Breaking on an older horse

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gemisastar

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Title should say "breaking IN!"

I may have just accidentally offered to take my uncle's mare on to break while he has his hip replaced 🙈 has anybody got any experience of breaking an older horse? History wise she is rising 6 but won't necessarily get to me this year, she has been with him her whole life so genuinely unbroken, Irish mare of unknown breeding but ISH type and has spent the last few years travelling back and forth to Europe (Ireland/France/Spain) between his various properties, so has seen a fair bit of the world!
 
Well, the oldest I have backed. One was a 10yo brood mare who'd had 6 foals - all natural cover. She trusted us and was easy peasy. The other was another Irish mare who was 10 - and hadn't been touched - she took a while longer at each step (starting with letting youi catch her in stable and put headcollar on, lol.) Your uncle's mare will have had a lot of handling and have been taught the basics of good manners. Just treat her as you'd treat any youngster - at least she'll be close to maturing physically and mentally.
 
Yes that was my thinking - she is well travelled and not as if she has stood in the same field her whole life, the only issue I can foresee is that she has also lived with her mum her whole life travelling back and forth and is very attached, although she has spent time with other horses too. Would be a shame for her to do nothing though as she is a nice type.
 
I backed my then 9/10 yo ex broodmare myself, but she was well handled and had previously driven. She was no problem at all. I did do a lot of groundwork with her first though
 
I've broken a few older broodmares, 9 - 12 years old. They can be a bit shell shocked and opinionated, but do come right fairly easily. They also take a long while to get muscles in the right places, especially if they've had a lot of foals. The first and biggest hurdle will be to get her away from the dam.
 
I bought a 6 year old last winter. Had bred a foal, travelled to Germany for grading, then pretty much left in the field ever since. I decided to send her off to be backed professionally. The hardest part was the handling and teaching on the ground. Once on board, she was walk, trot, cantering, hacking and popped a tiny cross all within 2 weeks. Came back to me really chilled, fantastic attitude and turned out to be a fab little ridden horse.
 
gemisastar said:
Title should say "breaking IN!"

I may have just accidentally offered to take my uncle's mare on to break while he has his hip replaced 🙈 has anybody got any experience of breaking an older horse? History wise she is rising 6 but won't necessarily get to me this year, she has been with him her whole life so genuinely unbroken, Irish mare of unknown breeding but ISH type and has spent the last few years travelling back and forth to Europe (Ireland/France/Spain) between his various properties, so has seen a fair bit of the world!
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Sounds fun I reckon. But then I tend to jump in boots and all, THEN wonder what the heck I'm doing.

Is the mare respectful? If so, you might be pleasantly surprised.
 
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