cob broken in very young

MiniMilton

MiniMilton

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 March 2013
Messages
980
Location
Ireland
Visit site
I like the look of a little 14.1 cob for sale and I am half thinking of going to look at it. The problem is that it is only 3yo and has hunted a good few times. Which makes me assume it was broken as a 2yo. And to make matters worse it was hunted by full size adult riders. In the past I wouldnt have thought this was an issue (although not something I would do myself) but after reading posts on HHO about the vertebral column not being fully developed until 4yo it makes me wary that there could be future issues from riding so young. Do I enquire further or run a mile?
thanks
 
minimilton said:
I like the look of a little 14.1 cob for sale and I am half thinking of going to look at it. The problem is that it is only 3yo and has hunted a good few times. Which makes me assume it was broken as a 2yo. And to make matters worse it was hunted by full size adult riders. In the past I wouldnt have thought this was an issue (although not something I would do myself) but after reading posts on HHO about the vertebral column not being fully developed until 4yo it makes me wary that there could be future issues from riding so young. Do I enquire further or run a mile?
thanks
Click to expand...

Run a mile I would- wayyyyyyyyyyy to young to have been hunted! Shame for you :( Good luck looking.
 
Run a mile.......sorry. Shy is still growing, and he's six now - their bones aren't fully formed until 7/8 or so. Hunting is hard work - poor thing.
 
There's hunting and there's hunting. Over here it is common enough to hunt 3 yo's the year they are broken, sometimes not too long after they're broken. But not all are pounded around the place, it is taken easy, canter trot walk around etc. small jumps and back in the box, nothing too strenuous. Then turned away over Dec/Jan and sold as 4 yo's on Spring.

However, if you don't know how much work this youngster has done, how he was hunted etc. I would stay away. Some are, unfortunately, not given an easy time.

Just as an aside, 3 yo's that hunt are generally not broken at 2. No one I know does this, I have never known anyone break a sport horse at 2. 3 yes, 4 definitely, but never 2. I know it is very common amongst travellers though, and an easy time would not have been had by the youngster if this is the case. It is rare to have them hunt though, but maybe that's just over here.
 
Thank you for the replies. I'll walk away from this one then

Gadetra I'm also in Ireland. If I knew how to do smilies i'd wave! As the pony is only recently gone 3 I feel its safe to assume that it was still a 2yo when hunted. I know a popular connemara breeder that routinely breaks in all her ponies at 2 so unfortunately I dont think its that uncommon
 
Ah I see. *waves back*

I did not know he is only just gone 3. He has too much done so , I would run a mile unfortunately :(

I think it is very old school breaking 2 yo's, I suspect the Connie breeder is of the old school? Or one of the 'It was always done this way and it never did any harm?' people? It ridiculous really when you think about what is known now. They have longer lives these days than before. It is one of the things that really annoys me about horse production in this country, the rush out of it by 4/5 yo that have to have everything and a bit done with them. *sigh* It is changing now though I think. Slowly but surely!

ETA I have just seen your location is on your avatar. My brain has abdicated!
 
I think you will find a lot of irish horses are broken young and hunted unfortunately . They are usually only hunted lightly then turned away and then sold on .
 
whilst hunting for my current horse i was so shocked at the amount of horses light weight cobs especially broken as 2 year olds it just seemed to have become the norm.
ive always waiting until ours were 4 to start breaking maybe im the odd one out now though?
personally i would keep clear of any horse broken that early cx
 
Agreed, a 4yo in Ireland is usually expected to have a least a seasons hunting under its belt. I had a lovely 3yo Connie that was just backed. As I had just had a baby and didn't have the time to bring it on I sold him for fear of "wasting him". A huge regret now. Why couldn't I have just kept him as an inexperienced 4/5yo. The pressure/expectation to hunt/compete extensively him was just too great.

I'll walk away from the little cob too :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top