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Post by piaffe on Jun 23, 2012 13:50:59 GMT
I have a 3 year old , and every one seems in such a rush for me to back him.
I have even been told "I am setting myself up for big problems" if I leave him much longer.
He is lead out on the road,and is excellent in traffic. He has been long reined, again no problem. I take him to shows and do in hand classes, again as good as gold.
Am I wrong to leave him to be a baby a little while longer ?
I plan to start him early next year.
Then aim to be able to do a novice class or two at the back end of next year.
Am I wrong?
Opinions please !!!!
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Post by shelleyj on Jun 23, 2012 14:21:45 GMT
no you aren't wrong, you know your own horse.
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Post by bow1607 on Jun 23, 2012 17:01:44 GMT
Take no notice, you know your own horse as Shelleyj has said. I had heard it all when I had my 3 year old but he simply wasn't ready............mentally or physically. I did lots of de-sensitizing with him. He was backed at 4 and was very easy, took to it all like a duck to water  |
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Post by hatman on Jun 23, 2012 17:04:55 GMT
My friend who has eventers has a home bred who is slow to develop she is being left till next year when she will be 4 and has grown stronger . One of her home breds she sold who is 4 and a late developer has been in work since a 3 year old and out competing in the 4 year old classes BE and is struggling its just to much to young. People are just to inpatient with young horses. I wold take your time and do things when you and the horse are ready
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Post by fanfarefan on Jun 23, 2012 17:59:37 GMT
lets face it , a horse doesnt matuer until it is 8-9 , so why rush in at too young an age , let them be babies whilst they can
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Post by nici on Jun 23, 2012 18:12:47 GMT
We might sit on a 3yo but don't start backing them properly until they're 4. That's plenty soon enough IMO, especially if you've done lots of prep work as you obviously have. Go with your instincts, some people just don't have the patience, as you obviously do, to let baby ponies be babies!
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Post by piaffe on Jun 23, 2012 18:52:18 GMT
Thanks all. I just think he is still to much of a baby and still growing he's shot up again this month.  I want to keep him for life so leaving him for another year just doesn't seem a problem to me. Why do people feel the need to pass comment. I would never deem to tell any one else what to do with their horse. |
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Post by bow1607 on Jun 23, 2012 19:03:48 GMT
Thanks all. I just think he is still to much of a baby and still growing he's shot up again this month. I want to keep him for life so leaving him for another year just doesn't seem a problem to me. Why do people feel the need to pass comment. I would never deem to tell any one else what to do with their horse. Because they feel like they need to, or in my case (rumour heard) they thought there was another reason and because I hadn't backed anything since I had my baby, maybe they thought I had lost my bottle??? Who knows, nowt as strange as folk (especially in the horsey world  ) |
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Post by louisegelly on Jun 23, 2012 19:34:07 GMT
Because people cant help but stick their nose's in where its not wanted!!!! You do what you want to do. Not what everybody else thinks you should do..
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Post by mcw on Jun 23, 2012 19:36:32 GMT
My pony has just turned 5 and wasn't broken until last September. Being broken "late" hasn't affected him in the slightest. Take no notice. |
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Post by piaffe on Jun 23, 2012 19:38:33 GMT
Actually that makes sense.
They have hinted I'm scared of him too !
Not really logical though is it, if that was the case why would I leave him until he was bigger and stronger !!!
Suppose some people just need to feel Superior.
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Post by ashleigh19 on Jun 23, 2012 20:10:48 GMT
Hi Piaffe, Ive not broken a pony before but I am in the process of re schooling my pacer...all i know is that she wernt ready to be backed but they just jumped on anyway...it didnt help that they didnt have a clue what they were doing either and she was very poor with no muscle...not at all ready.....Its now obviously a lot harder than what it could have been if I had bought her unbacked and started her slowly doing all the prep etc first, I think its best to wait untill your both ready..that way you can do it right first time and hopefully have a well schooled pony willing to work for you How long have you had him....? Dont listen to those people if you were scared you would just get someone else to do it..obviously they dont understand your logic for waiting....If they are clued up enough to pass comment..surely they can see that your desicion is the best one for your horse? |
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Post by bow1607 on Jun 23, 2012 20:29:33 GMT
Actually that makes sense. They have hinted I'm scared of him too ! Not really logical though is it, if that was the case why would I leave him until he was bigger and stronger !!! Suppose some people just need to feel Superior. exactly  |
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Post by piaffe on Jun 23, 2012 20:46:46 GMT
Well He's happy I'm happy. So I'll stick to my plan |
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Post by tabbyx on Jun 23, 2012 23:57:39 GMT
I didn't break my section A stallion til he was 8 coming 9, bought him from Fayre Oaks in September after he'd spent all his life as a stud stallion and broke him over the winter. He was lovely to break, took a while to grasp the concept of going forwards but once her understood he took to the ridden job like a duck to water, he loves being ridden, is easy to handle, lovely ride and on wednesday was 3rd in a big&very strong HOYS qualifier at Cheshire County, beating much more established ponies and even previous HOYS winners at only his 9th show! Personally I think he's all the better for having been broken later in life, he is much more mature both mentally and physically and is very balanced, I think he's enjoying doing something different and loves going to shows, real little show off in the ring!
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Post by jessandoscar on Jun 24, 2012 0:08:50 GMT
Mine was halter trained, gelded and backed at 10 and it has done him no harm! let him be a baby and back him when you feel he is ready!! You know your horse better than anyone else  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2012 8:57:18 GMT
I broke a stallion at 13, but that was an exception, I usually break coming up to 4, my ponies are soon up and running - winning in the ring too |
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Post by sarahlucysmith on Jun 24, 2012 9:35:01 GMT
All depends on the maturity of the pony, some I've broken at 3 then turned away for the winter & started real work as a 4 year old. The 3 year old I have here now isn't mature enough yet so will get left till next year, he's more interested in his wife at the mo |
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Post by tbmare on Jun 24, 2012 18:27:54 GMT
From shamefull past experiance ( 25+ ago ) from listening to others, i backed a youngster only of just 3 yrs old and she ended up with a dipped back  now that could of been conformation fault or whatever, but i thought it was more from being broke to young... harsh lesson learnt very well, that said mare ended up retiring from hard work because of damage to her tendons age just 9 !! that i believe too was to blame amongst other factors. the last one to back under 4 was an ID x at 16.3hh and he was backed late in his 3 rd years, but purley because of size, other than that if backing whne they are ready and not before, be it 4/5/6 yrs old... tell em to bog of.. i would never let anyone tell me when or how to break a young horse again ...never |
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tarkit
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Post by tarkit on Jun 24, 2012 19:01:18 GMT
no you aren't wrong, you know your own horse. I agree with shelleyj, you know what's best for your own horse. x |
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Post by piaffe on Jun 24, 2012 20:12:50 GMT
Thanks to every one. You have all strengthened my resolve to leave him until " I" and only "I" feel he is ready.
I much prefer to bring him out as a well matured 5-6 year old with a good future in front him. Than to rush him and have him retired before he reaches double figures.
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Post by Wishiwasrich on Jul 3, 2012 19:16:48 GMT
Go with your gut instinct and forget what other people say, my 8 yrs old daughter has sat on out 3 yrs old and she has resently been bitted as i plan to take her to a few in hand shows this summer. We shall see how she deals with that before moving on too far.
Even if they look physically mature they may well not be mentally ready, i wouldn't send my daughter off to work at 8 so why do we expect so much from young ponies?
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Post by kirsten91 on Jul 3, 2012 19:51:09 GMT
Stick to your decision. It is your horse so its not for others to comment on, you are not doing anything to mistreat or harm so really they should keep there noses out! Sorry for the rant but I'm so sick of people sticking their noses in where it is not wanted |
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Post by hollyandpebs on Jul 4, 2012 14:00:40 GMT
totally agree with the others, you do what you think is best. Only you will know and nobody else. I plan to start sitting on my section D at 3 to 4 and thats only if i think he is ready. x
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2012 15:33:00 GMT
I think we under-estimate how much maturing a horse/pony does after the age of 4. My warmblood has just come into her own aged 10 years. At 5 she was lethargic and struggled - now she is on fire - in a fab way. Her daughter will be 3 next year. I wont be doing hardly anything with her. Bit of long-reining, tack on, sat on, walk up the road maybe - that will be it. Even at 4 she will just be started very slowly, with the emphasis on manners and forward. I think slowly slowly is the way to go, for a long and happy partnership together x |
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Post by piaffe on Jul 4, 2012 15:52:56 GMT
To add to the insult. I was told over the week end "if you don't get on that horse soon it will never go forward"  Why does forward motion stop at 3? You'll end up with a rearer ? Again what evidence is there to suggest this!! He has matured lots this summer and I am now starting to see a young horse rather than a crazy baby. Thanks for all your support, I am so pleased I am not alone in feeling you don't have to jump on the second they hit 3 |
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Post by watchbank on Jul 4, 2012 16:51:03 GMT
Break all ours at 4 and my larger welsh was sent away and broken at rising 5
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Post by piaffe on Jul 4, 2012 20:46:22 GMT
I know that for some people it may be the right thing to do. I would never dream of telling them they were wrong, or I didn't agree. It just bugs the hell out of me that so many people feel the need to point out they think I'm wrong, and that I'm going to ruin him by letting him mature a bit. He's my horse and if I never back him, he will come to no harm. He's a very happy horse |
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Post by jessandoscar on Jul 4, 2012 21:01:39 GMT
I've just seen a 3 year old backed yesterday on fb looks very weak - (sat on for the first time yesterday).. Today, said 3 year old is walk trot and cantering in very tight drawreins and going over jumps in these drawreins.. Very sad |
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Post by piaffe on Jul 4, 2012 21:12:57 GMT
oh my word that is shocking. I have told myself my lad will not be asked to jump until he is at least 6. I really do not get the rush ! If you want to start jumping go buy a mature horse. It's no wonder there are so many messed up horses out there  |
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now that could of been conformation fault or whatever, but i thought it was more from being broke to young... harsh lesson learnt very well, that said mare ended up retiring from hard work because of damage to her tendons age just 9 !! that i believe too was to blame amongst other factors.
