Your thoughts please????

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rubyrumba

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I have been offered a 4 year old on loan that has just been broken and 'going well'. Everyone at work says not to bother with it as i could end up with broken bones. I rode a just broken 4 year old last year and she was fine, never bucked or did anything naughty in fact. Someone at worked bought a 4 year old who was fine and very quiet for 2 weeks and one day it lost the plot and bucked right the way down the long side and threw her against the wall. She broke her pelvis, top of her femur, 4 ribs and a collar bone. That is why they are saying to stay away. What do you all think?
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I have broken in 2 before and brought on a few. I work for an equine college based at a riding school so i sometimes school the quieter ones. Its not the inexperience, it is the risk. Some don't bat an eyelid whereas others can just explode for no reason. I have 2 yearlings at home and a small child so they are just worrying for me i think.
 
well as amymay says it depends on your experience, you cant generalise about 4 year olds, otherwise no one would ever get on them! it very much depends on the horse as well as your level of experience some four year olds are lovely and some are loonies as with horses of 5,6,7,8.....20!
 
You need to know what the horse is like generally. I know someone who has a 5 year that has done SJ etc and he still suddenly has bronco moments, and yet some freshly backed horses go on for years without even given being ridden a second thought!
If the horse is generally a laid back, good calm natured sort, then I can't see the problem, as long as you are confident you can do it!
 
Who backed the horse? I am riding a 4 yr 16.2hh CB stallion backed for the first time at the end of January. I only ride him in the school at the moment - but I am a very nervous rider - but I trust him. My trainer did a lot of long-rein work and in-hand work for 2 1/2 weeks before he backed him for the first time. He says if the ground work is good they never buck.

Ditto a friend in Scotland backed my CB mare when she was a three year old, a week later I was hacking her - I had NO experience with young horses and I trust her completely.

Good preparation and ground work make a difference.
 
Like Rollin said, I think you get a good feel for horses as to how they would react! I would never say I am a VERY confident rider... I helped back and ride freshly backed horse, and also the not so nice horses but this was about 8 yrs ago. I am much more of a reserved rider, but I have been helping to school a newish backed LW cob type mare about 16hh. She is so sweet and although she is spooky due to her age, I happily hacked out at the weekend (baring in mind she doesn't hack alot) near a road and although she did spook and jump side ways, it didn't worry me at all! In fact I enjoy riding her so much, I'm thinking of asking the RS how much they want for her!!!!
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Go and see, as you never know, and go from there. Trust your instinct, it will rarely let you down!! Don't be ashamed to say no!!
 
Yes i will go and see i think. You usually get a gut instinct, especially when you've slept on it. Thanks everyone.
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