Has anyone backed a horse late in its life 4 plus ? Experiences please

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Storminateacup

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As title really, as you all know my youngster ID/Cob won't be being backed professionally until he is just 5 next year.
Just wondering about other peoples experiences of backing horses late in life.
Whats the advantages/disadvantages, what did YOU find?

Its just a lot of people are saying its a lot harder when the horse is older, bigger stronger, yet I ve heard of a number of ID stallions that have been backed late ie aged ten plus or teens or even twenties and they ve been relatively straightforward .
 
I bought a TB out of the field at 6 years old, handled but never lunged, backed or anything else and had never been in a stable and he was fantastic. He loved being ridden and messed with cos I think he was so bored just being in a field that the whole going to parties etc was great as far as he was concerned. He was also fully mature and therefore I could get on with his work and didn't have to go slowly because he was weak or anything. Basically, because he had never been messed about he had no fear or worry of people and just enjoyed his work. He did have an exceptional temperament however I wouldn't guarantee that they would all be this easy!
 
Last horse I rode had been backed at 13. She was a diamond. She was so wild when she was brought in she had to be blowdarted (she started as a totally unhandled rescue). She was also a 16hh+ heavy horse.... and as I said, she turned into a star.:)

It shouldn't be about brute strength anyway, as long as the groundwork has been well done, it should still be ok.
 
QR I don't understand how backing at 5+ is later in life?

People seem to have this checklist that everything should be done at 3/4 but really how many broken down horses are there by 15? Speaks volumes to me. People go on about 'it'll be stronger the later you leave it' or 'he needs to be backed' etc but any horse of any age or size is far stronger than any person and the horse isn't sitting in the field thinking 'right I'm 4 now ride me...' I'd judge backing on the individual horse not other peoples expectations of the 'norm'.
 
We've just backed a 15 year old - always been a broodmare.

I don't usually sit on a horse under four so 5 years is normal for starting.
 
Archie07 said:
QR I don't understand how backing at 5+ is later in life?

People seem to have this checklist that everything should be done at 3/4 but really how many broken down horses are there by 15? Speaks volumes to me. People go on about 'it'll be stronger the later you leave it' or 'he needs to be backed' etc but any horse of any age or size is far stronger than any person and the horse isn't sitting in the field thinking 'right I'm 4 now ride me...' I'd judge backing on the individual horse not other peoples expectations of the 'norm'.
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I would go along with too, Archie, any horse at any age is stronger than any person, and that as to some extent why I was willing to buy a 4 year old unbroken, I got him cheap true, probably cos no -one else wanted him on that basis, - but he doesn't know how old he is does he, and he is pretty bored so I like to think that I make his schooling sessions a positive experience. He neighs and comes running over to me when i arrive thats for sure.
 
We had a Shetland - backed at 22 and is now winning loads of championships at 27 years.
None of ours have been backed under 4 years. Many over 5 years no problem.
 
Toby was backed at 6rs old. He wasn't ready mentally at 4yrs old. He's a serious stress head and very flighty and anxious but just accepted being ridden as part of everyday life. He's mellow hugely over the last year or so so I'd hate to think how bad he was at a 3yr old!! (before I met him).

He was dead easy to start. If you do it properly it shouldn't make a blind bit of difference how 'strong' they are - it's not like you'll be fighting with them anyways. And if you do it methodically and systematically, being more 'impressionable' shouldn't matter either. In fact a couple more years of maturity should make the whole process easier.

I can imagine some horses get set in the way of a life of leisure, but then you just have to persuade them otherwise, and they're the type of horse who will never have a good work ethic, regardless of the age you broke them,
 
Kallibear said:
Toby was backed at 6rs old. He wasn't ready mentally at 4yrs old. He's a serious stress head and very flighty and anxious but just accepted being ridden as part of everyday life. He's mellow hugely over the last year or so so I'd hate to think how bad he was at a 3yr old!! (before I met him).

He was dead easy to start. If you do it properly it shouldn't make a blind bit of difference how 'strong' they are - it's not like you'll be fighting with them anyways. And if you do it methodically and systematically, being more 'impressionable' shouldn't matter either. In fact a couple more years of maturity should make the whole process easier.

I can imagine some horses get set in the way of a life of leisure, but then you just have to persuade them otherwise, and they're the type of horse who will never have a good work ethic, regardless of the age you broke them,
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Very well put. I wish i had a better way with words.
 
A friend of mine bought an Arab mare aged 7 who had done nothing at all except walk round a field, she was barely halter-broken. She was very difficult to break (hate that word) as she was very sensitive and with never having anything done with her handling-wise, it took a long time. My friend still has to put either a saddle and girth or roller on her every day, even when she's not riding, as the mare flips when she's girthed up if she leaves it even a few days. Interestingly, we went to see another Arab mare yesterday with an identical history (same breeder, both mares have the same sire . . . ). She was left, unhandled and wild, in af field until she was 6, then bought as a brood mare. Friend is wavering about having the new one too as she knows now exactly how to handle her but both mares are examples of NOT leaving them too long.
 
Broke My girl in at 8 After a couple of foals and lots of field time.
She loved it - I think being given something else to do made her happy. (Along with the hard feed!)

She was already strong eenough for long hacks and knew where the ends of her legs were (sometimes) - She had been to a few shows inhand - i think this helped her 'see things'
She did have some 'opinions' about long schooling sessions - but i think this has nothing to do with her age! :D

Good luck to you - Backing at 5 is not 'late' as they say! - I'm sure you have a star in the making!
 
cantieflower said:
I bought a TB out of the field at 6 years old, handled but never lunged, backed or anything else and had never been in a stable and he was fantastic. He loved being ridden and messed with cos I think he was so bored just being in a field that the whole going to parties etc was great as far as he was concerned. He was also fully mature and therefore I could get on with his work and didn't have to go slowly because he was weak or anything. Basically, because he had never been messed about he had no fear or worry of people and just enjoyed his work. He did have an exceptional temperament however I wouldn't guarantee that they would all be this easy!
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I have a cob and he was not broken proffessionally until last year at the age of 7.Hes quiet enough.Does well.
 
Well overall, seems like I am getting very positive vibes about breaking/starting later in a horses life. Thought I was going to hear lots of horror stories, but it seems my conclusions were largely correct. Certainly there are days when I find my youngster receptive to new ideas and activities and other days when he just wants to be a wild pony in a field! I am relieved to find that generally, I am correct in following my intuition. Thanks again everyone!
 
We have Arabs and we never back before the age of 6 - sometimes even later. One of our mares was backed but then left for nearly 10 years and she went on to event.

I think if you know your horse, you'll know when the time is right and how far to go - if you listen to them, they'll let you know.

We have an Anglo Arab nephew of Miners Frolic that we wanted to enter in 4YO classes with BE but he just wasn't ready. Even this year as a 5 YO, he's listening but it's not quite there yet. But he's starting to work and by next year all the pieces of the brain jigsaw will be in place and he'll be fine. So, he'll be 6 before we really get going - is that late? Don't really mind because he's with us for life so he's got his whole life to learn.

Do things at a steady pace and in a gentle way and you'll be rewarded.

Have great fun
 
I normally back mine as 4yos as PREs are late developers, I do spend the previous year doing lots of inhand stuff with them though.

The last horse I backed was actually nearly 6 and big too, I have to say that I would never by choice back one that age again, I love 4yos and their 'am I doing it right mum' attitude but 5/6 yos always get a little overconfident and opinionated, I put that down to their being more confident ridden - wrong!

It did not help that this mare had not been handled but had lived in a herd environment in Spain, it was definitely not as easy to back her as it could have been had she been 4 but then it was not really that difficult either apart from a few massive bucking incidents and some major differences of opinion which would not have been such an issue had she been less mature physically. She is going very well now at 7 having said all of that.
 
I was given an 8 year old Arab who'd been neglected and never backed - he was quite green about leading and ground work as well. He was actually one of the easiest projects I ever took on. Once I gained his trust, he was eager to do whatever I asked and by the end of the summer, he was a lovely trail horse.

I also took on an off track Standardbred trotter that had never been ridden. He was 4 when I got him and my 13 year old daughter was the first person on his back. Such a nice boy! I hunted him the first autumn I had him.

I've found older horses have more focus and less silliness about them than younger ones. In general. I doubt my current mare will ever lose her silliness!
 
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