever excuses they come up with, it's still wrong.
Yes, western saddles are different to English saddles. They are much, much heavier. The fitting is less sophisticated in that you take a limited range of tree widths and then pad it up with woollen blankets to make it fit. I can't see how that makes them any better to put on the back of a baby horse.
Just as there have been many advances in horsemanship in the last 20-odd years, it is now time for young horse starting to progress.
 
Let me just link to the infamous Dr Deb Bennet paper again. There is a lot of information about the rate of physical maturation in horses, but I think this sums it up nicely. You really need to read it all if you are interested (if you skim you can miss useful info), but basically she concludes that it's OK to start a young horse at 4.
http://www.equinestudies.org/ranger_2008/ranger_piece_2008_pdf1.pdf
 
Can you not break your horse yourself? You seem to have done everything else so why send her away for the 'backing & riding' bit? I am no expert but I bred mine, bitted him & did in hand work at 2 & long reined, lunged, & backed him at 3. However he didn't start any schooling work until 4. If your horse is fairly sensible & you are fairly confident then do it yourself when you want to. I had no help & did it all by myself with no problems, just did a little bit 4 or 5 days out of 7 & always revised what we had done the day before.
 
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