Ok another youngster question- turning away?

JoBo

JoBo

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Do you turn your youngster away after they have been backed? If so why and for how long? Does it depend on what age they are started? What stage do you get them too before turning them away?

I’m not planning to turn Bodey away (he is 3.5 years old) but just take things very slowly and do no more then 3 times a week.

Sorry I'm being right nosey today!
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All the youngsters on my yard are broken in at 3 or 4 depending on their maturity. They will then be turned away over the winter and brought back in to work the following spring.
 
I will turn mine away over winter between ages of 3-4, purely as I don't have time to exercise two in winter months.

I think it's good for them if they have a real 'crash course' in breaking, as it gives them time to a) finish growing and developing, mentally and physically and b) gives them time to digest what they have learnt.

As you are taking things so slowly with Bodey, I see no reason why he would need to be turned away
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Nope I don't agree with the idea! Like you I back slowly giving them plenty of time to work things out, Horses are very accepting animals so its easy to whiz them if they dont question things, which causes no end of problems later. If a horse isn't mature then surely wait until he is to start backing rather then doing a crash course for few weeks, letting him go back to being a horse for months.. He will only see it as a interferance of his freedom.
 
I broke mine at 3 and a half, got her doing the basics, walk, trot and canter (canter was pretty rubbish!) and then turned her away for about 3 months over winter and brought her back early in the new year. I was surprised at how much more ready for work she was!
 
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b) gives them time to digest what they have learnt.


[/ QUOTE ] Probs the best thing I was ever taught is horses are like rivers... They have no idea where they come from, Nor any idea where there going. They live for the moment. Remembering things as bad or good.
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If a horse isn't mature then surely wait until he is to start backing rather then doing a crash course for few weeks

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When you are dealing with horses that are verging on 17hh as 3 year olds, it's usually easier to back them then rather than waiting until they are much bigger and stronger.

Also they are usually ready to be doing something at that age - but mentally do find it very exhausting. You don't have to do a crash course per se. Just a month or so of quiet work on the lunge and longrein and then sat on. Maybe ridden away for a week or so.

They come back stronger and ready to go on several months later to the next stage of their development. We have a horse that is rising 5 that this has been done to a number of times because of his physical immaturity. Whilst he's not ready for any real work - he is ready for a little play. Every few months he's picked up and then let down again. He's growing and changing all the time and will probably be 7 before he is fully mature - and it will be toward the end of this summer before he is really up to anything.

However, it is important for his continuing education to be doing something quietly and then allowed to go away and think about it.

Ponies and smaller horses tend to mature much quicker than some sport horse types so there is often not a need to turn them away. However for the majority of horses the process of being broken in is mentally very stressful because there is so much to think about so it does them good to be turned away afterwards.
 
I agree that long and slow is the best way but a lot of people lack time TBH.

I'd love to be able to keep my youngster ticking over with some short hacks throughout her first winter after backing, but I'm far too busy with my other horses to concentrate on her.

I think for a lot of people it's a time factor TBH, although I do agree it would make it more simple for them if it was continued learning.
 
Mine was backed at four and has been turned way for four months. This is partly because of the weather and the ground - we don't have a "surface". When she was being broken she worked 6 days a week but lessons always ended before she was tired and when she was on a high. She loved working.
 
We turned Bailey away for 6 months to grow up physically and mentally once he was working consistantly on the flat walk, trot and canter and had done grid work/ basic jumping
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He is now back in and has grown up soooo much
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When you are dealing with horses that are verging on 17hh as 3 year olds, it's usually easier to back them then rather than waiting until they are much bigger and stronger.


[/ QUOTE ] With the big horses verging 17hh type I haven't had trouble backing when they were five. In fact found them much more grown up and gentleman like. Yes they were storger but having spend months with groundwork getting them to respect all 5'7 of me....
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Meg had been backed before I got her (supposedly aged 3.5).

I ended up turning her away for 8 months for a number of reasons:
1. She was very underweight.
2. Her feet were in bad condition - she went barefoot for this time to sort the shape of them out.
3. She was very immature, and depressed when I got her.

She spent the time out playing with the other horses and learning how to be a horse again. When I did start her off again, I began with lots of hacking to build up her muscles before we started with school work.

None of these really apply to your situation with Bodey, but what I have found with her training is that a couple of weeks off to digest what's she's been taught has worked wonders for her attitude.
 
totally agree with you AM. I backed Chantin at 3 when she was 17hh ish then turned her away for the winter and brought her back into work when she had matured a bit more and physically more capable of more work. She was (and still is to some extent) lanky and didnt have much weight to her. I kept her lean due to her size but now she is on work she is slowly building up her condition.
When i back Willow ill do the same - back her then turn her away for the winter.
 
I am not planning to do so. I started Chancer's education at 18 months and backed him at 28 months. I do two/three short sessions of varied work each week. I only ride him 15 minutes every two weeks and have spent over a year doing what some people do in a month. He is 3 in June and I plan to spend this summer doing a little hacking out and start schooling, ie canter etc in December as I hope to show him under the saddle from May next year.

He is very mature for his age both physically and mentally and never been put under pressure so does not need time out to "recover" from the backing process as all his education has been done so slowly and carefully and he has plenty of time to "think" about things between each session.

Not everyone has the luxury of time to do what I have done, hence the need to give them time to get over what is often an extensive training period.
 
Well thank you all for your replies, they have made very interesting reading. It just shows we all have our slightly different ways and you have to do what you think it is right for the horse you are dealing with.

Thanks again guys.
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My youngster was backed as a 4yr old last August and has been ridden (mainly 45min hacking) 5 days out of 7 since. He was schooled once a fortnight at first and has just started serious schooling once a week (in lesson). He is only 15.hh and very laid back. I did consider turning him away as he has developed a rather irritating napping habit but my instructor said not to as he needs to go on now and to turn him away could jepodise all the hard work so far. I suppose it depends on the horses mental and physical situation but I constantly question myself.
 
Yes I question myself too which is why it’s so nice to hear everyone’s views. Bodey my 3.5 year old was first sat on properly 3 Saturdays ago, he is currently walking around the school on the lunge line with me on his back, thankfully I have a fantastic instructor that has really helped me, but this is the first time I have ever done the ‘sitting’ on side of backing.
 
With an easy horse that flies through its breaking at 3-3 1/2 yes, I would turn it away. something that takes a little more time/reassurance or is older than 3 1/2 I wouldnt as in my experience you tend to bring them back in with all the same issues you worked through before
 
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