Sending Youngsters Away to be Backed

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horsesatemymoney

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:)Has anybody done this? And how long did you send them for, what age and how much had you done with them first? Also, if you don't mind, roughly what did you pay per week and did it all go well (any horror stories, things to look for?) Thanks!
 
I was going to but decided to try ourselves, my daughter took my welsh cob from nothing to walk, trot and canter anc hacking out solo in 2 weeks, they look like a pair of old pro's. The pony got everything first time, smart Welshie :)
I was quoted a 100 per week, 10-12 weeks to achieve this :(
A lot of ground work was done prior and she was very well handled.

Sorry doesn't really answer your question, but well prepared will help and cost will be 100+ per week, other places quoted me even more :(

I am really glad I didn't send her away :D
 
sent my 14.2 forester x tb to a local lady when she was 4. had only done basic manners-on-the-ground work and walked her out on the roads, and had sat on her bareback and been led around (lucky she was very bold and wasn't at all fussed by much!) but she hadn't worn a saddle and had no idea of lunging or long reining. cost £75 a week for full livery and the backing - but this was around 12 years ago now! :D
 
My friend did but I am going to back mine myself. I don't think it did my friend's horse any favours to be honest as I think there was just too much pressure and too much work in a short space of time (I think was 3 weeks or so?). I think for some horses that approach just didn't work and this particular horse ended up with a habit of rearing when asked too much and my friend ended up selling her even though she'd had her since a foal.

I just think had that been me I'd have ended up blaming the backing process and questioning if rthe horse would have been better if done more slowly and by the owner. You just never know - at least if you mess it up yourself you only have yourself to blame as opposed to spending out for someone else to mess things up! Not saying this is always the case but I think you have to judge your horse and ask if the person you choose uses methods and treatments you agree with. I also thinkit depends on what you want as the end result - in my mind, backing a horse isn't rocket science, you just need an ounce of intellingence and be able to read how a horse reacts and time the backing accordingly.

Do it too fast or ask too much you could end up with ruining the horse and a lot of the time it's difficult to 'fix' then.
 
I sent stressy warmblood away, not that thats a recommendation :D :D

I was about £120 a week 4 years ago. She was supposed to go for four weeks but stayed a bit longer. Obviously its more now.

She had done a lot of preparation before. He long reined her through the forest for a few weeks and then just sat on her. Two weeks later he was using her to escort nervous horses on short hacks.

She had a bit of schooling done with her, she didn't really enjoy it, still prefers to hack.

To be honest she would have been better to stay longer but it was a long way away and we wanted her home.
 
Done it once and would never do it again after a very bad experience.
I have them done from home now. I know it works out more expensive but I can see the progression myself and can be involved in the process.
 
I sent my mare away to be backed end of last year. She was used to being handled, but had never been lunged etc. Worked for me. Cost £150/week.
Took 5 weeks. She came back once she was able to walk trot and canter. Really pleased i used Jonathon Parrott. He was fantastic. Very helpful and honest. Thoroughly recommend him.
 
Was going to but ended up getting someone to come to me instead - worked really well. She came up three times a week and I helped when I could. Payed £70 a week and by week 5 he was long reining out and about and by week 6 was sat on. He's been turned away and will be coming back for more of the same in April. Worked well as he knew where he was, same routine etc and I could keep an eye on him.
 
I'm on the other end of the story as I take horses in to back for others - as well as backing my own. I would say that any reasonably experienced, confident owner CAN successfully back about 80% of horses - if they do their homework and take their time.

There ARE horses that - for various reasons - are exceptionally difficult. I've had two here for 4 months-ish - both incredibly difficult although for totally different reasons - but suffice to say that, despite having succeeded on numerous occasions with horses others have declared 'unbreakable' - I came close to giving up on these two. Fortunately, with a lot of 'thinking outside the box' and perseverance, both are nearly ready to go home.

Our standard charge is £150 a week (although I discount long stays and 'interesting' horses like these two :D) The 'average' horse takes 4-6 weeks, so it's not 'cheap' (but beats a stay in hospital if your horse ends up being one of the 'difficult' ones!)
 
Sent my appy boy away when he was 3 as I backed him and was riding him in walk and trot but he started broncing and lost my confidence so sent him away for 4 weeks and she got him walk, trot and cantering and hacking and gave me some lessons on him.

Then turned him away for 9 months and sent him away again when he was nearly 4 to be rebacked as we didnt have a school as we moved and to put him in livery worked out nearly the same cost so thought may as well send him away and get him done properly and also to do his first jumps. was away for 4 weeks.
 
My homebred young horses were sent away in the summer.

We had a guy come to the house as mum wanted them done at home originally, well he got bucked off 3 times!!

We sent my boy away first and they did about 3-4 weeks ground work, horse walker, lunging and long reining. They then backed and hacked him for 2-3 weeks; he came back understanding walk, trot and canter. He had hacked alone and in company and he had been up their gallops and over trotting poles. It was the best decision we made in his upbringing.

Cost was £25/day worked and I think he had one day a week off. We had no quote as to when we'd get them back - it was just when they are ready as noted by Janet George!

I would be very fussy about where I sent my youngster. If someone is promising to do it cheaper and quicker never having met your horse - I don't see how - they are either going to get less of an education, be rushed or beaten!!!
 
I have known someone who was experienced rider who sent her home bred mare away, it took much longer than the 4-6 weeks they originally quoted and she has experienced lot of problems with her on return as she obviously needed much more time.

I had no experience of breaking youngsters, but had found myself buying a two year old rather than him be sent to appleby to be sold. (I had found myself rather attached after having him a year on my land for grazing by his owner).

I had spent a lot of time from age 2- 3 years playing with him, leading him out etc and long reining. I backed him and he was a real doddle as we had a good bond. I then got an experienced instructor in once a week to guide me with the bringing on, she gave me things to work on with him. We have had a few wobbly bits in the last year with him napping, but he will be 5 in June, and he is a very confident hacking horse alone and in company now, he pops a jump and has attended pleasure rides and been well behaved despite being the youngest there, so I don't feel I have done that bad a job. I was scared to send him away to someone I did not know, and thought I would only have myself to blame if I messed him up. I read lots of books and got as much info as I could and took things very slowly. I am at the wrong side of 40 and although been riding since 5 I still only class myself as a competant novice. I would say if you can get help and know your horse, go for it yourself its not as hard as you think and is very rewarding.
 
We had a 'tricky' youngster and after a lot of thought sent him away to be backed (see my previous threads). We'd had help from a lovely yard owner but the time came when we both admitted we weren't going to manage on our own.

It cost £150 a week, he was there 3 months, and the yard did a really great job. As it happens I found it really hard to trust him after the time we'd had together at the start ... so I ended up swapping him with a friend who gets on well with him and now I have a horse I trust and have a blast on :D. But I would recommend the schooling yard :-)
 
My pony will be backed next year. I was going to do it all myself as she is very easygoing, has long-reined, knows how to lunge and gets led out - has had roller on and doesn't bat an eyelid.
However I have a friend who does it for a living, so at the moment my decision is that I will send her there for a couple of weeks, but I will take time off work and travel there daily so that I can still do it myself, but under her guidance - I would rather know it was done properly rather than make a hash of it and end up ruining her.
I wouldn't send her to someone I didn't know though.
 
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