Re-Backing Ex-Broodmare

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LBs822445

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Hi, I purchased an 8-year-old cob (ex-broodmare) approximately 7 months ago. Apparently, she was backed but then turned out and used as a broodmare. She was extremely nervous to be caught (ferrel) 😊 when I got her, she’s come on leaps and bounds with me but is still very spooky. I have done groundwork with her, she’ll stand to be groomed, picks feet up, will walk in hand with me etc. When is a good time to try and get on her? Do I just bite the bullet? Thanks!!
 
Presumably, you have no idea why a just backed horse was turned into a brood mare? That scenario very often happens when the mare has been very difficult/impossible to get ridden away. Spooky on the ground after 7 months is a big red flag.

I don't mean to be rude, but, if you had enough experience to start this mare safely, you wouldn't be needing to ask this question on a forum.

For your own safety please get professional help.
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I also think it sounds like there was maybe a reason she didn't do much ridden work originally. Definitely get experienced help as she might well be tricky. I certainly wouldn't get on her until she was relaxed and calm in all environments from the ground and on long reins. Ideally with someone experienced first. 7 months of in hand work and still very spooky is concerning.
 
ycbm said:
Presumably, you have no idea why a just backed horse was turned into a brood mare? That scenario very often happens when the mare has been very difficult/impossible to get ridden away. Spooky on the ground after 7 months is a big red flag.

I don't mean to be rude, but, if you had enough experience to start this mare safely, you wouldn't be needing to ask this question on a forum.

For your own safety please get professional help.
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No, not much history is known unfortunately, from what I have heard she hasn't been treated very well. Yes, I'm aware of the scenarios that could have caused her to be a broodmare, however without the correct information, it's merely guesswork. I do have many years experience with starting youngsters, just not an older horse! My post on this forum was to see if anyone has experience in a similar situation.
 
I rode away a brood mare of 7, but I knew her history. You can only judge the horse on the ground in front of you and yours isn't in front of us.
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KLB822445 said:
No, not much history is known unfortunately, from what I have heard she hasn't been treated very well. Yes, I'm aware of the scenarios that could have caused her to be a broodmare, however without the correct information, it's merely guesswork. I do have many years experience with starting youngsters, just not an older horse! My post on this forum was to see if anyone has experience in a similar situation.
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Many years ago I started a 12 year old Suffolk x Welsh d she was not easy but very rewarding and we had issues getting on from the ground and other quirks however with trust in one another we overcame a lot but it did not happen overnight and had a very happy partnership until she was PTS when she was 28.
 
Please be very careful. She’s not got any experience to draw on so will be a baby in her mind but with a strong body. Get some professional help. Ideally someone who has done a bit of behavioural psychology as her reactions will be different and potential harder to read. Or failing that send her to someone like the lady in York Melanie Watson.
 
You start as if it was the first time. Your judgement of when to get on should be the same whether the horse is 3, 5 or 15. We backed an older broodmare (never ridden) last year when she was 16 and it was the same process as backing the youngsters.

Ours is still a little jumpy on the ground but has been fantastic to ride from the moment the kids got on. She’s absolutely amazing, trustworthy and kind. We bought her a year ago, backed four months in.

Our other ex broodmare was younger (5) and also never started. Took a year to be able to catch her, kids were on 4 months later. Also still a little cautious to handle outside of her favoured person - but she trusts him completely.
 
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I'd go further than saying to start her as a normal youngster and I would start her as if she was a difficult youngster.

So right back to basics, through tacking up, long reining and lunging, leaning over etc.

Except I would stay longer at each stage and almost push the limit at each stage.
So, for example, when starting with stirrups down I would do it gently, then normally, then be crashing around and flinging them everywhere dramatically.
Push the limits at each stage and keep an eye out for any sign she is uncomfortable or not relaxing into it.

I would always assume a horse that's been backed but not ridden away has hit an issue, either behavioural or physical, and assume you are going to hit the same issue.
 
millitiger said:
I would always assume a horse that's been backed but not ridden away has hit an issue, either behavioural or physical, and assume you are going to hit the same issue.
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Very much this.

All might be well during the re backing until suddenly you unearth the issue that occurred first time round. And the unearthing might reveal something rather more dramatic than you were expecting.
 
Many years ago, we bought a 10 year old mare who’d been backed as a youngster, and then used for driving and as a broodmare. We were inexperienced and missed the red flags. Found out months later she had kissing spines.
There might be completely reasonable explanation for why she was started and then became a broodmare instead, but just have your eyes open.
 
Do get her checked over by a physio before you start her. They can be quite sore around the back and pelvis area.
My advice echos the others, as you dont know her history treat her as unbacked, and by very suspicious as to why she was used as a broodmare without the riding away. Big red flag.

My mare who has had 3 foals now has just been brought back into work. She was checked by vet and physio and both said crack on. As i know her very well, and she was brought back into work after her 2nd foal i had an inkling as to what she would be like. So tack on and off we went for a hack down the lane and back. Good as gold. Another mare who has had a career break has had the same vet/physio checks, but she will be long lined first purely because shes weaker.
 
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