Five weeks backed, two hour ride?

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I went on a two hour ten mile pleasure ride today and I heard the person in front of me say the horse had been broken five weeks. The rider meant first sat on five weeks ago. The horse was a strong type about 16.2 and the rider and tack probably twelve stone. Was I wrong to feel uncomfortable about that?
 
No way, my horse has been back in work for 3 months after injury and even I've not been riding for that long! an hour and he's already shattered and he's in regular work. was backed last yr then that 4 months off for his injury!

there is no way he'd have been up for that after 5 weeks
 
I am pretty sure some might disagree but I am with you on that one, in five weeks a horse can in no way develop the muscle, to carry a rider, no matter how slim, that far and for that long. That's my opinion and I would never do that to a young horse. Why would you even risk it!!!!!!
 
All horses are different, if it looked strong it was probably over 4 years old, 12 stone is nothing for a big horse to carry, the ground is not deep and the weather not roasting. I don't see a problem.
 
To be fair, I don't think comment can be passed unless the horse is known. Some youngsters are weak as kittens others are bolshy wotsits that can take and need work.
 
Not a lot of information to go on, and always beware the boasting horse-owner :wink3: Not something I would personally do, but if it was 10 miles over two hours, it must have been mostly in walk? I could see the temptation if it had been long-reined out regularly beforehand and it was an opportunity for it to see the world with a sensible companion and on good ground.
 
Unless they were cantering and galloping the whole time I don't see a problem with it to be honest.

A two-hour plod is nothing to a horse, 'newly' backed or not.

I would rather see a youngster out and about getting experience than stuck in a stable.
 
numptynoelle said:
Not a lot of information to go on, and always beware the boasting horse-owner :wink3: Not something I would personally do, but if it was 10 miles over two hours, it must have been mostly in walk? I could see the temptation if it had been long-reined out regularly beforehand and it was an opportunity for it to see the world with a sensible companion and on good ground.
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Ground was good. Companion was a very spooky young pony.

My concern would be expecting back muscles that had only five weeks conditioning to carry twelve stone for two hours, at any pace.






I don't see it as a choice between a two hour plod or stuck in a stable, or a two hour plod or an hour in the school. I wouldn't be doing any of those with a horse first sat on five weeks before.
 
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AdorableAlice said:
All horses are different, if it looked strong it was probably over 4 years old, 12 stone is nothing for a big horse to carry, the ground is not deep and the weather not roasting. I don't see a problem.
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Well, I am really surprised to read this, AA.

Made horses which have had a few months off for whatever reason would not be considered fit enough to complete a 10 mile ride after 5 weeks work. IMO even if the horse had been doing a lot of in-hand/ground work/ long-reining etc, it would be unlikely to be ready to wear a saddle with a rider on for 2 hrs, no matter how old it was when it was broken.
 
Another vote for taking what other people say with a pinch of salt, especially in the case of only having overheard them rather than actually being a part of the conversation. For all any of us know, the rider might have been lying/attempting to show off; claiming that the horse was freshly backed when that wasn't really the case. I've met a fair few owners who have inaccurately claimed to have "just broken in" their horses, so I'm very cynical about such things.
 
I wonder how many of our current "made" horses have done stuff like this in their past?

I don't know how some of mine have been treated or ridden before me, but they're certainly OK now. A two-hour ride is not going to destroy a young horse and make him inevitably lame in the future, and I think it's quite silly to say so.

A bit of common sense would suffice for most people in that situation. I'm sure the horse is fine.
 
Arizahn said:
Another vote for taking what other people say with a pinch of salt, especially in the case of only having overheard them rather than actually being a part of the conversation. For all any of us know, the rider might have been lying/attempting to show off; claiming that the horse was freshly backed when that wasn't really the case. I've met a fair few owners who have inaccurately claimed to have "just broken in" their horses, so I'm very cynical about such things.
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If it was true, which I know it was, what would your feeling about it be? The horse was four, for people asking about the age. That wouldn't make any difference to me, I wouldn't ask any horse which has only been in regular work for five weeks to carry a rider of that weight for two hours.
 
SpringArising said:
I wonder how many of our current "made" horses have done stuff like this in their past?

I don't know how some of mine have been treated or ridden before me, but they're certainly OK now. A two-hour ride is not going to destroy a young horse and make him inevitably lame in the future, and I think it's quite silly to say so.

A bit of common sense would suffice for most people in that situation. I'm sure the horse is fine.
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This exactly.
 
SpringArising said:
I wonder how many of our current "made" horses have done stuff like this in their past?

I don't know how some of mine have been treated or ridden before me, but they're certainly OK now. A two-hour ride is not going to destroy a young horse and make him inevitably lame in the future, and I think it's quite silly to say so.

A bit of common sense would suffice for most people in that situation. I'm sure the horse is fine.
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We can't help what people have done with horses before we own them, but would you do it yourself?
 
So? said:
We can't help what people have done with horses before we own them, but would you do it yourself?
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You simply cannot make judgements about what is right and what is wrong without knowing the horse. equally you cannot make the statement of 'but would you do it yourself' without dealing, hands on, with the horse in question.

For example, I have a young horse, he has issues, big ones and is very quirky, he is 4 in June, he is 16.3 and will grow on a lot yet, he weighs 700kg. He is 4 weeks into the breaking process, he is doing 40 minute hacks on the road carrying 13 stone, he is able to offer an outline throughout the hack, he trots up hills. He is capable of going further and will be doing so this week. He has not been lunged or long lined so has not done any fitness work in hand.

Right or wrong ? that decision can only be made if you know the horse.
 
So? said:
We can't help what people have done with horses before we own them, but would you do it yourself?
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Its so lovely seeing new posters trying so hard to stir up an argument.
Everybody treats their horses differently and it is the riders responsibility to gauge what they are doing not somebody elses that were not even sat on it. Why do people have to judge others by their own values.
!0 miles in two hours wont do any harm to a strong 4yo ,less than 1/2hr in the school! However from an education point of view the world of good.
 
My issue is the age not the fact that the horse has been in work for only 5 weeks!

On a full fittening program with a horse ridden daily 2 weeks walk, on the road, 2 weeks trot building up one week cantering builds up a horse fitter than most weekend riders who are the majority participants of these fun rides.

Whether a newly backed horse of 4 should be doing the above or a fun ride without the above preparation is a completely different question , I would not be doing it.
 
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AdorableAlice said:
You simply cannot make judgements about what is right and what is wrong without knowing the horse. equally you cannot make the statement of 'but would you do it yourself' without dealing, hands on, with the horse in question.
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Of course you can if you know about the physical mechanism of how horses hold a rider on their backs. The rider isn't just sat there on top, he's actively held up by the horse's belly and back muscles coming under tension. I don't see how those muscles can be expected in five weeks to have developed enough strength to carry twelve stone for two hours without at least leaving the horse with some muscle aches today, even if she had just sat there and gone nowhere.

I don't think it matters whether the horse is four, ten, big, small, it's simply a question of muscle conditioning of any muscle, not of knowing the horse.
 
You don't actually say how far the ride was? My 5 week broken 4 year old is 15.2hh, very strong set but slightly short of bone. She has been hacking for 5 weeks, building up steadily. We go for one lesson a week that is approx 30 mins including walking and last week we popped some tiny xc fences. We go for one ride a week with a friend that we call our 'epic rides' and the last one was about 1 1/2 hours which was mainly walking, bit of trotting and bit of cantering all along headlands. She is coping fine with this, I keep a very sharp eye on her legs and how she is carrying herself and am happy that she is not finding any of it difficult. The most tired she gets is after her 30 mins of school work where she is having to work on a circle and use herself all the time. I know that many people when they first break horses spend nearly all the time in a school which to my mind is far harder work and puts a great deal more strain on joints and bones than hacking.

Last year I helped a livery with their 4 year old, it was very weak and backward and wasn't hacking for any distance until early August on my advice. You could see how weak it was doing hill work and through its action, a completely different case.

It is all very well to say that a 4 year old should only do a certain amount of work but it does depend on each horse, it's confirmation, it's development and it's mind. Like AA said, some mentally require the work and to get out and see things more than others.
 
I did a 2 hour XC ride a few weeks ago and someone had joined with a 14h youngster. Spent two hours blowing its' mind, with it tripping up steps and down banks. It was only as we rode back that the woman dropped into conversation that it had started being broken 16 days beforehand :( all of us on the ride went and had words with the people who ran the riding centre to try and make sure she wasn't accepted back onto another ride. I'm sure some people would accuse us of meddling, but it wasn't physically or mentally ready, and I actually wish I'd said something during the ride.
 
My 4 year old has been very poorly recently and was brought back into work a few weeks ago, about 6/7 weeks ago I think. He is has been brought on slowly as we have met so many problems along the way with me being poorly or him being poorly, but he has benefited from the breaks in between. With him I just play it by how he feels as my vet told me to, if he wants to pick up the pace then I let him, if he wants to stop then I let him and don't push him too much. Since coming back into work he has been on fire, full of energy. I have always taken things slowly with him, he is a 14.1 cob with 11 inches of bone on the front and 11 and a half/12 inches on the back, good confirmation and really enjoys his work. He is worked 4 times a week which could be a plod around the block, a walk inhand, a short schooling session, a decent hack with a swim in the river or a 30 minute lesson, with days off in between.

For me I wouldn't have a problem taking my boy on a two hour ride (not 10 miles, imo thats too far for him at the moment) as I know I would probably walk 90% of the way. If they took it hunting for a few hours and it was high speed then I wouldn't like it personally. But the more educational trips you can take a youngster on the better!

Each to their own, just worry about your own horse/s and let others deal with theirs :)
 
My 5 year old been broken but I know she will be really unfit when I collect her, chap does 20 mins a day, she's young, gets tired and can't concentrate for long.
 
Just to add to this, how long to you think 2/3yo TB are in training before they start galloping?

As AA said, each horse is an individual and what's right for one, might not be for another- my 4yo who has been in work since March hacks at least an hour each week- 5 miles min

Without knowing the horse- ie type, history, AGE! you cant possibly say.
 
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