Newbie with a dilemma

[Showingqueen]

Hi,
I have been lurking around here for a while now so I thought it was about time I registered and plucked up the courage to post

I have a rising 3 year old ISH gelding who currently stands at 15.2hh

I love showing hence the name

and so far we have done extremely well in Sports horse classes at local and county level

I am under pressure to have the YO break my chap in but I was hoping to do it myself. Considering I want to show him do you think I should have him professionally broken and schooled rather than attempting it myself?
Your thoughts please

 

[Nailed]

depends on your experience if im honest.. You'll have a creater bond with him if you do but in the same was if you are not a competent confident lunger, rider, your going to end up doing more damage than good.

Don't feel pressured into doing anthing!

Welcome to the forum! hope to see you posting lots!

Lou x

 

[JenHunt]

agree with Nailed....
if you think you've got the experience (and support from instructor) to do it your self then go for it.

if not then a professional would be a better option IMO than you YO - not cos i doubt their abilities, but because it's not worth falling out with a good YO about when they want to do something with your horse in a way which you don't like or something.

nice to have you here, let us know how you get on!

 

[Theresa_F]

I did all the basics with my little cob, but he was probably one of the easiest horses to do - I had my instructor with me all the way.

I achieved, walk, trot, canter, brakes and turns. Took him to a show and did a basic W&T dressage test. Did some hacking out.

As he turned 4, I sent him to have three weeks "fine tuning" with someone who produces traditional cobs as I don't have the time to ride him more than 3 or times a week and my instructor went away for 2 months. Huge difference, next show we won the class and went reserve.

He is now far more established and balanced and the time I can do is enough as he now knows his job - I hack one day, school and maybe hack afterwards twice a week and one session from the ground. I keep with my lessons and also have him ridden by Sarah and intend to keep doing so at least once a month.

If you feel capable enough, why not do as I did - get some help and have the joy of being the first to sit on him - one of the best experiences in my life, and know you did the basic hard work and then have someone who shows professional, tune him up.

 

[Showingqueen]

Well because he is my only horse I have the odd lesson on my friends gelding but it is a little hit and miss as to when I can borrow her horse and when I can afford it

Bert will be the first horse I have broken myself if I do it myself

I just don't want to screw things up

 

[dozzie]

I do the basic backing etc and get the horse started. Then send away to get schooled so the horse is really moving off the leg. I think this gives a really good start to a horse. But you do need to find a good place for them to go.

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

I'm hoping to do a lot of it myself with our homebred, she's only a yearling at the moment. It would be great to be the first one on her, but if I don't feel confident or capable enough, I won't.

Can you not do most of it yourself, and pay your YO on a per hour basis to help you?

Good luck by the way, and wecome!

 

[LCobby]

Is your YO the best person?
Being a YO does not prove they have the experience or time to bring on a youngster from basics up.

ANother option would be send to a specilsit Sports Horse producer to start.

Or work with YO- starting, backing and riding a younsgter is a a two person job. So you could do it together, with you as the assistant.

 

[Darkly_Dreaming_Dex]

Would second Theresa's experience- my cob was the first horse i ever broke from the beginning although i have had years of experience restarting/sorting problem horses. My Instructor helped me and gave us loads of "homework" I would have loved to have sent him away for finetuning but as the little s*d bucked for Britain, wouldnt load and if you manged to get him in, he would kick his way out again- so sadly,it wasnt an option (after writing off 2 trailers, i got an old cattle truck and once he learned he couldnt break out- he settled and has been perfect ever since)