Racing age / Riding age

[cobmum]

I dont know anything about racing but is it right that horses are usually raced a lot younger than a horse would be backed and ridden as a pleasure horse for example?

I once got told highland horses dont fully mature till they are 7 so prehaps other breeds such as TB's mature a lot faster?

Would be intersesting to know what peoples thoughts are on the right age to back as i always thought 3-4 but i am not actually sure why i think this

 

[Ginger Bear]

Yeh flat racers are broken in at 18 mnths but it does take its tole on their body, especially the spine,, steeple chasers aren't broken until 4. I'm not sure why flat racers are broken so young but I have an ex racer with a kissing spine and depressed sacrum from working so young.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I once got told highland horses dont fully mature till they are 7 so prehaps other breeds such as TB's mature a lot faster?

Not true.

All breeds mature skeletally at the same rate - finished at approx 5 1/2 years old (although very big horses take 6 months longer than little ponies due to their size).