Looking for a youngster to break in

[Mary Bee]

I am after some advice, thanks for reading.
I had ponies as a teenager myself but then I stopped riding. Many years later now, my 13 year old daughter has been riding for 6 years, she’s a lovely rider, and we have two ponies. She is really passionate and talented I feel. She is home-educated and has plenty of time, our ponies live at our home and she is with them all day long. She would really like to break in/bring on a young horse. We have been reading books and watching videos to prepare.
So, we know something about horses, but we are not experts. We have a local friend who is experienced with youngsters who would be on hand to help. I am looking for some advice with this project. If you think that this isn’t a good plan, please say it kindly!
We think we are looking for a handled and halter broken 2.5 to 3 year old. A horse that would grow to about 14.2. to 15.2hh, with the potential to become an all-rounder. Not too heavy, not too fine, and the potential to go barefoot.
What do we look for when we go to see potential youngsters? We know they are not fully grown at this stage, nor rounded out, less muscle tone etc. We are hoping for a kind, forward going youngster, with a bit of spark, who will like his/her job.
We would watch them being handled, handle ourselves if possible, try to learn the history, breeding etc. What tips can you give me for assessing them? What kind of price might be expected? We are in Cornwall, just in case you are too, and knew of potential candidates! Thanks.

 

[FlyingCircus]

I'd suggest she helps out breaking in ponies with someone who needs a second pair of hands.

Watching videos and doing it yourself is a completely different kettle of fish. If you screw up, the consequences are sometimes huge and dire for the horse or pony in question.

It takes a whole lot of feel and horse sense to do the job properly. Many people get by on luck, but I think the biggest gift you can give a horse is to have it started and backed by someone who knows what they're doing.

 

[Sail_away]

What sort of ponies does she have currently? Does she ride any others? I wonder if she’s used to older horses it would be an idea to get a horse that’s had a bit of education but needs bringing on - perhaps a green 7+ yr old and see how she copes with that. It would be a very big jump going from experienced older ponies (if that’s what she has) to a baby that’s done nothing at all.

 

[Cortez]

I'd suggest she helps out breaking in ponies with someone who needs a second pair of hands.

Watching videos and doing it yourself is a completely different kettle of fish. If you screw up, the consequences are sometimes huge and dire for the horse or pony in question.

It takes a whole lot of feel and horse sense to do the job properly. Many people get by on luck, but I think the biggest gift you can give a horse is to have it started and backed by someone who knows what they're doing.

^^^^^This, this, this, all the day long! Breaking is something that should be done by the most experienced of horsemen, otherwise it is the blind leading the blind.

 

[Marigold4]

Good idea to help with another first, but I don't think it's out of the question for her to do this, with some professional help to hand. And as long as you stop and think if it starts to go wrong, rather than pushing ahead regardless. I am not a professional by any means, and have backed three myself. Two I sold on and they sold for good money to the first person to view them both times. We keep in touch and are doing well in their new homes. Both very confident horses. So it can be done.

It is important not to over horse yourself. Buy the smaller end of what you need and nothing with TB in it - they can easily get their knickers in a twist. Take very careful note of the youngster's temperament when you view. I have found what you see in the field is what you get. Look for a cheerful horse who is interested in you, has its ears forward and follows you around. Their temperament doesn't change with more handling, I find. And it's all so much easier with a willing, interested partner.

Good luck! I have found it challenging but extremely rewarding. When you get in the 70s in a dressage test on a horse you backed yourself, it feels very good indeed!

 

[Mary Bee]

What sort of ponies does she have currently? Does she ride any others? I wonder if she’s used to older horses it would be an idea to get a horse that’s had a bit of education but needs bringing on - perhaps a green 7+ yr old and see how she copes with that. It would be a very big jump going from experienced older ponies (if that’s what she has) to a baby that’s done nothing at all.

Thanks.
Yes our ponies are both 15, but she has also ridden and helped out every week for 6 years (except for lockdowns) at a riding stables, where she has regularly ridden 4-8 year olds with varying levels of training.

 

[Mary Bee]

Thank you all for taking the time to reply. It is really helpful. ?

 

[LEC]

Thanks.
Yes our ponies are both 15, but she has also ridden and helped out every week for 6 years (except for lockdowns) at a riding stables, where she has regularly ridden 4-8 year olds with varying levels of training.

I think you are trying to leap before you can walk. You have two experienced ponies at the moment. They are worlds apart from unbroken. Most of my friends who break in ponies with their kids have vast experience and can support the child in getting it right. The kids also have a lot of competition and pony club experience so are confident.

 

[honetpot]

When I was thirteen I was breaking horses from a book, it must have been the only book in the 1970's library, and I vaguely remember watching a tv series on learning to ride. All right they may not have been trained in the modern sense, or to the standard in those books, but they were safe to hack out and were later sold on as children's ponies.
I always buy for temperament, and in your situation I would buy a diamond in the rough, perhaps not the horse of your dreams but a rough and ready larger pony perhaps from a small rescue, and get some experience without a huge layout.

We always made our own horses and ponies, I could never afford to buy them, and I would never under estimate how long it takes, everything you do is a first, and you have to plan for it to go wrong and be happy when things just go as planned. For a teenager who have been riding a made horse progress may be too slow.

 

[Sail_away]

Thanks.
Yes our ponies are both 15, but she has also ridden and helped out every week for 6 years (except for lockdowns) at a riding stables, where she has regularly ridden 4-8 year olds with varying levels of training.

In this case I would really consider buying something older. There are a LOT of older green horses out there which provide experience of training a horse but with fewer baby moments. Unfortunately riding school horses however young won’t have prepared her for a privately owned 3/4 year old, the riding school will have chosen the quietest of dobbins if they are buying young. And then I expect had their instructors ride it for a while to check that it really is a dobbin. I also don’t know any school that would buy unbroken, it’s too much of a gamble that the horse will be temperamentally suited.
In your shoes I would be having a look at a 7/8 year old pony, ridden by a kid or teen, but with limited experience in an arena. There are quite a few out there, because hacking is all a lot of people want to do. Then your daughter can get the experience of schooling a green pony, without being thrown right into the deep end. And if this works out really well, then in a couple of years you would be in a much better place to start a younger horse. If it doesn’t, then a youngster would’ve been even worse!

 

[Leandy]

I think this is a great project for you and your daughter so long as you are sensible and can have regular help from your friend or a knowledgeable professional. As to what to look for, please take your friend with you! How big is your daughter and what size are her current ponies? I ask because you suggest looking for something between 14.2 and 15.2. I assume this is because that is what you will be wanting for her next horse. Do not overhorse her. A 15.2 horse is a big step up for a 13 year old from smaller ponies even without it being unbroken. I would suggest that if what you are after is the experience of breaking one in and bringing it on, that you look for something no larger than 14.2 so it is manageable and familiar sizewise for your daughter. I wouldn't suggest aiming to break in her first horse having not been used to horses of that size previously. Temperament would be paramount here for me in what to look for also so as not to overhorse. A calm friendly, non-spooky temperament is what you are after.

 

[gallopingby]

I think it’s possible to do this with appropriate help but maybe go for a cob type or an overheight M&M or within height ie for most large breeds that would be up to 14,2 but some come in at around 15 - 15.1 I think you’ll be lucky to find a sufficiently well handled / educated young horse for the price l think you’re wanting to pay and well bred M & M s possibly won’t be that much cheaper but you could have a lot of fun with one assuming neither if you are exceptionally tall.
When l was younger it was very common to bring on your own horse / pony. Remember many of the so called new generation of ‘producers’ are sometimes still in their teens or earlier twenties and may have to rely / have had to rely on others for help along the way. Make sure you buy from an established source preferably the breeder not someone who has bought to sell on again.

 

[J&S]

I think you could do it together. The two ponies I have done have been 20 years apart with the help of the relevant young step daughter at the time. As mentioned above, buy straight from a reputable breeder and you can see from their stock what temperament and potential they should have. I would go for a NF, they make plenty of height and will carry an adult. Not a cob......... you will see some lovely examples on this forum but they are not for the uninitiated! You can always pull in a proffesional if need be.

 

[Merry neddy man]

Depending on her height I would be aiming for 15.2 in 2 years at 15 yo sh may find 14.2 a bit small add another 3 yrs at 18yo 14.2 maybe way to small. I see Leandys point about overfacing her it's a tough choice.

 

[windand rain]

I think you can do it too I think there is little mystery in backing and schooling young horses. I also think it is easy to choose the wrong one and even easier to get it wrong so need some experienced eyes on things. At 15 I was backing schooling and preparing for sale feral ponies for a dealer. Not ideal but it worked. The more feral the easier they were as long as they were of good temperament. I dont know where you are but there will be people who need light weight jockeys to start or school smaller ponies all over the country. As a pony owner its a nightmare finding competant riders light enough to do the job. I wouldn't go too big for the first one unless it grows while you are doing it so would aim for the lower end. I would also look at young Welsh D you will need to find one thats not sharp or silly but they do exist. Arab and Part Bred arabs would be a choice too. Of course I am biased but you cannot beat a good British native.