Tales of horses started at home, either with or without professional help

a kind of magic

a kind of magic

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24 September 2008
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My stallion and my husband's mare were due to go for starting under saddle over the winter/in the spring but I have just found out that we are now expecting our first child. I am now going down the route of having a friend help and perhaps a professional rider and bringing them on at home. They are both easy going and have been bitted and backed already, just not ridden away.

I would love to hear any stories from a similar set up, either good or bad! :)
 
Thank you :) I keep telling hubby I will be rattling onto them how lucky they are as I wasn't born into a horsey family, it skipped a couple of generations! I will be off to the shop to get little jodhpurs and a hat as soon as they can sit up by themselves so they can get used to the horses! :D

I just want them both happy hacking out and working quietly in the school, both are very trainable and we have my dad's horse as the resident 'dope-on-a-rope' escort for first time rides!
 
I'd never backed any but had my instructors support. It has worked well for us I think :) Cetainly, I've had lots of lovely comments from other instructors etc who say I've had a good job with her although I do think the fact she is so laid back made it so much easier and smoother.
I now have my youngster to back and ride away when I feel she's ready for it. As long as your experienced and are willing to get pro help in, I think its easily doable without screwing the horse up :)
 
I've had my Welsh D stallion for over a year now, bought him as a 2YO last May, backed him and broken him myself (literally as I didn't have any helpers!)this year as a 3YO.. All went very well :D PM me if you have any questions or anything!
 
I have backed and ridden away my two 4 year olds with 4 weeks of help actually backing them as 3 years olds, they were turned away for the winter and I brought them both back into work on my own and had 1 week of help hacking one of them out as a 4 year old the rest I have done at home on my own but I would say it is a lot easier having someone to help, its very hard work.
 
I started my 3r old myself with a little help from the ground. I long reined her, fully tacked up, led out in hand, sat on her and basically did everything with her for the first few months. When i was confident that she was quite settled and happy to do all the above i had a professional in for a week who rode her for me everyday for 5 days, by the 5th day i was able to walk, trot and canter in the school with her confidently, it was great to have an experienced person in to push her without fear thus giving her lots of confidence :) 4 weeks later shes now hacking out quietly and schooling lightly once a week.
Its helped that shes very laid back by nature and i did lots of groundwork before hand. Its been so rewarding, every baby step is a huge milestone for us, am so pleased with her :)
Good luck :D
 
you've done the ground work so if they responded well to the backing i see no reason why a competent person couldn't bring them on under saddle for you:D
I'm currently restarting the 10 yr old i backed 2 yrs ago, his only problem is he doesn't really get the going forward bit yet, we do a lot of going backwards:rolleyes::o he is ermmm individual though lol, we've decided that he goes backwards to try and find me lol, i'm his security blanket:o
I'm also going to be riding my daughters 13.2hh pony:eek:, she helped back him as she's so light but now he needs a bit more weight and someone to push him on a bit and i've certainly got the weight so i'm 'it':)
If i had any intention of the horses/ponies being sold on as potential show jumpers/eventers etc then i would send them off to a professional once i'd done the basics to make sure that they had the best chance to reach their potential, as both of mine are going to be staying with us, our level of training will suit them fine:)
 
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