Opinions on backing and breaking in.

[JessGibbs]

I am currently studying for my degree in equitation science and need to do some research for an assignment on a chosen area of interest. I want to find out people's different approaches and experiences when dealing with youngsters? I would be very grateful for some feedback on these questions below.
Thank you very much for your time.

- What age is the horse when you start the breaking in process?

- What informs your decision to start the breaking process?

- How long would you normally expect it to take roughly? - from the very beginning to being ridden out alone.

- What is the first step you take?

- What are the stages of breaking a horse in you would usually use?

- Have you experienced any behavioural problems when breaking in? If so what and why do you think they happened?

- Would you ever start the process, turn the horse away and start again at a later date for any reason? If so what reason?

 

[muddy_grey]

- What age is the horse when you start the breaking in process?
End of 3yo year or beginning of 4yo

- What informs your decision to start the breaking process?
Generally when I buy them I don't have my own land and can't afford to keep anything younger

- How long would you normally expect it to take roughly? - from the very beginning to being ridden out alone.
Depends on the horse, but I tend to hack them alone from the start. So 3-5 weeks depending on horse

- What is the first step you take?
Once they are happy being handled then saddle cloth and then roller, firstly in the stable then walking

- What are the stages of breaking a horse in you would usually use?
Really simplified otherwise would be really long
Saddle cloth, roller then bit
Led in above and short lunge in trot
Swap roller for saddle and repeat, then add dangling stirrups and repeat
Long rein including out and about
All through the above jump about and bang/jiggle the saddle on occasion and stand on something high next to them
Lay over and lead in walk
Swing leg over and get on lead in walk lunge in trot
Off lunge make sure I can turn/stop then hack for at least a month

- Have you experienced any behavioural problems when breaking in? If so what and why do you think they happened?
Only when I have had horses others have tried to break first, never if I have done from scratch

- Would you ever start the process, turn the horse away and start again at a later date for any reason? If so what reason?
Not a fan of turning away myself, but they don't work that hard. 3-4 days a week of gentle hacking.

Obviously it depends on the horse, but this is the basic plan I use. How long each stage takes will depend on the horse though. Don't like schooling breakers so do tend to hack earlier than some. I am lucky we have good, safe hacking and so many horses about drivers tend to be pretty good.

 

[be positive]

Your questions are not easy to answer as every horse is so different it really does depend on the individual and what has been done previously with it, I have started horses and ponies from the well handled confident 3 coming 4 year olds to almost wild barely handled of similar ages to a 12 year old former brood mare there really are so many things to take into account.

In an ideal world I would start them as coming 4, in the spring provided they are mature enough to do so that way they can be ridden throughout the summer without being stopped for bad weather.

How long, if they have been sent in to back usually about 6 weeks.

First step depends on what they have already done, if well handled, know how to lead in hand in walk and trot and tie up properly then I start them quietly lunging getting them used to my voice and body language. If they are not leading properly then that is stage 1.

I usually get them moving in walk and trot confidently on the lunge, introduce bridle and saddle then progress to long reining, all the while handling them in preparation for the actual backing, so standing them by a mounting block so I can stand above them, doing things to generally desensitise them to sudden movement or anything they may show concerns about.
Once they seem ready the next step is to lie over them, walk like that, put leg over when they are confident then sit up and walk on, each step requires care to avoid upsetting them so always ready to go back a step, usually they move onto trotting fairly quickly to get them thinking forward then think about the stopping and steering.
When they are happy in walk and trot and have basic steering, which is usually in place if the long reining has been done well, they are ready to go out, usually accompanied on foot for the first time or two.

I have had a few behavioural issues, having backed somewhere in excess of 100 I would expect a few to be less easy, one was just too young mentally he was turned away having just been sat on and came back 12 months later totally different and was very easy, one small pony being backed at 7 proved to be very tricky, owner was not prepared to get vet involved so as she was rearing I sent her home rather than continue to try and make her into a childs pony, my conscience would not allow me to let a child on her.

I think if they are treated as individuals most are fairly uncomplicated unless they have a physical issue that causes them pain, even ones that have been nervy come round if treated fairly.

 

[dominobrown]

-What age is the horse when you start the breaking in process?

Personally if it is my horse I would start at 3. Most clients do this too, or at 4. I currently work in racing so they are started late in the year as yearlings.

- What informs your decision to start the breaking process?

Depends on the owner/horse. Often the horses' potential future career, its' mentality, its physical maturity, time of year.


- How long would you normally expect it to take roughly? - from the very beginning to being ridden out alone.

I find this impossible to answer as it depends completely on the horse, its' history and its age etc. However I am not 'quick', normally from nothing I would hope to have the horse walk, trot and maybe canter and hacking out after around 8 weeks however it depends completely on the horse. sometimes I will take a lot longer on horse that is difficult, or a lot shorter on one that is straight forward.

- What is the first step you take?

Depends. some of the yearlings at work have barely been touched by a person before. On a horse that has been well handled as youngster I would start in the stable, put a bridle on, roller next day. Begin lunging.

- What are the stages of breaking a horse in you would usually use?

Get used to being handled, touched all over, wearing bridle/ roller, start lunging, start long reining in arena then around lanes, introduce saddle, long rein in saddle, still alternate with lunging, during this point have a little lean over, play with saddle mounting block every day, lean over, then get on, at on with someone holding, depending on facilities etc off lead rein, sat on in arena on lunge, then off lunge, hacking out with lead then without alternating with work in school however completely depends on horse and more importantly arena/ facilities etc.

- Have you experienced any behavioural problems when breaking in? If so what and why do you think they happened?

Yes but this is a very broad question. Most horses will do something, i.e its not all plain sailing most of the time.

- Would you ever start the process, turn the horse away and start again at a later date for any reason? If so what reason?

Very immature, or maybe its mentality, but most of the time it would depend on weather/ facilities, i.e if the weather is awful, arena flooded etc and I had no where safe to work it.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

I put a saddle on my filly when she was 11 months, is that the start of her breaking? She had a harness on at 15 months, no bridle or anything and was turned out in the arena. I refused to sell her to people who might have rushed her, so she was sold [unbacked] to a man who started her age four, he backed her age five, but she was put to a carriage at the same time.

I had a New Forest on loan and fed him well, he was long reining at two. Rising three he was lightly backed, as in a light child sat on him twice round the arena while I led him round.

I just don't believe in "breaking", if one handles a pony or horse and feeds it, when it is strong enough, and balanced one can sit on it.
I always back them bareback, its not like one day they are unbroken and day two they are broken.

I send mine to a good light rider to school when they are reasonably fit enough to do 40 mins per day, and when they need to learn the aids and pop a crossed pole with a rider on their back

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

If you take a young lively TB and put breaking tackle on it and ask it to go forward in an indoor school [as is the norm with young thoroughbred racehorses], some will take it in their stride and some will not. I have seen them throw themselves on the ground in order to get rid of tack, but some will just carry on as though it was something natural.
Flat bred TBs will be backed before they are two years old if they are to race as two year-olds.
Horses destined for NH will be broken as three or four year olds, it takes much longer to build them up and train them to race.

 

[nianya]

- What age is the horse when you start the breaking in process?

Terminology issue for me again, by "breaking" do you mean actually a rider in the saddle? 3-4 If you mean when would I start training work, most our horses started ground work by 2.

- What informs your decision to start the breaking process?

The horse's mental maturity. They're all different. Again, if breaking means riding to you then add in physical maturity too.

- How long would you normally expect it to take roughly? - from the very beginning to being ridden out alone.

Depends on the horse, but all of ours were riding out alone very early. Actually, my last one didn't ride with anyone else for the first 3 or 4 months. She was 4. I did arena work for 5 months, then she had a year off (unintentionally), then about a month after we started again she went out on her own. But I'd ponied her with my older mare before that so she had some trail experience.

- What is the first step you take?

From the ground? Basic manners, paying attention to where I am and what I'm asking. Giving to pressure.

- What are the stages of breaking a horse in you would usually use?

Lunging, first in a rope halter, then free lunge. They need to walk, trot, canter on command and be paying attention to me throughout. Ground driving with and with out saddle, over poles and bending. Then we work under saddle in the arena for a couple months until I'm sure they will listen to aids and give to pressure. Again, depends on the horse. Also, I typically had only two days a week to work with them. If you can work them more often, and if they're ready maybe it's weeks rather than months. But I base it on the horse.

- Have you experienced any behavioural problems when breaking in? If so what and why do you think they happened?

Only with the one I got as a 2 year old, she'd been the barn pet and she was a bit bratty.

- Would you ever start the process, turn the horse away and start again at a later date for any reason? If so what reason?

If the horse is mentally not ready for the work, yes. Many trainers recommend starting a 3 year old and then giving them the winter off before doing hard work. I did that with my 2 year old, unintentionally, and she was much more ready when we started again in her 4th year but we didn't have to go through all the steps all over again.

I expect my horses to spend most of their time on the trail so we work towards that from the beginning and once they're on the trail most of their work will occur there too. After that the arena is for learning a new skill.

 

[NZJenny]

What age is the horse when you start the breaking in process?

Three or four.

- What informs your decision to start the breaking process?

How well grown is the horse, mentally and physically, and what plans do I have for it going forward.

- How long would you normally expect it to take roughly? - from the very beginning to being ridden out alone.

As long as it takes - but normally 6-8 weeks.

- What is the first step you take?

Teach the horse to lunge.

- What are the stages of breaking a horse in you would usually use?

Lunge, saddle, rider. Bit/bridle normally much later, if at all.

- Have you experienced any behavioural problems when breaking in? If so what and why do you think they happened?

No, but then I have only done 9 or 10.

- Would you ever start the process, turn the horse away and start again at a later date for any reason? If so what reason?

I have done with endurance horses - start as a four year old, then turn out for say 3 months and then start legging up for their first season at five. However the three year old that has just been started is not an endurance horse, so she will just keep pottering along three or four days a week.
Read more at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/foru...n-backing-and-breaking-in#gr4huzL0jGZPOotw.99

 

[dianchi]

What age is the horse when you start the breaking in process?
Summer of 3rd year

- What informs your decision to start the breaking process?
She was strong enough to take a saddle

- How long would you normally expect it to take roughly? - from the very beginning to being ridden out alone.

Very difficult here, my girl was a homebred so had 3 years of correct handling/prep so putting on saddle and backing took 3 days
Unknown horse you have to play it as you go along

- What is the first step you take?

My homebred could already lunge/long line. So introduce saddle on lunge, then hop on

- What are the stages of breaking a horse in you would usually use?

Teach the horse respect and able to move the horse around and control

- Have you experienced any behavioural problems when breaking in? If so what and why do you think they happened?

Yes, but these were "failed" attempts so where more of a re-backing or attempt 2,3,4.......
Incorrect prep and not ensuring the horse had accepted the stages as you go.

- Would you ever start the process, turn the horse away and start again at a later date for any reason? If so what reason?

Yes i back in the summer prior to starting ridden work- gives them time to grow and mature further, before coming in at 4 ready to start work

 

[kassieg]

What age is the horse when you start the breaking in process?
depends on how mature the horse is. I like to break in the may of their 3 year old year then give them till the November off but if they were not mature enough then leave till they are 4.

- What informs your decision to start the breaking process?
horse maturity, how the ground work is going.

- How long would you normally expect it to take roughly? - from the very beginning to being ridden out alone.
Anything between 4 weeks & 3 months depending on the horse. I don't like to rush them if they aren't ready.

- What is the first step you take?
Bitting and ground work in control headcoller

- What are the stages of breaking a horse in you would usually use?
Bitting & ground work, put saddle on, long lining, then start the mounting process (pulling stirrups, jumping up & down, laying over & walking then getting on & walking), I don't normally like someone on the end of a lunge line after that first walking sat up but depends on the horse, then ride away in walk & trot for a few days then walk, trot & canter, then hack out.

- Have you experienced any behavioural problems when breaking in? If so what and why do you think they happened?
When re-breaking something that someone messed up & it had a bad experience yes. It fell down a ditch after throwing its rider when being backed & hurt its back so after much physio etc it still had pain memory so just trying to get a roller on it was a nightmare ! can happily say now though he is broken & riding away fantastically with him it was the small things that were the issues, when I actually got on he was an angel

- Would you ever start the process, turn the horse away and start again at a later date for any reason? If so what reason?
I always turn away after breaking, but I will break & ride away so that the horse is going nicely in walk, trot & canter & has seen poles & hack out alone & in company and then turn away for about 6 months before bringing back into work. When I bring back in I stick the tack straight on, long line and if they are fine just hop on. It is a broken horse and if done correctly in the first place it will be fine.