Is anyone else backing a horse at the moment?

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goodtimes

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And are you having any problems?

Trotting with a rider on board is not happening for us. Lovely and relaxed in walk, but nudge into trot and the poor man gets very upset. We are riding him on the lunge at the moment.

He is a 4 year old cob x warmblood.

Tack, teeth and back checked all this month.
 
What's he doing to show he's not happy? Can he trot on the lunge with and without tack? I would suggest it's essentially a balance problem but I would also he double checking the saddle is fitting correctly as if this is pressing in or restricting his shoulders then trotting will be hard for him.
 
No I haven't started backing this years youngsters yet. Although we don't have much snow and the weather is very pleasant and sunny, it's been quite windy and to be honest I haven't really got up the momentum yet to stick to a backing schedule. I'll probably wait for another month and then crack on. I only have 3 of my own to start this year and any others that come in for training/backing I'll probably pass on to my daughter to do. I think she wants to back one of mine also so that means just a couple for me to do.
 
ladyt25 said:
What's he doing to show he's not happy? Can he trot on the lunge with and without tack? I would suggest it's essentially a balance problem but I would also he double checking the saddle is fitting correctly as if this is pressing in or restricting his shoulders then trotting will be hard for him.
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He has a little paddy and stops. Saddle fits him fine, was checked 3 weeks ago by master saddler. Teeth and back also checked at begining of the month.
He lunges with tack on beautifully.
 
My 4 y/o is being backed at the moment. I am the assistant with a very capable person doing the important bits :)

She has actually asked me to get my mare (nearly) trotting in hand, so she can get used to the feeling of a rider when trotting, but will not be on the end of a lunge line until she's happy and confident.

Not something I have ever done, but seems sensible tbh.
 
Yes and its nightmare.My horse had op and fortunately ligament has healed well .Hed been backed previously and always had problem running away,once I found he had been worked with injury I felt that bringing him back very slowly would be easier.It appears someone had done long reining badly :( and although he lunges well from voice(ive had to do 2 mths in walk) and hes happy to work with me hes incredibly suspicious of other people.Im on his back but hes tense if someone is by his side and if I pick reins up. I think hes been overheld in past .He happily stands at mounting block I can lay across him and hes good whilst I mount but as soon as someone walks beside him he crabs.It doesn't help that I don't have consistent help and if they are nervous they hold him tight .
Im thinking of having someone come to us so I can be on ground ,although he wouldn't/didn't want my trainer to mount him.He will let me mount.Sending him away will probably set us back.
Im waiting for phone call with top trainer at moment.:D
 
There's a couple of potential things he might not like.

The person moving in 'sudden' movements whilst posting may upset him as he caches it out the corner of his eye. What's he like when the rider waves their arms about a bit?

He may not like the sensation of the rider's weight swinging back and forwards along the saddle. How does he react when the rider practise posting in walk?

The riders legs may be swinging across his sides when in trot?

He may just find trotting hard to balance.

Has he had a rider on the lunge in trot? It means the lunger can concentrate on keeping him going forwards whilst the rider concentrates on perfect balance

Having him follow another horse might help? I always trot for the first time on a hack, somewhere safe. Once brakes and steering are established I tuck them behind a friend on a narrow track and the lead horse sets off at a slow trot. Baby horse is encouraged to keep up and break into a trot naturally. Couple of strides initially then build up.

I've not got that far with the 3yr old yet! :o Sat on him last month when the weather started to improve then it bloody snowed!
 
Ive done the running beside him but he thinks he should be working in circle in school lol
I had previously been doing rising trot in walk with trainer so this is something u could try to desensitise.
All work has stopped again due to bad weather ,I was hoping my daughter would sit on him at weekend so I could walk him inhand.Everything is stop and start :o
 
Forward motion has to be the key. I don't ever ride one on the lunge but by the time I get on the groundwork has made a huge difference.

I know the school of thought on long lining is that it isn't necessary but I'd say in this case it could make a huge difference. We trot behind ours everywhere. Lunging is an endless circle to nowhere.

To me having a meltdown means steps have been missed. I'm not saying you're doing it wrong but he's either not ready for what your doing or he has zero idea what you want and no confidence to do so. When I go to ride away I don't get stuck in that walk around and all is fine at the walk. They do have to trot away too. Not far or long but forward beyond walk needs established. And don't let them get into the habit of stopping for a looksee. Work is work. This does not mean I'm up there forcing them here and there. It just means that they should be familiar enough with things that they don't have to stop every 5 seconds for a look. Bad habit and one that can be hard to rectify.

I was on one of the greenies today and we rounded the corner to see hubby on scaffolding with a sand blaster going at the Horsebox. He was allowed to look and take it all in. Hubby went to stop and I said, nope it's in his best interest. He got rubs and was allowed to stand and look. He walked past into the barn on a loose rein and was not allowed to scoot away. He was brilliant. He needed me to be confident and relaxed. No mixed signals. They know everything you're feeling.

Terri
 
i have just backed my friends 8 year cob mare. she too did the throw a tantrum then stop when i asked for trot!

i went back and did a bit more long reining, got back on with someone behind as if long reining and now she is fine :)

she was just a bit cautious feeling me on board trotting. she was fine in walk too.

shes still a bit 'sticky' trotting but is newly backed so not expecting miracles :)
 
Thank you for your advice. Rising in walk is a good idea. Will try that.

I bought him as a just backed baby but gave him some time off. I don't know how well he was backed. Got him from Ireland.

I've done lots of siting on him and waving my arms around. He really didn't like it at first but is getting much better.

I agree some steps may have been missed in his backing so that's why we are starting from scratch again.
 
Mine is 4 in May and i sat on him back in Oct and then first walked him out, with sister walking beside him on the road. I have lunged him just a couple of times but in the main, as we don't have our own school all the ridden work has been done out on hacks and that's where I did my first trot work. I am working on getting him to now maintain a nice, steady rythym as that's what he struggles with. i have had one ridden lesson on him with an instructor who is very much in to ensuring the horse is balanced.

I would work on his walk first, ensure he is walking in a contact, nice and steady and practice turning him, halting, walking on etc etc. I did the rising at walk with mine first to get him used to the sensation so this may be a good idea. If he's having a 'strop' this is more than likely due to him not being balanced or not understanding what you are asking so, when he does this then I would just stay calm, be firm with him and ask him to do something he does understand before re-asking for the trot. He sound lacking in confidence to be honest.
If you can then try him out on a road, in a straight line (with another horse is possible) so he doesn't have to think about turning as well as trotting.
 
I think your right to start from scratch, at least then you know what he's capable of and what he has no experience with.
All training should be built up on platforms. Make sure he understands 110% of what you are asking of him, then move on to the next step. If he finds things difficult go back to what he is comfortable with then re-try.
I have spent the last year preparing my youngster for backing. Most of what he has learnt has been out and about, leading then long-reining, roadwork and really very little in the school. I'm not a fan of lunging tbh and use it only for basic schooling so he gets used to working independantly from me.
My boy is just turning 4, I have very lightly backed him but just on hold as he had his wolf teeth out recently and until I can be more consistant (blame that on the weather) I won't do much at the moment.
Good luck and remember not to rush anything, take your time and you will have a better horse for it.
 
I'm just backing a WB x Highland, he's 4 in may. He's doing very well, just at the stage of getting him out and about on the long reins and sitting on. I don't do much in the school with him, the school is pretty deep and I want to make it easy for him. My next steps are to hack him round the yard and tracks then I'll be hacking him out with sensible nanny. At this stage I quite like long reining out and then getting on for the way home.
 
cambrica said:
I think your right to start from scratch, at least then you know what he's capable of and what he has no experience with.
All training should be built up on platforms. Make sure he understands 110% of what you are asking of him, then move on to the next step. If he finds things difficult go back to what he is comfortable with then re-try.
I have spent the last year preparing my youngster for backing. Most of what he has learnt has been out and about, leading then long-reining, roadwork and really very little in the school. I'm not a fan of lunging tbh and use it only for basic schooling so he gets used to working independantly from me.
My boy is just turning 4, I have very lightly backed him but just on hold as he had his wolf teeth out recently and until I can be more consistant (blame that on the weather) I won't do much at the moment.
Good luck and remember not to rush anything, take your time and you will have a better horse for it.
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I'm taking it nice and slow. I've never had a youngster before so I do what my trainer suggests. Lunging and long reining he is confident. Hacking at walk he is confident in company and on his own my trainer comes twice a week and gives me homework to do in between. I think I'm just being impatient and thought I would be trotting and cantering round by now.

It's very exciting though!
 
I lunge, long rein out and about and also lead them from another horse.
When it comes time to backing them I will ride them straight out and about never in the arena and never on the lunge.

They are busy being interested in all around them and have never had any problems with them trotting or cantering.
 
Yes I am in the process of backing my rising 4yr old, been doing it since January, well the getting on board bit, had been doing lots of groundwork before that. We have only walked so far, I will ask for a trot in the next month or so I expect. I am just taking it very slow with her tbh.
Although we had an impromptu few strides of canter yesterday when she shot forward after a spook!

Its been so many years since I have backed and I am pleased to report its going fine so far. She has tried to nap a bit but we get past it, I know a lot of people do not like hopping off but I have never found issue with it personally, I do not want to put her under pressure in any way, she is a very calm young mare on the whole, but also quite sensitive and intelligent.

The idea of doing rising trot in walk is a really good one, might adopt that myself if Nell finds trotting a bit odd and scary. She has gone to trot quite a few times already but I have held her back so far, want to perfect our walk first and build her muscles up a bit with lots of walking.

I am sure your young lad will get it, I think it must feel odd for them at first, horses can start to run because of possible danger so I suppose its getting them to feel at ease with a very different concept to them. Just take it slow and do a few strides maybe at a time so there is less pressure maybe? Good luck, its lovely bringing them on yourself isnt it. It has been a long time since I have done this and I was not sure I would have the courage but we have done it bit by bit, we have a long way to go, but am well chuffed with it all so far.

Kallibear said:
Having him follow another horse might help? I always trot for the first time on a hack, somewhere safe. Once brakes and steering are established I tuck them behind a friend on a narrow track and the lead horse sets off at a slow trot. Baby horse is encouraged to keep up and break into a trot naturally. Couple of strides initially then build up.
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Agree with this, this is exactly what I will be doing when I do first trot on Nell, it will be out on a hack with another lead horse, with a slight up hill, a few strides at a time only
 
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I got my 4 year old trotting further in a straight line first, after doing the rising at a walk first. I gradually asked for him to go further round a curve on the corners until he could manage a full circle.
 
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