How long do you allow generally to back a horse

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cellie

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Just curious really I started mine but decided to send him away to be done professionally.Hes little greener than we thought,what are your thoughts on time for backing.
I am not being impatient I want him done well an properly hes far too nice to spoil.:D
 
I can only go on my own experience. I started mine too and was going well until a new saddle was added and ovary problems thrown in... Then I got thrown badly and decided to send her away. She's been with Matthew Hall now for five weeks and another three to go we think. He's going to do some pole work and early jumping with her, I got back on this last weekend and she is a different horse. I too was in no major rush!
He has said it depends very much on the individual and he just takes it at a pace they can cope with, building confidence at each stage. Hopefully I will get a horse back who, although still a four year old, is confident and happy in her work. She certainly seems it at the moment!
Good luck, this bit is soooo exciting!:)
 
How longs a piece of string ?
I have known them done in 4 weeks ! Gulp
I have known 8 weeks and the last one my wife's grandad did was 10 but on week 11 we took her showjumping .
Can you find some where local and ask to be involved in the riding away to restart your bonding process ?
 
Depends on the horse really. I backed a pony my boss had in years ago that was prepared well, very genuine & very calm, we sent it back after 3 weeks. Another was very highly strung & a top class sports horse & the previous owner to the one who sent it to my boss had made a right mess trying to teach it to lunge, accept tack etc, after 12 weeks it was fine to hack without needing a hefty companion as a barrier when it got excited.
 
I bought horse as backed popped couple of jumps turned away and needed rebacking.He is very sweet although nervous and I had long reined lunged and laid on his back.He was quite happy with me at his side when I backed with daughter but freaked when someone else handled and I mounted guess he panicked with different ground crew.Shame but decided not to spoil him and he was good buy so worth investing in.Trainer thinks he needs more work than we anticipated feel bit gutted that I had to move him again but want the best for him.Thanks for all input looking forward to seeing him this weekend :D
 
Don't know about you but I am missing the daily contact! Had mine since 8 months old and got quite a bond so it's been a bit of a wrench but best thing I ever did! Is the place close by so you can get involved when the time is right?
I went to get her ready for county show last week and it was just so nice to be in the stable with her, plaiting etc!
I turned mine away too, not sure I would do that another time.
 
Dave282B said:
How longs a piece of string ?
I have known them done in 4 weeks ! Gulp
I have known 8 weeks and the last one my wife's grandad did was 10 but on week 11 we took her showjumping .
Can you find some where local and ask to be involved in the riding away to restart your bonding process ?
Click to expand...

fortunately hes only 20 mins away so planning on visiting this weekend :)
 
TallulahBright said:
Don't know about you but I am missing the daily contact! Had mine since 8 months old and got quite a bond so it's been a bit of a wrench but best thing I ever did! Is the place close by so you can get involved when the time is right?
I went to get her ready for county show last week and it was just so nice to be in the stable with her, plaiting etc!
I turned mine away too, not sure I would do that another time.
Click to expand...

Yes it is hard although I hadnt had him long I have had horses last 10 yrs and my routine has completely gone.He had only had 2 weeks worth of riding so its like complete restart ,hes just five so bit more mature and wont need turning away.Like you had bad experience I landed on show jump and thought I had broken hip, soft tissue injury is taking long while to heal ,It really wasnt anyones fault little bit of bad luck .I dont bounce so well now Im older lol but not ready to hang up my jods yet lol.Ive always had tricky horses tbs and picked for breed this time so fingers crossed.What breed is yours.Mines warmblood x irish draught
 
depends on the horse, but also the level of ground work and what you're classing as backed. Able to walk, trot, canter and listen to physical aids well rather than vocals or leading/following, 2 weeks. As above with general flatwork, small jump, hacking alone & in company, can do wak-trot dressage test 8-10 weeks.
 
I would like to do alot of firsts myself. I have good instructor and she is happy to work with me with schooling so would like to aim for somewhere in between.Able to walk trot and canter in school not worried about dressage or first jump as we can progress with regular instructor ,think it would be nice if he can manage small hack on his own with trainer , I have plenty of friends with good horses to get us out and about and build up confidence hacking once home.i have another progress report coming for weekend :)
 
I started my cob in her 3rd summer, just bits really like long-reining and getting her used to tack, i started hacking quietly with her in the september for a few weeks, just gentle hacking and plodding about then turned her away from october till feb. Shes been in light work since then and is now a safe confident 4 yr old :) we havent started jumping or any fast work yet and are schooling is far from perfect (especially the canter work :P) we have also done a few w&t tests and a cob class. She has had another break recently and has had a 3 weeks break due to my circumstances but hoping to crack on and get her fit from tomorrow :)
I have a 2yr welsh colt who i have now bitted, he does a bit of inhand work in the field and today wore a numnah and roller, just playing about with him really to keep he occupied - i don't want to leave him and then have to deal with a big bolshy colt (hopefully gelding by then!) till his 3rd year. I won't think of long reining or backing him untill later on in his 3 rd year depending on how he is looking - if hes still immature he will be left till his 4th spring :) Hoping to do him myself but i do have a very experienced horseman at hand if needs be!
 
When I restarted Monkey after we bought him I did 10 weeks. Although he was sold to me already broken but far too quickly imo so I just did everything again but at a pace he could cope with. He then had all winter off to be a 3 year old and started working in april when he turned 4 :)
 
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