Breaking In

[Mid]

What age would you first back/break in a horse? in the US it seems pretty normal to ride and compete 2yos, and occassionally rising 2yos, though i've always been taught that you break in age 3, turn away for a few months, and then start proper work/competing age 4.

 

[Forget_Me_Not]

I'm a three year old person, get the basics in the school and then if you became short of time then gives time to turn away but I perfer to lightly hack : )

 

[Bossanova]

I'm not sure it really matters, so long as you dont do too much on an immature horse. An immature horse could be 2 or 5- you should know how far you can push each individual horse, irrespective of age.

We have a very mature 3 year old who was lightly broken at 2, did a bit more work this year and will come into proper work at 4. My horse wasnt broken till she was 5 and she's caught up with other horses her age- she competed in 6 yr old classes in eventing.

 

[Charlie77]

The yard i worked at used to back at 2 1/2, break at 3 then hack most of that year then work as a 4yo.

 

[celia]

For me it depends on the type of horse and how mature it is as to when you should start backing it. I would expect most horses to be working properly by 4 1/2 (but I'm generally considered pretty 'soft' and like to take things fairly slowly with youngsters!)

 

[Missmac]

3 or 4. depending on how mature (mentally and physically-sp)

 

[Theresa_F]

All depends on horse and what you do.

I sat on Chancer at 2 years 4 months. He was sat on and walked for 10 mins every two weeks. I did lots of work with mounting, standing, adjusting girth, stirrups, walking over bags - nothing physically demanding. At the end he did a few strides of trot.

At 2 1/2 he started teething and went bum up so went back to ground work and leading out off old horse.

At 3 got back on him - again every other week and slowly over six months built up to ridden once and sometimes twice a week up to 20 mins and we did a few hacks and walk, trot and turns in the school. We finished at 3 1/2 with a few strides of canter.

Bum up and teething again so stopped riding for three months but still continued with ground education - he gets bored and destructive if not being made to use his head.

He is now 4 this month and we walk, trot and canter, Have just started a few local shows and I ride 45 mins, two/three times a week.

He is now ready to go away for 2/3 weeks of professional schooling to get him established for me to continue with his education with my instructor afterwards.

I plan to start a few x poles over the winter and start affililated showing next season.

So, I started early but have done everything very slowly and gently which for him has worked very well.

 

[scotsmare]

I have a warmblood filly who has just turned 3 and I haven't started her yet (though planning to this month) she's still mentally and physically immature and I don't think we'll do anything than a bit of lunging and long reining - definitely won't be sitting on her till next spring.

 

[JM07]

4 yrs old and go straight through....

i personally dont like to start them at 3 and turn away..waste of time IMO....

 

[Forget_Me_Not]

Smoochy that sig is amazing!!!

I want one and I'm not a big sig fan. *Smiles sweety*

 

[volatis]

I like to start them late summer as a 3yo, but never working them too often. and we normally carry on lightly doing stuff over the winter. But I had a 3yo last year that was too immature so we have left her and she would have backed this year but she is going abck in foal so will actually be backed at 5.
A 3yo I backed for my boss to show, was still too immature last year at 4 so we did work him but only once or twice a work and mainly hacking. This year at 5 he has started showing and qualified for the Royal International 2nd time out, so it was worth waiting.

 

[GinaGem]

Totally agree