Teenager producing young horse?

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Solo1

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What are your views on this? Recipe for disaster?

I am considering buying a youngster as my next horse once my loan horse goes back, I've just turned 16 and am heading into A-levels :) Realistically with the options I've chosen I can't compete every weekend, so thought it would be a ideal time to get a youngster as I could bring them on for a few years and then compete in my gap year in two years time, then either my mum will breed or I'll sell on/loan out. My instructor says yes, I'm more than capable but other people have said nooooo, teens and youngsters just don't mix...
 
I would say follow your instinct and listen to your trainer. I would guess that the people that are saying no are either a) a little bit jealous/scared that your self made horse will be fab or b) not really aware of your capability. Anyone can produce a youngster provided they have time, patience and are willing to take all the help they can get.
Good Luck :)
 
You'll be fine if you have relevant support from your instructor and parents.

I had a youngster when I was your age and coped fine with him, we had ups and downs but I think everyone does with their youngsters. It's very rewarding when it goes right as well. :)
Good luck.
 
As long as you can cope with the baby moments then go for it :) I got a 4yr ex racer for my first horse at the age of 16, and my sister was 11 (she rode him aswell). As Koko says it is very rewarding when it all comes together, my lad was a completely different horse after 6 months.
 
I bought my 2nd horse when I was 15 and she was an unbroken 17hh 3yro :)

My advise is to buy a really good book on breaking/young horses, stick with your gut instinct and take your time.

I took a few months to get to know my mare and did a ton of groundwork so I knew her expressions, when she was worried, had a split second of doubt about something etc.

When it came to breaking her I did it all myself with my trusty book and never had a blip and she turned out to be the most lovely, honest, reliable alrounder :)
 
I think with the right instruction there is no reason why you shouldn't be fine however (it is the same for anyone really) you have to be able to admit when you need help and don't just keep trying to trudge along on your own :)
 
My daughter (she is in my sig), who is nearly 17 did everything with our boy who we bought as a 2yr old, he is now turned 7. She has worked really hard and sometimes it seems 1 step forward and 2 back. But, he is now competing BSJA & BD and has just qualified for the PC champs and she can honestly say she has done it all herself.
If you have a good support network I would go for it, its good experience and can be very satisfying but you do have to be patient as it can be very fustrating. My daughter also really missed competing regularly.
 
Thanks guys, I think I may go for it!

We have an instructor who comes to the yard every week and gives 3 of us lessons, she's been teaching me for 9 years so knows me inside out and back to front. I trust her totally and she's always there for advice between lessons too, phones me before and after events with a pep talk and asking how I get on. Probably the best person ever to help bring on a youngster! She believes in taking things slowly and building up thoroughly so there's no issues when everything gets bigger and more technical.

I also have a bit of a crash run I suppose, my pony youngster is going off to be broken on Friday and I'll be schooling her to keep her ticking over, and then probably sell her in Spring as she's just too small. I think I'll see how that goes and then can make a decision from there! :)
 
I'm 12, produced alot of young ponies already, so yeah it's fine. I broke in a Shetland when I was 3, but I'm guessing it does count because I just got on and rode it really :P
 
I've always had young or tricky horses, I was 16 when I bought my current horse as a 4yo.

I've had huge help from my experienced mother and one of my instructors is on the same yard so there is always someone to help if I needed it, if you have knowledgeable people to help you then I'd say go for it
 
I had a 5 year old connie when I was 13, brought on and schooled etc. Went on to do the pc champs in eventing & dressage, now is eventing BE with a young rider.
When I was 15 I bought a 5 year old 16.2, who is now a schoolmaster & top end riding club horse, when I was 19 bought a 17h 4 year old :p

I am very lucky because I have a great support network & lots of experienced help avaliable :)

If you do go for it, make sure you have help and a experienced person who you are able to ask for advice/help etc. :)
 
I had a 5yr old 15hh when I was 12 and moved onto a 4yr old 16hh ISH at 14. Both were the best decisions we ever made and were incredibly rewarding to produce and competed successfully over several affiliated disciplines. As others have said, as long as you are happy to seek help from knowledgable professionals/trainers when you need it and have decent support then you won't have a problem :) In many ways, producing a youngster from scratch has far fewer pit falls and hidden problems potentially than taking on a "ready made" or slightly older horse.
 
I dont see why not. Age has nothing to do with it, it totally depends how much experience you have. If you haven't got much experience then definately dont do it, but if you do then go for it. Saying that my very first pony was a 4yo and I was 9! I always buy youngsters now as you get a huge amount of satisfaction out of doing it yourself.
 
i was working and backing babies when i was 14, i used to livery my old mare with a lady that bread 3 or 4 a year, so was v lucky to also go to the studs and show at county standard i learnt a lot, a friend gave me my current horse now 17 when i was 17 when he was only 8hrs old as she said she would know were he was and would have a home for life! i never had any problems with len who is mostly tb, he is a horse of a life time. i would never have a horse that i havent started my self now, you end up with a lovely horse that does things the way you want them to, and for that reason i am now doing it all over again with my 4yo that i got as a weenling.
 
I bought my own horse at 16, a 3 year old TB who'd been sat on twice... I had lots of help from instructors and took it really slow with her. It's incredibly rewarding, especially when you know your the only one whos really ridden that horse. Mines now 6, and she's fantastic. I think as long as your a fairly confident rider with help available, then theres no reason why not! Go for it! :)
 
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It is definitely not a recipe for disaster, go for it :) it is so much more rewarding to :D

Personally i have only really had one pony that wasn't a youngster (well the spotty brute was 6/7 ish when we got him but he had done nothing really and needed basically rebreaking so i don't really count him, especially as he was alot harder than an untouched youngster :rolleyes: ). My first pony was 4 and i was 5 and my sister 7, plus me and my family were novices lol! But we have had lots of help from very experienced people. Although must admit i think my parents were slightly crazy :o it wasn't till my 3rd pony that i got one with lots of experience and my sisters second pony was a 3 year old CHESTNUT pure bred ARAB and she was 9 ! :eek: LMAO what might surprise you is that he turned out great - well all of them have really - and she did very well on him, almost always in the ribbons.
 
I should think this is ok, as long as you have a trainer nearby :)
Many moons ago I produced ponies as a child for a dealer - such fun and great pleasure, though thinking back I did break my arm a couple of times! :o I didn't have much help, which I think was the problem, and if I really couldn't sort it out we sent it back to the dealer. However we buy and sell ponies for my kids to produce, and between them, the instructor and I it se3ems to work :)
 
I had an untouched 2yr old TB when I was 12. Mum helped a little but I did it mostly on my own. I must admit I was much more gutsy then, I would get on anything, didn't care if it bucked and reared. Good luck.
 
My mum & dad bought me a 15.3hh 4yo TB when i was 11:eek: My Dad decided that he couldnt bare the heartbrake of us selling another pony i would grow out of so solved it by buying a horse lol.

It worked out brilliantly though & he has been one of the best horses ive ever owned. It seemed that the age thing really didnt matter as i had lessons & we grew together im sure he is my horsey sole mate we loved nothing more than showjumping & eventing we both lived for it. Ive not jumped properly since he retired. He's now 26yo & has aged much better than myself.:rolleyes:

So yes a teenager buying a youngster can work out well.
 
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