what age do you back your babies?

Mine will be 5 next year, and he'll go away in the spring to be started.

I don't like starting them young as I prefer them to be more mature, and therefore less like;y to develop problems that will affect them long term. We all expect our horses to carry on working until they are into their 20's now, so surely an extra year or two before you start them working will pay dividend when they are older.

My last three horses were 5, 6 and 6 before they were broken, and they are all still going strong. My current comp pony didnt learn to jump until he was 8. None of them have ever had any lameness problems, and I could probably count on one hand the number of times they have been lame!

Just my opinion.
 
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Usually three, but I've also done it at 2 and 4 for individuals. It all depends on their mental and physical maturity. The 2 year old was literally just backed and turned away though.
 
My boy was started at 3.5, hes now turned away and will start again in the spring. Although this will be dependant on he looks, as hes just gone very bum high.

Chose to start him at 3.5, as he was getting bored.
 
mine was 3.5 when she was backed and ridden for 3wks, she walked trotted and cantered in the school and out and a couple of hacks. she was then turned away and is just coming back into work after 2yrs-this is longer than planned but thats just how it is-i would not fully back and continue with anything younger than 4.5yrs
 
My appy was 3. Lightly backed and turned away over winter. Brought him back into work at 3.5 but then had to turn him away again due to a series of unfortunate events meaning I could not ride. So back he came at 4 and is now going nicely!
My wb will be backed lightly at 3 in spring, turned away and brought back In again at 3.5. Hopefully there will be no more falls/motorbike crashes to hold us up this time!
 
mine was started at 3, lightly backed, hacked out lightly for about 6 weeks then turned away for 6 months, i then brought him back into work for a couple of month and then unfortunately my dad died suddenly and i wasn't in any fit state to do anything with him so he got anonther 8 or 9 months off and this is the first winter he has worked!! he will be 6 in June and is an IDxWB so is very slow to mature.

I don't like pushing them too hard when they are young to be honest (although mine is now being pushed a bit harder) and Mylo's brain is 'interesting' to say the least lol
 
Started at 2 1/2, long reining, tacked up, leant over etc. Have hopped on them once or twice if they've been study built but literally just for a second stood still. Then leave them be till Spring.

At 3 [so Spring following year], will get them back long reining etc and be lightly backed [light walk work, just very quick little rides led round and then getting them going forwards with a rider round the yard/down the track on their own].
Then Summer time, I get them out hacking 3 times a week and build them up just quietly adding mileage on. By end of Autumn, they'll have hacked most places possible to.
Then give them a break if they need one. Might take baby coblet if he's mature enough, to stand at a few meets, to experience that.
Then in 4th year, start schooling work. Possibly do some novice classes towards end of the season if ready, if not, in their 5th year do ridden classes. :)
 
I've got my first youngster and didn't intend to back her until she is 4 next May. I've done plenty of groundwork with her, and long-reining etc but she was getting bored and always wants to be doing something, so she is currently being backed. But I'm not rushing things. I started about six weeks ago, did a couple of weeks and have been waiting to find a saddle that fit her properly since then so she didnt' do anything for about a month. I've just got a saddle and she was sat on and quietly walked and trotted round the school last week. So for me it's just a long ongoing, stress-free project. I don't have a target date for anything so it's just a case of as and when. When she is sat on, it's only for about 10-15 minutes at the most and it's been a case of steering and walk/halt transitions, with a bit of trot at the end.
 
Depends on the baby.
"Normal" babies between three and a half and four.
"speshul" babies can need a bit longer to mature, so when they are ready is the answer you are looking for I guess.
 
Its interesting to see the range of comments here.

Do you think its dependant on the size or breed?

Personally I considered having my Welsh A backed this autumn at 3.5 years old but finally decided that he simply wasnt quite mature enough having been knocked back by severe sweet itch then a course of body battering medication so am now leaving it till next spring

Otherwise he would have been backed at 3.5 which is what I always thought was the norm - very interesting reading this thread
 
Sat on my pony a week after his 3rd birthday, began walking, and trotting round the school off my leg and took him out on hacks with 2 others and had a canter whilst out hacking we have since done 2 funrides and 2 shows to get him used to the sight and sounds and he is now turned away for the winter being lunged twice a week and fed and groomed everyday although I'm tempted to plod round the farm tommorow as he's getting bored and stands at gate all day despite having hay! Depends on the horse tho I personally think
 
Sat on my pony a week after his 3rd birthday, began walking, and trotting round the school off my leg and took him out on hacks with 2 others and had a canter whilst out hacking we have since done 2 funrides and 2 shows to get him used to the sight and sounds and he is now turned away for the winter being lunged twice a week and fed and groomed everyday although I'm tempted to plod round the farm tommorow as he's getting bored and stands at gate all day despite having hay! Depends on the horse tho I personally think
 
I was initially going to wait until four, but Ben was sent away at three for a number of reasons, firstly he hated doing nothing, and was grumpy when idle, he was bored senseless, secondly we always thought he would end up bigger than he is so I wanted the backing out of the way early... Thirdly my mare was PTS and he really needed something to do, a change of scene etc... I really thought he wouldn't be mentally up to even being backed, but when it came to this year he was, and again mentally for him I was prepared to back and turn away till next year but very quickly it became clear that he was loving doing things and was not going to let me chuck him in the field:rolleyes: so he was three in the beginning of June, went off mid July, I'd done lots of groundwork with him so he was bak with me on the first of aug for a fresh start on a new yard. I'd never liked the idea of backing before four, but it was entirely the best thing for him and given the right horse and the right circumstances I would not hesitate to do it again, but neither would I have a problem waiting until later or backing and turning away, you have to know the horse to know what's right for that horse.
 
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