# Backing A 3 Year Old???



## Amys_Babies (9 June 2008)

I was just wondering how many people have backed a 3 year old? Because my 2 year old is 3 next month and i seem to be getting a lot of negative comments as i am close to backing him now. He is a TB x and had been told to back him at xmas but i said i would wait till nearer his birthday (next month). I know a lot of people who have backed their horses at 2 going onto 3 and have been adviced to soon start backing buddy. My main point of backing was to carry out the schooling but by sitting on top of him rather than working with him from the floor...is this such a crime???


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## Sooty (9 June 2008)

Oh don't! Our Sec D turned three on 31st May, and for the last year his breeder has been saying we should have backed him before now. Everyone always seems to know what is best for everyone else's horse! Stick to your plans and don't let anyone interfere.


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## Amys_Babies (9 June 2008)

Thanks...my plans had been to spend a few more weeks lunging him with tack on and then to start lying over him. Would you say to carry on doing this?


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## pinktiger (9 June 2008)

im about to (in the next 2 months) get my R 3yrold backed dont see anything wrong as long as the horse is physically and mentally ready, and you would know if they werent  ready, they determin the pace!!  i think most horses on the continent are broken about the same age!!  your always going to get people for it and people who arent, its personal choice and personal experiences that determin what/how/why!! each to their own!


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## kerilli (9 June 2008)

it depends on how strong they are, how big you are (weight wise), their attitude, i think.
if he seems well-balanced, strong-looking, and you aren't very heavy, then i'd do it now-ish. i prefer to do it in high summer anyway, much safer than when it's freezing with the wind whipping up their bums!
fwiw i have 2 3-yr olds to back soon, both June foals, so 3 now. one is strong-looking, and i'll back her first... she's 16h ish tbxid x trak. the other is taller and lighter, tb x hann, and i'll wait a little to do her, till she's grown into herself a bit more. i'm 9 stone 9 - when i weighed more, i left it till they were a bit older. if i was 7 stone, i'd have done it already! but i've had horses in the past that weren't strong-enough looking for me to back at 3, and so i waited till they were 4, with no problems.
i never back at 2, but that's because i'm not a tiny dot, and my horses never looked ready for it.
hope that helps a bit.
just to add... trust your instincts, it's your horse, and no-one else's business!


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## Hettie (9 June 2008)

Oh goodness other people always know best don't they...!! Well if its any comfort I'm in the middle of backing my 3 year old (3 in Aug). I am sure you will, as I am doing, take great care in only doing as much as your youngster can cope with and that you as me with my horse is the right person to judge that! Good luck


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## Kenzo (9 June 2008)

There would be nothing wrong with you sitting on his back every evening for a couple of minutes while he muches his hay if he will let you but that is all that I would do at this age, there not developed at this age and certainly would not have him broken in for another 6 months at least.

I backed my previous boy just before he turned 3 but not actually rode him, my current boy was broken in last January and turns 4 in a few days, he only does light schooling and for short periods, walk, trot and has just started to have the odd canter but he's quite a laid back character to be fair.  He's ridden about 4 times a week, ranging from 20 minutes to 40 at the max, he'd enjoying his work and we've had no problems up until now (touch wood), just little and often, enough to keep him in work but not too much as to keep him sweet which seems to be working very at the moment.  I personally don't think mentally and physically they are ready to more serious work in the ménage until they reach 4, but it all depends on the individual horse.

Not sure if that helps but thats just my experience.


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## Amys_Babies (9 June 2008)

Thanks...i would probably say i am a bit to careful with him, i don't like to rush him at all and he has had over 6 months of lunging now so hes getting some very nice looking muscles on him now. I am about 9st and hes about 15hh now he could easily carry me as i have been riding a 3 year old who has just been backed who is exactly the same build as buddy and he had no probs at all with me on saturday. I had problems lunging him with tack on this week so he has been needing a lot of reassurance but i am just keeping it going with him not being harsh at all and hopefully as soon as he relaxes with being lunged with tack on i will start backing him.


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## 1275gta (9 June 2008)

We back all ours rising 3.  The last one we did is now rising 4 and is hacking out ridden and driven with no problmes.  He is only 14.2 but is ridden by an adult.  We back al ours in the same way and never turn them away as this is just a waste of time and effort.  

We have been doing this for 35 years and have never had any issues apart from one sicotic (sp) welsh cob, have since found out that all the ones same way bread were also loopy.

I would go for it, better now than in 12 months IMO


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## Amys_Babies (9 June 2008)

Thanks Gypsycob...i had been debating about turning away after but i really don't think it would do him any good at all. My plan was to do a bit of light work and increasing it as he gets stronger and happier with it all.


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## Theresa_F (9 June 2008)

My boy was backed - and I mean sat on and a little walk every two weeks for three months when he was 2 1/2.  Then  he started teething and went bum up again.  My vet and physio were happy that he was physically up to it.  He had been doing a small amount of work since 18 months - gets terribly bored so was well ahead and physically and mentally  mature for his age.

He was then left until 3 when I got back on him and we did a little bit of hacking and a few short trots - again only every other week building up to once a week and 20 mins.  At 31/2 he did a few strides of canter then went mouthy and bum up again.

Left him for another three months and took off where we stopped, ie short canter and working on a bit of light schooling and short hacks.  He is now 4 this month, in work again and this month started doing a few showing classes.  I plan in the autumn to do a few x poles and work on his schooling with the idea to start affiliated showing next year.

For him, starting early and spending ages doing everything very slowly has worked a treat.

However, had he not been a chunky gypsy cob and been a lanky WB like my mare, I would have left it a lot longer before getting onboard, all horses are different.  Mine was very ready for backing but not for schooling at 2 1/2.  I did lots of odd things on him, walking over bags, doing up girth/stirrups, having a leg up, mounting from both sides - nothing that physically demanding but good building blocks for later.

Good luck with him - hope he is as good as my boy was to do.


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## kerilli (9 June 2008)

Amy, how much lungeing have you been doing, out of interest? 6 months of lungeing at just turned 3 is quite a bit, i think!


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## Theresa_F (9 June 2008)

Just to say when Chancer was having his mouthy and bum up time off being ridden, I still continued with 3 - 4 groundwork sessions - have never turned away as having done everything so slowly he has not needed time off to think and recover.

Not saying other ways are wrong, but should I ever have another youngster, I will do it long and slow again.


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## Amys_Babies (9 June 2008)

He started his lunging in xmas (sorry is wasnt very clear)...to start with i did once maybe twice a week for a bout 2 mins each side, i did that for the whole of jan increasing it to 5 mins each way. Through feb-april he was lunged about 3 times a week at 5 mins each way...sometimes spent a bit longer on one side as he was quite stiff and took a while to get him going. After april he loosened up a lot but i did have to move stables so it did go a bit downhill and he had a few weeks of, since then he has been going great on both side and last month spent two days each week giving him 10 mins on each side. But since had tack on have gone back to 2-5 mins each way. If he is tired or sweaty i do stop working him and give him a few days rest but he doesn't really seem to get that sweaty and seems to handle normally lunging easily.


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## volatis (9 June 2008)

I've just backing one 3yo and will do another when she finishes showing at the end of the summer. A homebred 3yo has been lightly backed by his new owner and is hacking out steadily. 
But I have another 3yo I put in foal and left her as she wasnt ready to back at 3 ao it is always down to the indivudal horse


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## soph21 (9 June 2008)

Do what you feel is right, I think I know what post you are on about, I think it was just the fact that you said you were getting on really well and then he went a bit backwards, so people suggested that maybe he wasn't ready, as they are all individuals and all very different.


When I bought Bear 2 years ago in July he was turning 3 in the September, after about 6 weeks of owning him I started long reining and lunging. 4 weeks later he was broken in and hacking out quietly.
I hacked him all that winter and then in the spring started schooling him, then we done our 1st season showing under saddle last year and done really well!
We popped round a few SJ clear rounds and done a few little XC's too. Then this winter just gone I took him hunting a couple of times and we both thoroughly enjoyed it so Im going to join this winter! 
He was 14.1ish back then and he's now 15hh, it never done him any harm, he's my coblet!
I wouldn't change him for the world! We've learnt lots together!


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## Amys_Babies (10 June 2008)

Thanks Sophie...Bear sounds a star!!!

I did kind of reach a dead end with him last week and i think it annoyed a bit because i can't do it the way i had planned on doing it.
I spent a lot of time last night with him up the yard, talking to the owners of the yard for their advice of what to do with him. They were saying that half the problem with him not wanting to go away from me is because of the bond we have both got. Like he is basically like a dog lol he follows me around everywhere and trusts me enough to do anything. And the man was saying that he would probably let me sit on him no prob because of how much he trust me.
I think i am going to attempt sitting on him the weekend...so will have to see how it goes.


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## vieshot (10 June 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
im about to (in the next 2 months) get my R 3yrold backed dont see anything wrong as long as the horse is physically and mentally ready

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Is any three year old really ready?

[ QUOTE ]
i have 2 3-yr olds to back soon, both June foals, so 3 now. one is strong-looking, and i'll back her first... she's 16h ish tbxid x trak. the other is taller and lighter, tb x hann, and i'll wait a little to do her, till she's grown into herself a bit more. i'm 9 stone 9 - when i weighed more, i left it till they were a bit older. if i was 7 stone, i'd have done it already!

[/ QUOTE ]

I dont really think its just weight that is the issue, working on young joints is half the problem, working on a circle etc.

[ QUOTE ]
.6 months of lungeing at just turned 3 is quite a bit, i think!

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i agree completely

Im sorry but i just dont understand the need to break at 3 and certainly not at 2! Why does it seem to be a fashion to break them earlier these days, ive always been taught to break at 4 and will stick to that, 3.5 at the very least.


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## Amys_Babies (10 June 2008)

Hi vieshot, i supose it really is everyone to their own!

At my old yard the lady there bred ID for a living and showed them, she said she had always back hers at 2 considering their height and it never did them any harm at all. But i also know people have backed them at 3 and pushed and pushed them making them jump and everything and by the time their 5 they have had back problems. 
Also if you think of racehorses they are broke at a really young age and many people do say that with TB's it is ok to break them very young. I waited with buddy even though he has TB in him i believed he still did a lot of work with him. 
I am also going to clarify once again that my horse maybe be 2 but next nonth he will be 3 and i don't really think the next few weeks with me backing him is going harm him that much.
My only intention is do light schoolwork for a year with him...just walk and trot. I know many people who have done this and it is my plan to also do it.


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## Tia (10 June 2008)

Well Amy, I'll let you into something.  When I lived in England it never crossed my mind to back a horse younger than 3 years old, and I generally backed them at just short of 4 years old ... however then I moved over the Atlantic where things are done quite differently, certainly in the discipline that I choose to be involved in.  Over here most people I know back their horses at 2 years old, sometimes a little younger than their actual 2 year birthday.  _*I can hear the gasps of horror*_





.

In my experience of doing it both ways, there really is absolutely no comparison and I would never in a million years go back to backing horses so late in life now.  The benefits to both horse and rider are so great - the horses develop a fantastic work ethic, are spookfree, and just accept whatever situation you take them into because they trust you so much.  

When I back, I always do it bareback and I take them out riding on my farm just at a walk.  This continues for months and months, up and down the hills and through the forest and along the riverside.  About a year later they will be accustomed to wearing a saddle from time to time and will be competent and trustworthy enough to be taken into any type of situation without any fuss whatsoever.  They all come through this super-slow backing process without any leg issues, no moron tendencies, no back problems etc.  Very unlike some of the 4 year olds who are rushed through their full breaking in 6 weeks!  Tight circles, being asked to work in an outline, some being asked to jump blah blah ... I don't have any problems with others doing that, but it is not for me, I choose to take my time about backing my guys, and by time, I mean years.

He is YOUR horse, you do what is right for him and you.  No-one else's business if you ask me.


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## Sooty (10 June 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks...my plans had been to spend a few more weeks lunging him with tack on and then to start lying over him. Would you say to carry on doing this? 

[/ QUOTE ]

Goodness yes! Troggy has been lying over Beano for months now. We also tried to get him used to things above him, which can freak some horses out, so he has things hanging in his stable and had a huge teddy bear sitting on him. He is very mellow because he has been exposed to just about every situation apart from actually being ridden. In fact his new saddle is being fitted tonight!  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 Sadly it's black, but it's the only secondhand one the fitter had...


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## zelli (10 June 2008)

Im currently backing 2 3 yr olds, one of which is doing brilliantly and being led round with the rider on board, the other has only had a saddle on. They came from the same breeder and ive had them for the same length of time, however they are completly different as far as there mental age appears. I have no problem with backing 3 year olds, however, hate it when you see 3 - 4 yr olds working hard in an outline etc, i personally believe this sort of work should be left untill at least the age of 5, with the first couple of years focusing on the horse enjoying the work in a relaxed way.


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## soph21 (10 June 2008)

I forgot to say Bear was a lazy [****] to lunge, He was a bloody nightmare! It was way to much hard work to do more than walk!

But now as a riding horse, you dont have to ask him twice!


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## pinktiger (10 June 2008)

quote

Im sorry but i just dont understand the need to break at 3 and certainly not at 2! Why does it seem to be a fashion to break them earlier these days, ive always been taught to break at 4 and will stick to that, 3.5 at the very least. 

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is very much down to the individual horse and some are and  some are not ready not even at 4,, my breaking plans are never set in stone are always down to the horse itself, they decide!!!  Dont think any horse owner or professional backer would be influenced due to 'fashion' more so expertiese and experience!!!!!


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## Tia (10 June 2008)

Yes I have left a handful of horses till they were 4, mainly because although mentally they have been ready for it the previous year, they have been unfamiliar with where their feet are and what their legs are doing - I would never back a horse that does not know how to balance itself correctly ... or doesn't know where it's feet are supposed to be.  Each horse is an individual, but in general I would prefer to take years to break the horses, rather than a few short weeks.


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## Amys_Babies (10 June 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
I forgot to say Bear was a lazy [****] to lunge, He was a bloody nightmare! It was way to much hard work to do more than walk! 

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Hehe buddy seems to be the complete opposite, he gets very excited when i put the lunge kit on him...he can be half asleep in his stable and soon become wide awake and ready to go. If anything it seems hard work to keep him walking, he seems to just want to trot and canter around. I don't even have to use a lunge whip with him i just take my usual riding whip into school with me and tap it on floor few times and tell him to walk on and then trot on and he happily goes around till i tell him otherwise. Though i bet he will be complete opposite now when i do back him and he wont want to move at all hehe.


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## Amys_Babies (10 June 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
 is very much down to the individual horse and some are and  some are not ready not even at 4,, my breaking plans are never set in stone are always down to the horse itself, they decide!!!  Dont think any horse owner or professional backer would be influenced due to 'fashion' more so expertiese and experience!!!!! 

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi pinktiger, thanks for your reply you are so right! I really don't think anyone would be at all influenced by fashion into breaking their young horse as it does really depend on the horse more than the backer. If everyone backed their youngster at a really young age i think there would be a lot of people taking trips to the hospital as a result of rushing their horses. I do have a plan but it is more of a quide to how i am planning to break buddy, i have mainly stuck to it but have allowed him to pass onto the next step when he liked rather than me pushing him on and on.


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