Unridden horse for 4 years..

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SamanthaUK

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Basically, I know this lovely woman and she has two thoroughbreds. Anyway, this woman has known my mum and I for a while now and we've known her horses for a while. They're absolutely lovely and they have the best temperament ever.

We've been offered them as like a free loan/share thing as they're just wasted in the field. My mother and I love them. Have done for a while and we get on really well. They come when called, stand and let us groom them for hours. They're perfect.

The owner has said to us that we can do as we please with them. Including riding. Now they haven't been ridden in 4-5 years. So we don't know how they'd react. Me, or my mother are not prepared to get on and get thrown off an 'unbroken animal' and risk injuring ourselves.

They did used to be ridden often and they were hunted a lot. Then they got turned out for a while and never managed to get back riding again.

We were told that one bucks and one rears. Which isn't a massive problem in itself and it's something we could work on. Been thoroughbreds though and standing at 15.2hh each we don't want to just 'hop on' and get launched off.

SO, MY CONCLUSION..

Can anyone help give ideas, tips anything? that could help us to 'rebreak' them in if you like. We haven't tried tacking them up yet but I have leaned across one of the mare's backs, putting my weight on and she happily stood there.


Sorry for the long post. Any help is much apprieciated. Thanks :-)
 
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Treat them as you would a youngster, assume they know nothing, take it slowly and safely. When my horse was being a teenager last year, I had a jockey ride him (he was in work at the time, just being VERY naughty)and this is exactly what he did, rode him as if he was backing him, ended the session jumping 80cm (so very speeded up backing!)
 
Dizzle said:
Treat them as you would a youngster, assume they know nothing, take it slowly and safely. When my horse was being a teenager last year, I had a jockey ride him (he was in work at the time, just being VERY naughty)and this is exactly what he did, rode him as if he was backing him, ended the session jumping 80cm (so very speeded up backing!)
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Right. So just take it very slow. Would you suggest loose schooling first or straight on the lunge with/without tack?
 
Proceed with caution and VERY slowly. These are not unbroken youngsters, you don't know how they were worked, ridden, what bad habits they may have picked up. I work on a tb stud and we have plenty that are LOVELY to handle but a nightmare to ride. Don't forget these are athletes, a tb buck is a big difference to a pony buck. Get an expert to help you
 
ridefast said:
Proceed with caution and VERY slowly. These are not unbroken youngsters, you don't know how they were worked, ridden, what bad habits they may have picked up. I work on a tb stud and we have plenty that are LOVELY to handle but a nightmare to ride. Don't forget these are athletes, a tb buck is a big difference to a pony buck. Get an expert to help you
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Ok. Thanks for your opinion! The owner would be there :-)
 
Tacking them up should give you an insight into their amiability , if that goes without bad reaction , i would probably lean up over the saddle and then quietly bring my other leg over. Horses don't forget much so if they were ok before then they should be ok again.
 
I'd start by lunging them, without tack at first, then with and just take it along at the horse's pace - if they seem happy then advance to the next step, they'll soon tell you if it's too fast. You'll probably not have to "re-break" them and it is perfectly possible that they'll remember everything from the get go, so you could be back riding in no time, HOWEVER they will of course need time to recondition and build up the muscles and fitness they'll need to carry you. Best of luck, enjoy!
 
I agree with the other posters - start off slowly introducing tack and work on the lunge, lots of ground work to help develop your bond and their confidence in you. Basically treat them as youngsters and see how they go. They may well surpise you and be more than happy to be back in work but better to be safe than sorry esp with TB's (and I say this as a very happy TB owner). They are 'thinking' horses and can be that little bit more unpredictable - but well worth the work :D
 
I used to work on a TB stud and the owner decided to sell a couple of broodmares that didn't breed particularly good foals. He wanted them sold as riding horses and both had raced as youngsters, and one had done a bit after that. We went back to basics and watched carefully for potential problems as we went. Both were fine but we did have to iron out a few things as we went along.. we definitely couldn't have got straight on either of them.

Also it's a long time for them to have been out of work, as you proceed keep a careful eye open for any lameness or other pain issues. For example, I doubt if the saddles they had before would still fit comfortably, and this could cause an explosion of bucking, as well as pain. Don't know their age but unless it has been done regularly then their teeth will need checking before you attempt to bit them.. everything you do has to be to make it as easy for them as p-ossible and setting things up to go right and not fail.

If you have the time and patience, which it sounds as if you do, then it's well worth a go to give these two an interest in life.
 
They're both 18 years old now. But act like youngsters. Obviously it'd only be hacking we'd be doing with them anyway.

I am going to try them!! And we'll put lots of effort into trying them. I weigh 9 stone and i'm around 5ft 11 do you think i'm too big?
 
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I would start with lunging and long reining. I have started my horse back after long breaks of not being ridden. Initially he will buck a little on the lunge with the saddle on, but after a few days, he settles down.

On the lunge you should check all your transitions out, esp. trot to canter, because if the horse does all transitions quietly and calmly with saddle, then they are probably ok for you to hop on. (Again start at walk and build up.)

Take things slowly and get help from instructors /more experienced riders, if this will help you.

Horses do not forget what they have learnt, however, you need to find out what it is that they know.
 
Get someone who knows what they are doing to help you. An instructor or knowledgeable adult. Someone who's done this before or broken youngsters. Someone who is willing to be the crash test dummy when they are first sat on. Someone who can check the fit of the tack at least roughly so you're not attempting to get on with a saddle that's too wide/narrow and will hurt the horse. Then take things slowly, and once they're going ok, remember that TBs especially can be lovely when fairly unfit, but as they get fitter, they get sharper...

It's a wonderful opportunity, but you need to do things right if you want it to turn out the way you're hoping.
 
I took on an unrideable mare in 2007. It started well, in Feb 2008 I was thrown off badly and shattered my foot into over 50 pieces. I still have severe pain and metalwork there. Treat 'unrideable' horses with caution. The mare threw me off 3 days after coming 5 at a dressage competition so we had come far but they can be unpredictable as I sadly learnt.
 
I literally just got on a horse that hadn't been ridden for two years. He was a saint when he was ridden previously.

I was also the first one to ride my mare when trying her.
 
I saw them today. They're most definately not 'placid'. Galloping round the field. They're not lame and don't seem to have any injuries.

I'm thinking, beginning - late spring just to start lunging with tack on etc.. Don't want to do it in winter!
There are two of them like I said, but in my opinion I get along with one more than the other. I'm not too sure what they're like when seperated either so i'll find that out!

I REALLY do apprieciate all your tips and advice!! And I'll take them all on board and keep you all updated.
 
I'd definitely start off with long reining. Horses don't forget about being ridden, I reckon, but obviously take it slowly. If it was me, I'd probably get someone else to ride it first though ....lol
 
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