Dressage horse - Backing expectations

Well personally I'd drop the label 'dressage horse' at this stage as I'm guessing you want to gain a well rounded, sane and happy young horse. The danger of backing a 3 year old as a dressage horse to me is that the way of going becomes prioritized above everything else, the horse is ridden 'on the bit' but out of balance and the musculature at 3 is not ready.

Anyway, I back them myself normally but when I have sent sharp ones away I've got them all but ready to sit on so they already wear tack and understand basic in hand instructions and how long the getting on and basic riding away takes depends on the horse- I've had one home in 3 weeks and one that took 8 weeks. And that is to ride in basic wall and trot large in an arena and to hack in company happily. How they do it varies- I don’t like lunging young horses so I chose someone who leads out in hand, off another horse and long reins.
 
I would expect the length of time to differ depending on the horse and on what you told them you want it back doing. I've had two backed for me but I did not want either hacked or or cantered.

Do you feel it's relevant that the horse is a dressage horse?
 
As a 3yo mine took 8 weeks, raw from stud, to WTC in school and field and hacking round the block. Plus other basic grown up life skills (rugging, tying etc) and in hand walk/jogging jump over spooky stuff
 
Thanks for your replies!! I am just wanting him long reined/hacked and basic walk trot and canter in the arena, with no pressure! Want him to enjoy his work...

Just looking at some FB posts of these very mature looking 3/4 year olds being backed, I didnt want that for my boy...
 
Fern007 said:
I used to work for a welsh stud breaking in ponies. If an owner asked about a time frame the answer was always ' it takes as long as it takes '
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Totally this, they are all different, and they take as long as they take, but as a rough guide, depending on what you want, approx 6 to 8 weeks. But before you send the horse away you need to discuss with the person doing the job exactly what you want them to achieve in the time, this will affect the time frame, as will how well handled the horse is before it goes, as well as the horses character.

This basic starting should be the same for every horse no matter what discipline, whether your horse is ultimately supposed to be a dressage horse or not.
 
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