when to back?

[iammizz]

Wll i had kinda agreed that ben would be going away later this year august time to be started by RA sarah dent but have had many mixed opinions on wether to wait another year,he will be three in june,so was just hoping you could maybe give me your advice and personall opinions as i know alot of you {break} your own..tx guys ;D

[june]

I'd wait another year. The growth plates in their hocks don't set till they are 4 and the ones in their spine don't set till they are 6. No point in hurrying and risk damaging joints.

[Jenna]

Well, Kira is three in March, and I don't intend actually riding her until Autumn - at about 3 and a half - and then we'd only be talking about pootling around the school and perhaps pootling around the farm.

I think it depends on the individual, to be honest. Kira's is still quite babyish and only at about 14.2 ish. And she's still happy to mooch around the field with the odd plod out with me in hand. If she was a whopping great ID or somesuch or getting stroppy because she was bored, I might do a bit more with her.

[iammizz]

Thanx for that,im in no hurry and half own a ride anyway so no rush,just seems the norm to back at three and with all the new research just wanted ur guys advice..xx

[blueali]

I would start the foundation work at 3, the longlining, wearing tack etc. but for the reasons June said not actually ride until 4. And then just do easy hacking etc for a year, no real schooling that will strain young joints.

[iammizz]

u are all great,ive been thinking about this since buying him which was little over a year ago and u get so many ppl tellin u diif things that i knew where to get the proper advice,i look at him and honestly hes so good in so many ways but still such a baby, we dont do much in ways of training aprt from walking out now and then up the lanes and generall cuddles and meeting and greeting the big bad scaries of the world ie plastic at the mo lol,so thanx guys for helping me realise i wasnt being overprotective(yardowners words not mine).xx

[janetgeorge]

If he's not 3 until June, and still presents as 'immature', then I would definitely wait until he's at least 3 and a half. We tend to back ours at 3 - but they tend to be well over 16 hh by then - and built like tanks - so the rider's weight is less of an issue. The problem with smaller horses is that the weight they will carry when mature is considerably less - and it can be hard to find someone to back them who is less than 75% of their eventual weight carrying ability (which is my rough guide to how heavy the rider who backs a 3 year old should be!)

Those we DO back at 3 are still only 'lightly backed' - and then turned away to mature before starting more serious work. You can't be too over-protective when you're talking about possibly doing damage that will stay with a horse for the rest of his life. The extra year you wait could easily help ensure he stays sound and active for at LEAST 5 years longer than might otherwise be the case.

[jen1]

id have to say when he is ready, backing should be the last thing on the list after ground work, he is still young yet, and you have plenty of time,has he been long riened on a circle and on the straight, is his halt in place, can he stand still until you say other wise, grid work is always good to amble round, i have just started my girl with grid worg, although she knows left and right side ways forward and back,ive got her stepping over things and around, which is great for confidence and expending there minds,

[mags]

I think if i had my own youngster that I was too keep I would have him(or she)out with other horses till 3, at 3 I would do all the handleing and groundwork, manners etc and back at 4, and start serious work at 5.

[specialsparkle3]

Apart from "large people" like Janet's, I am dead against youngsters being back or lunged (especially) until the end of their three yr old year, and preferably after Christmas of their 4 yr old yr. --------if they are late foals ie end of May onwards, definately not till beginning of 4 yr old yr. Then I like them not to do too much and then to be turned away for the next Winter to mature------They come back at 5 with a new, fresh outlook, and it does them the world of good.

[Azrael]

I've backed my young one at 3 1/2 but she's a horse that likes to be doing stuff and since I'm doing her myself I can afford to do it in 5-10 minute gentle little sessions once or twice a week and the occasional short hack. Haven't lunged her yet beyond a few short and basic 'how to lunge' lessons so she's met the idea. If sending away I'd wait until 4 so that the horse is physically more able to do more work in the limited time it's away for and hopefully a bit more mature mentally. There's plenty of getting used to tack and various horse eating monsters and a bit of 'equine climbing frame' type stuff and going for walks, groundwork etc you can do in preparation for backing.

[Deleted]

I'm with the others on this, I prefer later rather than sooner. However, if you are going to have him backed by Sarah (an excellent idea), why not talk to her about it? Especially if she could meet him before hand, she may well have a view on what would be the best approach for him.

[wozzer]

Hi Ianmizz, probably depends on the horse as others have said. The RA that came out to my youngster has suggested doing him early as he's so big (about 16 hh now and not 2 yet!!!) and we are going to start long lining him soon. I won't sit on him until the spring of his 3rd year though, as I think that's too soon (even though he probably won't notice my weight up there on his huge back ;D)

In the past I have backed, ie. sat on and ridden away (big horses again) at around 3.5 years and then turned away until spring of their 4th year. Only doing light work, occasionally, until they are in the spring of their 4th year.

Good luck!!

[iammizz]

Thanx guys,im gonna leave it i think until nxt august(2008) hes around 14.1 at mo so that will gve him extra time to grow and mature, as he is turned out in march all summer.Then when hes off to boarding school he will then be just over four years,and like you all said i will start some longlining etc this summer as he would then be three.Im in no hurry and know enough to send him to sarah with at least some manners intact, but just needed that input as the yard im on isnt really an ih type of yard so views have been mixed and i knew you guys would give me the best advice for ben,so thanx again everyone.xx

[apachepony]

Didn't start mine until they were four year olds, and as they were late foals this would have been around their fourth birthdays. Lack of time forced me to stop with them until they were rising 5 and this has worked out well. There are both 7 the middle of this year so I will be starting proper work with them now as they are still fairly green due to my other various commitments.
You are doing the right thimg x