WWYD - newly backed horse

BethanT

BethanT

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So a close friend of mine who does breaking and schooling has a 16hh mare in for backing and shes had her about 12 weeks now. She came virtually unhandled and very nervous so took a good few weeks getting her used to being handled etc. It took even longer than a 'typical' horse to finally get a rider on and that was a jockey jumping up on her and sitting on her. This was about 6/7 weeks ago and since has been riding out fine nice and forward just hacking in good company with a bit of trot work. Though she is still jumpy of people getting on shes getting better.

Hower, last week it went wrong. My friend made the mistake of getting on her without lunging despite them being in for 24+ hours due to weather and without someone experienced on the ground to hold the mare, so when she moved forward the person on the ground jumped backed, spooked her, she bronked and send my friend flying up in the air and down, severley hurting her hip.

Since then mare has just been lunged as I refuse to get on her as I'm not being paid to do her and I'm not risking it, but the jockey came out today to ride her and she was good as gold.

Now IMO I would send her home and turn her away for a few months to absorb everything as she has been tetchy since, and bring her back in the spring to continue her learning. However, the jockey recons she should go hunting or at least be ridden on through it.

So my main question is, what would you do and why?

Sorry for the rambling post :)
 
Surely it's a matter for decision between your friend and her client, considering the client's facilities, budget and requirements rather than a matter for open discussion on the Internet.
 
I think it is really up to the owners to decide, they may have plans for her, she certainly does not sound ready to go hunting and unless someone at the yard can continue to ride her on sending her home to turn away would probably be the most sensible and honest option, keeping her in when she is just being lunged most days is not really fair on the owners who are paying for her education.
 
If she's still jumpy and nervous then I'd take a step back. Get her working quietly then turn away. I definitely wouldnt hunt! However something suggests to me that maybe your friend and the horse aren't quite clicking- 12 weeks is a long time!
 
Yeah the mare strikes me as a horse that needs to develop a bond, plus my friend doesnt really get on with mares. The whole ask a mare thing doesnt float well with friend, she prefers her geldings who tend to 'do as they are told'. She asked if I want to take her on, and I initially said no but thinking about it I feel sorry for her as shes really sweet just very nervous.
 
Well I certainly would not be hunting but I would be stopping work until the horse is further on either .
I would want the horse accepting being ridden calmly and certainly happy to be ridden without lunging first before it went home.
Madness frankly to get on a newly started horse without lunging first if it had stood in for a day.
If I was the owner I would not be very chuffed.
 
joosie said:
If I were the owner I'd be sending my horse to a better trainer tbh!
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So would I, this sounds as if it could go further down the wrong path, too many mistakes and no one really able to ride the horse apart from the jockey who will possibly rush it given half a chance.
 
Goldenstar said:
Well I certainly would not be hunting but I would be stopping work until the horse is further on either .
I would want the horse accepting being ridden calmly and certainly happy to be ridden without lunging first before it went home.
Madness frankly to get on a newly started horse without lunging first if it had stood in for a day.
If I was the owner I would not be very chuffed.
Click to expand...

Completely agree Golden star, I certainly gave her no sympathy when she told me what happened. Think the initial plan was to ride her way abit more and wait till the end of November to send her home. But now the jockey has said his opinion my friend is inclined to agree with him as opposed to her initial thoughts and those of other experianced horse people on our yard.

Owner is happy with what she thinks as trusts her knowledge, though was gobsmacked that she had taken a tumble
 
I have taken to backing all my home-bred youngsters, with help and we take our time.

I have two four year old CB fillies, one backed lightly aged 3 and turned away - so easy to start. The other was not ready at 3 so we started her this year. Good as gold on the lunge backed with no trouble, walked alone with me riding but gave me a massive bronc when asked to trot for the first time.

I asked one of my trainers to visit, he said 'she is not ready yet'. So we continued with lunge walk, trot stop and ridden walk, then started again.

She has not bucked at all since and is now trotting out and cantering with a rider.

I don't know how old this horse is but some do need time. I never take risks and always have an experienced helper when we start youngsters. I would not give up after one bad experience but agree perhaps a different trainer might help.
 
I must admit although she is a friend of mine I dont agree at all with how she has gone about training this mare. If I had more experiance in backing I would take over but as it stands I just dont have the nessassary experiance for her. Plus, to be honest I would also be inclined to agree with what you have said about sending her to another trainer.
 
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