Just backed babies, how long did you wait until first ridden show?

I've worked with horses who've had a lot of great ground work (lunging, long reining, walking out in traffic and show experience) who have competed in 4 weeks, thanks in part to that prior work and a great attitude. I've also dealt with horses who have had all that ground work but have been more nervy or taken longer to 'get it' and have taken 8 weeks plus.

At work we try to get horses out for the first time 6 weeks after initial backing, giving those who need it extra time, and letting the naturally confident try it sooner.
 
A year and a half!! But then it is the first time I've broken anything in (or even had a horse of my own). We finally made it to Intro dressage last week and a show on Sunday. Won the dressage and got a 2nd and a 3rd at the show - I am the proudest owner ever!!
 
Depends on the horse! I want them to be confident in walk trot and canter, have hacked out a bit and ridden in company first. I try to take them off for a lesson at my trainers yard first. Average of around 8 weeks for a normal horse (ie not a nutter!)
 
Depends very much on the background of training the quality of the training ans the capabilities of the rider.

I've had one out within a couple of months but tend to take time to establish prelim/novice level well before placing horse in a situation where it might question.
 
Lets see, Barnaby was backed in November and his first show was a BD dressage in February. So three months, give or take a few days.

It may have been sooner had it not been winter just two years ago, when the snow caused his introduction to ridden work to be a bit sporadic.

He did get 4th though, so i was a proud mummy!
 
Several months - Frodo was backed late in January and his first show was in the summer, July if I remember correctly - but this was in Germany where standards are incredibly high and you just wouldn't go out 'for the fun of it'.
 
I think it depends on what your standards and expectations are, what you want from the horse, the horses temprement etc.

I am currently backing my 3yr old who will do dressage. He will be re-backed beginning of March next year (hes having a holiday from September until then) hes very laid back and easy going, but I have high expectations of him and i wont be taking him out to compete until he is supple, secure into the contact, working correctly over the back and has good transitions up and down all the paces. Im hoping to probably take him out to his first show end of May time next year so he would have been back in ''work'' for about 3 months by then. I want perfection though, and he will be aimed at the BD YH classes aswell.
 
Started rebacking mine end of march this year and went to our first walk and trot dressage beginning of june. We are still only competing in walk and trot dressage atm as his canter is so big, its proving difficult to rein it in and gain some control lol. Also, have only had an actual school to ride in for a few weeks so before that, all his schooling has been in a field.
Hoping to take him out to a prelim before I give him a break from competing over the winter.
 
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