Ok how would YOU back a horse?

[Santa_Claus]

It always gets me as to how many different methods there are to back a horse and how often people will dismiss other people's methods but in reality they are often all as correct or incorrect as the next.

I'm of the bring them on slowly but start things young school. won't put a rider on till end of 3rd year won't compete until the latter 4th but get them out and about to events just without the comp pressure before hand. Also like to introduce poles and other obstacles as early as possible to desensitise etc.

Opinions wanted as am geniunely interested. Also what discipline do you back your horses for, as interested if there are major differences between the disciplines!

Not asking too much am I

 

[seabiscuit]

For eventing- lightly backed and turned away as a late 3 year old, then as a 4 year old think its best for them to do quite a few weeks lunging- or as long as is needed for them to establish self carriage and balance on the lunge ( i.e so that they work softly over the back and track up in all 3 paces in loose side reins) cos once they are doing that - its dead easy to ride them on the flat once you have the rider on board and they are already in natural self carriage. Then over a few weeks would do normal schooling and hacking, schooling sessions are never longer than 5-10 mins to start with though, you want to keep them sweet. Jumps I would introduce pretty soon, and then as the months go on taking to small shows to do nothing and just mooch about, leading onto jumping at a few small shows, but prob wont do more than compete at about 5 shows this year and at each show they would not be doing much (i.e just one class). May turn away for 4 weeks at the end of the 4 year old year to then chill out.
At 5- slightly more intensive program, but not too much competing really.

As for how different disciplines do things- my dressage trainer was really not happy when she saw me a) take Ellie out for a hack on about the 4 th day she had been ridden after backing and b) she also was not happy when she saw me jump Ellie today for the first time, she has been backed and riding about a month now, and it was just over the tiniest cross pole. I think that they should get out and do lots of different stuff, to keep their brains occupied, but I know that dressage trainer would prefer to see them totally established and schooling well on the flat first for about 6 weeks before any hacks and jumps!

 

[Jemayni]

All the horses Ive ever backed are ones that are on dealers yards anyway, so the majority go to do RC/PC or low affiliated level.

Usually backed in the summer of being a 3yo, turned away until after christmas, then brought into work over 3 months; usually do a bit of hunting, but mainly just work in the school and hack. They are sold in the spring as fit & ready for the season!

 

[burtie]

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I think that they should get out and do lots of different stuff, to keep their brains occupied,

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I totally agree, one reason why my horse went to Richard who fully admits flatwork is something that he knows he must do for training but isn't his favourite bit, when I was his age I was the same! Herbie has come back working nicely forward in walk, trot and canter on each rein, fairly well balanced for a youngster and has done a few short hacks, trotted over poles and jumped the odd small cross pole. He has not been schooled as such beyond that and that is just how I like it. I have to say he has done a smashing job with him, and Richards confidence has left Herbie a happy confident horse too.

 

[Super_Kat]

Pretty much the same as you!

 

[bensababy]

i wouldnt ever add a rider on untill 3, up till then i would do some light lunge work, long rein and walking out inhand on roads - i believe in variety for a youngster - i found with mine he got very bored easily so i never stuck to doing one thing.. it also keeps them interested, once he had a rider on and was walking and trotting i turned him away for 6 months and he had a complete rest.

 

[ihatework]

Just been doing it

But it really does depend on the horse in question and I think you need to stay open minded and willing to change your plans if needed.

I'm in a position where I have very limited help and facilities at the moment (read into that I am on my own and have a paddock at the edge of the motorway !!!)

As a 2 yo he just did a bit of inhand work and when I had a spare pair of hands he went longreining round the woods that back onto the paddock.

So he is now in his 3yo year. Over easter I started working with him with an open mind, if he was happy to be backed then I would do him but if it looked like it needed more facilities then I would wait and send him away to be done nearer the end of the year.

So in a very un-BHS manner I tacked him up and took him into the paddock on a lunge line. within 5 minutes he had the idea that you walked in a circle around the person in the middle.

Did 3-4 days like that, he was happy to walk and trot on both reins and stop when asked, no more that 10 minutes a day and mostly at walk.

Day 5 and 6 he had loose side reins on and accepted those well.

Day 7 I got my friend over who lay over him
Day 8 friend lay over then sat up and he was led around a bit
Day 9 friend sat straight on and led around a bit
Day 10 I sat on and was led around
Day 11 he came in with a deep flint cut on his back and hasn't done anything since!

So all in all he was easy peasy

Ideally had he not cut his back I would have done probably another fortnight with the aim of establishing start, stop and turn, off lead at walk and hack around the woods in company. As it is I will probably now leave him until autumn to restart him.

He will be rebacked in autumn and go through the above process and then hopefully be kept ticking over through the winter, light work 3 days a week. Mostly hacking but the odd schooling session or lunge. If he gets bored and starts misbehaving then I would rather turn him away for the winter and start again with a higher workload as a 4yo than ask him to do too much schooling/lunging as a 3yo.

As a 4yo he will start to get out and about, I'll utilise RC group clinics etc. If he is ready he will do the PAVO 4yo event class at Little Mattingly, but he won't be pushed to reach that stage.

He will then probably be for sale

 

[MagicMelon]

I do pretty much what you do santa145. Seems to work well.

 

[Agent XXX999]

Horses for courses, depends how well you know them.

With the home bred few we have had, we have had people lean over them bare back as early as 2.5 - and legged up and led back from the field at 3.

However 'proper' breaking starts at 3.5, do the basics - and lots of variety, hacking, walk, trot, canter, maybe even a little trotting pOLE. Usually do the basics for a month, then winter in the field, and start againg at 4.