Breaking A Youngster

[bethanyy]

I start lunging and long reining at 2 and a half, then back at 3 and turn away over winter for a break, then bring back into work as a rising 4 year old.

People break at different ages and in different ways though so bear that in mind when taking advice it will also depend on the maturity of the horse/pony too

[carrie17491]

It all depends on the horse in my eyes as to when I do what.

My 3 year old is backed being ridden out and schooled and going fabulous, our 4 year old has only just been lightly backed...it depends whether the horse is mentally and physically mature. There is no right and wrong age.

[thompson-ponies.com]

I agree with the above comments, it really does depend on the individual regarding their physical and mental maturity. I didn't back my B stallion until the summer of his four year old year, I then spent the summer hacking out and schooling on hacks in straight lines. The various terrain, hills etc does them no end of good, helping the find natural balance, build strength, encourages them to be bold and makes them sure footed. He was then turned away and I started his schooling education early this year (as a five yr old). He is maturing nicely and working really well but if I pushed him last year when he was not physically and mentally mature enough I would have run into trouble as he is a hot headed (but loveable) little chap that now wants to learn.

However, I have a two year old Dartmoor colt and I will start lightly lungeing him (walk/stand commands) and long-reining (10ish mins) with him this Winter and lightly back him next year at three (then turn away to mature) as he is a different kettle of fish.

Good luck and always remember to build a solid foundation, don't be tempted to rush and don't continue to build until the foundation is established

[wildnative]

Sound like you are doing it correctly, although I personally do not lunge youngsters until they are at least 4. Too much stress on immature joints ! If you have to lunge, work only on one or two VERY large circles, incorporated into working in the whole of the school and you doing a lot of walking in straight lines.
I've owned horses from as young as 6 months old, and the correct handling from an early age, leading up to sitting on them briefly at the end of their 3rd year prepares them well for backing properly at 4yo after a winter turned away

[thompson-ponies.com]

Agree, don't get me wrong by lungeing I mean walking and halting with someone on their outside with a roller on just to get them used to voice aids from a distance to help prepare for long-reining. I would never trot or canter an immature youngster on the lunge and not a fan over over lungeing using a single line full stop as it is not good musculoskeletally. I won't be schooling my 3 year old in an arena. As soon as he is safe to hack out, he will be doing that, learning to enjoy the start of his ridden career and build up strength

[lulah]

i would seriously persuade your friend not to send her youngster to someone who backs horses before 3!!! its mentally and physically too demanding for the horse.

[hatman]

I backed my welsh A just before the winter as a 3 year old just walk trot and a little canter on both reins took about 3weeks as I had done all the ground work just sent to a friend for the ridden bit then put my children on her the next aprial after being turned away over the winter.

[bethanyy]

To be honest I wouldn't be alarmed by a lack of qualifications, it is possible to break a pony very well without them, but I agree it does put your mind at ease knowing the person has a good reputation.

As for what you have been told about the producer, I woul definitely try to persuade your friend to not send the horse to this person, but be prepared to bang your head against a brick wall...

[brindlerainbow]

My 3 yr old has been lunging in walk only to learn the walk on and whoa commands, a bit of longreining, no longer than 10/15 minutes. She wears tack with no problem and has been sat on with no problem. I walk her out in hand aswell, sometimes in tack and sometimes just in a head collar so that she gets to see traffic,people,sheep,cattle and general everyday things. Will turn her away again at the end of the summer until next spring

[klouisem]

My maxi cob was lunged and long reined and sat on at 3/4 but wasn't ready turned him away brought him back when he was rising 5 and he was so much better, took to everything walk, trot, canter, jumping and he was lots better!

I agree depends on the horse! Some are ok to do at 3 (lunge, long rein sit on) then turn away and bring back when they're four :-)

Then again most horses are out in the show ring at 4 and qual HOYS so depends whether you want to do it slowly or quick to get said pony out about!

[nightwish]

i tend to teach lunging when they are two and half and do some inhand with them then about 4 and half i break them in.

[B_31]

with mine i plan to long rein with a roller/tack etc when shes 2 (end of winter/start of spring)

then before shes developed an even bigger attitude i will be having a sit on her... (literally lean/sit get off)

When shes 3.5 i plan to break properly

I can teach her whoa/walk/trot on the long reins... in straight lines - i dont want to lunge until shes 3.

i dont jump my horses until they are 5/very nearly 5 anyhow.

So yes i may get slammed for sitting on when they arnt quite three but ive spoken to many people and listend to good eventers who all say they sit on (not moving)! at 2.5 and get off.

[GinaGeo]

I don't see the rush to get them backed and going.

Mine was started in the autumn of his third year. We started off with lots of ground work, leading about, desensitzing and establishing the trust and respect in me. I started mouthing him then too and teaching him rein aids in the stable and some voice commands; walk, trot, halt, steady etc. The roller was gradually introduced then too.

Once I was happy with that, I introduced the long lines and we did about three weeks, starting off in the school and then ventured out for hacks. I started off in a roller, progressing to a saddle and then to a saddle with flapping stirrups. I began leaning over him after each session, and by the end of the three weeks I was sitting up on him.

I don't like lunging youngsters, but I do a couple of sessions on two reins walking big circles, I certainly don't use it for any length of time, I worry about the impact it has on joints

After that I got on in the school and he was fine in both walk and trot. We started hacking him out asap for about a month and then turned him away over winter for three months.

Restarted him in easter, basically following the same as above but in a shorter timescale. He's now starting unaffiliated Prelim Dressage and 55cm jumping courses which he's doing very sweetly

[wildnative]

I wouldn't worry about anyone backing ponies/horses with no qualifications. As long as they have a good reputation and are experienced in breaking and bringing on youngsters.
I don't have any "formal" qualifications, but do have years of experience with all types of horses and ponies.
I always back and bring on my own myself. I have just backed my 4 year old section D mare, and have a 3 year old New Forest filly.
My 3 year old is doing nothing at the moment other than "just" being a pony out in the herd. She has been out for a couple of walks in hand, has been shown once (last August), had her first bath, has tried on an in hand bridle with a straight bar nylon in hand bit.
Other than basic handling and having her feet trimmed, she will do nothing more at the moment as she is growing and is very bum high right now. I did, however, sit on her a few weeks ago. I was puting her back out in the field, so I clipped 2 lead ropes on to her Dually halter, stood her by the mounting block and gently got on her. She walked, very happily, the 300 yards back to her field with Mum on board ! She was so good that I decided she might be ready to lightly back towards the end of summer. BUT, her back was level at the time and she has shot up again since then so I'll leave her until next spring.
There's no rush, which is very important if you want your pony to have a long, SOUND, life and ridden career.

[gillwales]

We would start training from a foal, good handling is the key. Being rugged up, bitted for showing, walked and trotted in hand. When they were 3 onwards and the time was right I would leg up my daughter (who was very light) bareback with pony tied up and eating tea, none of the ever turned a hair, they were used to me standing on a bucket plaiting them, a constant learning curve. All loved to please. We carried on at a slow pace with breaking them in then left till 4 to ride away. I would strongly advise against the Monty Roberts method where they are got onto far too quickly and not had the opportunity to strengthen as it will lead to unsoundness at a later date

[showingfanatic]

Wouldn't worry about the lack of qualifications either, id sooner send a pony to someone without qualifications with a good reputation than someone with a piece of paper and no references. Dependent on maturity, I like to back in the late summer aged 3. Will work them inhand from the moment their halter broken, walk them out on the roads, bridleways, voice commands etc. However, personally wouldn't touch with a lunge line until their 3rd year and even then only if they look like they're physically ready for it. Bit and leave to mouth for a while every day for a week, get them used to a roller and lightly loose side reins. Then swap between lunging on a large circle and long reining before having a sit on. Soon as they can safely walk forward and stop on command, straight onto the bridleways and some light schooling once/twice a week. When walk, trot and canter is established, throw away for the winter and bring back in spring.

[wildnative]

Aug 3, 2012 21:27:32 GMT showingfanatic said:

Wouldn't worry about the lack of qualifications either, id sooner send a pony to someone without qualifications with a good reputation than someone with a piece of paper and no references. Dependent on maturity, I like to back in the late summer aged 3. Will work them inhand from the moment their halter broken, walk them out on the roads, bridleways, voice commands etc. However, personally wouldn't touch with a lunge line until their 3rd year and even then only if they look like they're physically ready for it. Bit and leave to mouth for a while every day for a week, get them used to a roller and lightly loose side reins. Then swap between lunging on a large circle and long reining before having a sit on. Soon as they can safely walk forward and stop on command, straight onto the bridleways and some light schooling once/twice a week. When walk, trot and canter is established, throw away for the winter and bring back in spring.

^^^LIKE^^^ !!! ;D

[Deleted]

I wouldn't lunge a youngster; doesn't do young hocks and big joints any good, I long rein & start breaking in the autumn of their 3yo year.

[Kaseyleigh]

It all depends on how mature the horse is i usually start everything at 3 but i have 3yrs olds that just arnt mature enough to break this year so they will not be broken next year as a 4yrs old.

But i would never break or start a horse under 3yrs old.