What age did you first...

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Cedars

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...put a saddle on your youngster?
...sit on your youngster bare back?
...sit on your youngster in a saddle?
...get your youngster to walk with you on their backs (initial backing)
...get your youngster to trot " " "?
 
3 and a bit for all the above. Next time round with current yearling I will do all the actual backing at 4, though he may have a saddle on at 3.
 
2.5/3 for the first, 3.5 for the rest.

I would never sit on a youngster bareback though, I wouldnt be getting on until they have had saddle on etc.
 
I first walked my foal around the yard with a saddle on aged nine months.
She had little boots on around that time, and learned to stand tied up with her mum when the farrier called, farrier was the first person to lift her legs.
The EDT had a good look in the mouth when he did mum,
She was in a full driving harness [no bridle] with crupper as a yearling , let loose in the manege to buck, which she did, once only.
I just see these things as similar to introduction to a rug and trotting round an arena with her mum, not a "big day" just part of the education process. She was taken out with her mum on a hack crossed the main road, saw cattle and tractors and cars and stuff, no sweat.
Groomed from a height to accustom her to a person on her back, and a leg-over at the same time, groomed and fussed, loaded on lorry and trailer, asked to stand still and to walk on and trot as we went along.
 
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I didn't buy mine until the March she turned 4 but those things were done with her in the autumn/winter of her three year old year.
 
3 - 3.5, rode her bareback somewhere between 4 and 5.

She then had a very quiet winter where I long reined her sometimes, took her down to the road to become accustomed to traffic and sat on her just so she didn't get out of the feeling of being ridden.

The Spring she turned 4 she was brought into work, mainly hacking and light schooling.
 
My 2yo has had nothing done yet apart from basic handling, trotting up in hand and going for walks in hand round the village. The plan is to do a season of in hand showing next year then start breaking her next winter. If all goes well she will be sat on early in her 4yo year. I will do roughly the same with my yearling too, apart from he will probably be shown in hand 2 or 3 times as a 2yo.
 
Cedars said:
...put a saddle on your youngster?
...sit on your youngster bare back?
...sit on your youngster in a saddle?
...get your youngster to walk with you on their backs (initial backing)
...get your youngster to trot " " "?
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1) never - wouldnt sit on a youngster bareback as they are a youngster and by definition unpredictable.
2) 3.5
3)3.5
4)3.5

But then, we spoke on facebook and you didnt like that i thought riding your 2 year old was too much too soon....
 
Vanner- a huge no of horses will have done all that as three year olds, its not unusual. Mine has and been fine. He has his 3 month holiday starting on Dec 1st.
 
Regarding bareback - I backed mine bareback and plan to again - the way I see it, there's less weight, less risk of discomfort frm saddle, less to flap about or get caught if we do have issues - and I find sliding off easier from bareback - definitely more likely to injure myself with a saddle :o Maybe I'm just odd!
 
JFTD said:
Regarding bareback - I backed mine bareback and plan to again - the way I see it, there's less weight, less risk of discomfort frm saddle, less to flap about or get caught if we do have issues - and I find sliding off easier from bareback - definitely more likely to injure myself with a saddle :o Maybe I'm just odd!
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Hmm, somebody I know who backs (amongst other things) for a living gets on them bareback first :eek:.

I owned my previous horse for just over 5 years and never rode him bareback as his party trick was to try and bronc you off just as you were getting on. I'm not afraid to say I would have been scared witless to get on him bareback.
 
Jftd I also started off bareback for same reasons as.you although put a tiny rider on him first so less weight to get used to, they a slightly heavier child and then finally me!
 
My 3 1/2 year old is backed and ridden away. She did it all at 3 1/2 and is about to go on her holidays.

I backed her bareback initially, but she is home bred and really couldn't give a damn what I do, and took it all in her stride.
 
quirky, mine are all native types, I imagine I would feel differently if they were tall, highly strung hot blooded types. I think nothing of asking my 5 year old to bow down in the field so I can jump on him tackless :o
 
Black_Horse said:
1) never - wouldnt sit on a youngster bareback as they are a youngster and by definition unpredictable.
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I am glad im not the only one!!

Each to their own, but getting a horse used to a saddle and stirrups etc gets them used to things on/by their back and sides, or thats how I see it.

But I am not going to condemn anyone who does it different ways :)
 
Cheiro1 said:
Each to their own, but getting a horse used to a saddle and stirrups etc gets them used to things on/by their back and sides, or thats how I see it.
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Completely agree - I would always have roller, then saddle and stirrups down before geting on - I'd just rather not have them there when I jump on for the first time ;)

But as I say, mine are all smallish, roundish native types who are less likely to flip about and if they do, they're easier to slide off and land on your feet. I wouldn't criticise someone for doing otherwise - especially on a "real" horse :D
 
3
Havnt done this yet!
4
4
4.5

He has not cantered with me on his back yet. He is very big and sensitive so taking it nice and easy.
 
JFTD said:
Completely agree - I would always have roller, then saddle and stirrups down before geting on - I'd just rather not have them there when I jump on for the first time ;)

But as I say, mine are all smallish, roundish native types who are less likely to flip about and if they do, they're easier to slide off and land on your feet. I wouldn't criticise someone for doing otherwise - especially on a "real" horse :D
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That makes sense, I can understand your point of view :D

Whatever you are most comfortable with I think, personally quite like having the saddle when a baby decides to be baby-like ;)
 
All at 3.5 for ginger menace and sat on at 3.5 rest at 4 for black pony.

My foal will be sat on at 3.5 but not worked properly till she is 4 :)

I have sat on & been lead round/done basic 'walk on' leg squeeze bareback on both of mine. Feel safer bareback (although I know many people won't agree) perhaps coz I learnt to ride bareback?!
 
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