xnaughtybutnicex
Well-Known Member
I dont think it is but i saw an advert for a 6 year old horse and it says it has been left too late to break
how late would you break a horse?
is 6 too late to break?
- Thread starter xnaughtybutnicex
- Start date
Demolition_Derby
Well-Known Member
I backed mine at 8.....
jellyshake
Well-Known Member
not too late , i'm doing one who is 7 lol but it does have it's own set of problems, it's had longer to become set in it's ways and therefore the whole process is taking longer, also a lot depends on what handling it has had in those first 6 years, i'm not going to go into detail on a public board but my lad had a few issues that took a while to undo
Darkly_Dreaming_Dex
Well-Known Member
I backed mine at 6 because he was physically too immature to do any earlier. To answer your question- it depends why it has been left so long. If the horse is wellhandled and just needs the ridden part of its education then it wouldnt bother me BUT if its completely wild then i would steer clear.
VictoriaC
Member
Started a pony at 6 years ago, had been pretty much ignored in a field before, 2 years later he was at a riding school as my parents wouldn't buy him for me, he stayed at riding school for the rest of his life as he was an absolute angel.
Good luck and enjoy yourself if you decide to go ahead
Good luck and enjoy yourself if you decide to go ahead
Box_Of_Frogs
Well-Known Member
No-one was sure whether the ragwort poisoned, rescued gipsy cob mare I took on would even survive. Thanks to advice and assistance from (literally) across the UK, she's now fine and fat and full of attitude. She's due home this Sunday after being away for 8 weeks to learn some basic manners and to be backed. She's 12 lol!
scotsmare
Well-Known Member
No, it's not too late at all. We backed a mare who'd had two foals at 6 and she's coming along fine
Bubblegum
Well-Known Member
No its not too late. We backed a pony aged nearly 7... and she turned out to be fab. The most sane, sensible & safe 14.2 I have ever had the pleasure to ride.
Good luck.
Good luck.
sallyg84
Well-Known Member
Im currently backing a 9 yr old TB who has had babies for the past 5 years! As long as you are a little more patient as older horses do tend to have their own ideas about things! But it will be great fun! Enjoy!!!!!!
rara007
Well-Known Member
Pip was about 6, 7 or 8 when broken, can't remeber his age
. He has been super, very sensitive but I think that is just him. We just broke a 16YO riding pony to drive, so 6 is certainly not too old.
D
Donkeymad
Guest
A friend has recently very successfully broken in an arab aged 16 years, so a lot of time yet!
badgerdog
Well-Known Member
I backed a brood mare who was 16 and she was fine. I thought she'd be a nigtmare but I just took my time with her and she didn't buck once!
jewel
Well-Known Member
i've seen the same ad, i don't think it's too late. there is one at my yard that was wild until he was 8 and he is fine to ride
highlandhart
Well-Known Member
I started a 12 year old stallion last year ,16hs and THICK and he did well and has made a great hack . My experience has been thet older ones can be a faster study
L
lilym
Guest
what a load of bollocks.....i started my mare at 6 after she had a rough start, and my gelding at 5yrs who had a lovely life lounging in a feild, as long as you don't try to rush things you will be fine.....my only worry is would someone have tried starting and messed it up and advertised it as a non broken?? all i have to remember with my boy is not to expect too much too soon as he is a late starter, there is no set rule about when to start a pony/horse, in fact my section c will be left until she is 5 after she has had her foal...
Boxers
Well-Known Member
My friend has just backed (6 mths ago) an 8 yr pure registered Exmoor mare who had been almost untouched for the last 5 years at least - and they are now showing at county level !
xnaughtybutnicex
Well-Known Member
It would be too far away for me to buy anyway but I just thought it was a little bit weird that they put too late to break.
Parkranger
Well-Known Member
Nope - when I was younger we rescued a cleveland bay x from a field. He was backed and hacking out in a couple of months!
Tia
Well-Known Member
I do not care for horses left to this age before breaking; it makes the job so much harder generally, not only for the handler/rider but also for the horse. I've backed a number of horses over the age of 6 and every one has been a trial; absolutely nothing like a youngster who is eager to learn, older ones tend to have a BIG mind of their own and can react in a very silly manner to what you are asking of them; however obviously, as can be viewed by the few people here who have backed late, there are exceptions to the rule.
Honeypots
Well-Known Member
Its not ideal but certainly can be done..
I backed my cob at 2 ie rode him bareback but he was so physically immature that I decided not to do any more with him unitl he had matured a bit. Well, he took until he was 8yrs old before he squared up and stopped plaiting in front. However, at 2 I had a little pussy cat to back and at 8 I had a very strong, powerful cob to train...not so straightforward
I backed my cob at 2 ie rode him bareback but he was so physically immature that I decided not to do any more with him unitl he had matured a bit. Well, he took until he was 8yrs old before he squared up and stopped plaiting in front. However, at 2 I had a little pussy cat to back and at 8 I had a very strong, powerful cob to train...not so straightforward
TarrSteps
Well-Known Member
The oldest I've done from scratch was 9 and not weaned off her mother! (The owner wanted the dam so had to take the package deal.) She was definitely on the difficult end of the spectrum and a great deal more inclined to assert herself than younger horses generally are. I also think she did not come close to meeting her potential as a jumper but she did end up being a nice Pony Club/RC-type horse for a teenager.
Horse definitely have "developmental windows" and I think if you miss them it's always more difficult but that doesn't mean the average horse can't make out fine anyway.
Horses that have been decently started then left, even for years and years, are generally easier than those that haven't done anything. Lots of ex-racers and broodmares fall into this category. They may not have been ridden in ages but they remember the basic idea!
What worries me more are horses people have "done a bit" with. Often this means they started and either got it wrong or hit a problem they couldn't solve but didn't have the sense to leave alone. There is a big risk the horse has essentially been trained to resent being ridden and/or there is a physical component which contributed or resulted from the earlier problems. Even a really traumatic haltering incident can make a horse so distrustful it become very difficult to deal with subsequently. A lot different than a blank slate, however old. I think the most difficult horse I started was one that had been passed around the owners' "friends" to have a crack at after she had failed to get it backed - she was absolutely not interested in being a riding horse and quite frankly I couldn't blame her! (She did in the end become a lovely Children's Hunter, though, but it took ages and an incredible amount of risk and patience.) I'd ask a few questions if I thought that scenario was a possibility.
I'd far rather have the one people just didn't get around to.
Horse definitely have "developmental windows" and I think if you miss them it's always more difficult but that doesn't mean the average horse can't make out fine anyway.
Horses that have been decently started then left, even for years and years, are generally easier than those that haven't done anything. Lots of ex-racers and broodmares fall into this category. They may not have been ridden in ages but they remember the basic idea!
What worries me more are horses people have "done a bit" with. Often this means they started and either got it wrong or hit a problem they couldn't solve but didn't have the sense to leave alone. There is a big risk the horse has essentially been trained to resent being ridden and/or there is a physical component which contributed or resulted from the earlier problems. Even a really traumatic haltering incident can make a horse so distrustful it become very difficult to deal with subsequently. A lot different than a blank slate, however old. I think the most difficult horse I started was one that had been passed around the owners' "friends" to have a crack at after she had failed to get it backed - she was absolutely not interested in being a riding horse and quite frankly I couldn't blame her! (She did in the end become a lovely Children's Hunter, though, but it took ages and an incredible amount of risk and patience.) I'd ask a few questions if I thought that scenario was a possibility.
I'd far rather have the one people just didn't get around to.
JanetGeorge
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
I do not care for horses left to this age before breaking; it makes the job so much harder generally, not only for the handler/rider but also for the horse. I've backed a number of horses over the age of 6 and every one has been a trial;
[/ QUOTE ]
Certainly not my experience. We've backed 4 in the past two years who were 10 or older - a couple were broodmares who'd never been backed - and a couple had just been left in a field. Without exception, they were as easy as a youngster - a couple were easier!
This mare is being sat on for the second time - she rode like a beginner's horse!
I do not care for horses left to this age before breaking; it makes the job so much harder generally, not only for the handler/rider but also for the horse. I've backed a number of horses over the age of 6 and every one has been a trial;
[/ QUOTE ]
Certainly not my experience. We've backed 4 in the past two years who were 10 or older - a couple were broodmares who'd never been backed - and a couple had just been left in a field. Without exception, they were as easy as a youngster - a couple were easier!
This mare is being sat on for the second time - she rode like a beginner's horse!
Tia
Well-Known Member
How long did you have these 4 horses before you backed them? If they were owned by you for many years then yes I'd expect any horse of any age to be reasonably good; however if they have just been bought and you know nothing of their previous handling then I would say it is definitely a risk to taking on an older unbacked horse. All of mine were the latter.