# How long did it take you to break in your horse?



## funkyfilly_92 (17 February 2010)

i was just wondering. Out of cursiosity. i no they all probably have different times. but i just want a rough guide . . . also can you tell me what breed they were thank you very much 
	
	
		
		
	


	




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## millitiger (17 February 2010)

these ones have all been owned since foals so they were used to being handled, rugged, bridled etc before we started working.

Millie, tb- about a week.

Ellie, tb x id- about 8 weeks.

Vinnie, tb x id- about 3 weeks.

the others i have had in have varied from about 3 weeks to one special case who took over 6 months!
i describe them as broken once they are reasonably sane to ride and able to hack out.


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## charlimouse (17 February 2010)

Colin is a bit 'special', so it is still a bit of a work in progress (i've been working on it a year so far!) He is now fine in the school, but hacking out he just tries to buck you straight off!


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## siennamum (17 February 2010)

Coco has taken nearly 3 months although it would be stretching things to say he's broken in yet. We're hacking round the lanes &amp; have been trotting round the field, tho it's a little rough &amp; ready.
I've only worked him at weekends as we don't have a school and have been severely hampered by the weather. 
He is about 16.1 ISH -  4 in April but very physically immature, another reason why he has been taken so slowly.
Here's a gratuitous clip of him the afternoon he arrived (November, I think), looking unbelievably pathetic:


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## hedgehog1 (17 February 2010)

one very special little creature of ours took the whole of her 4 year old year!!
she is a warmblood, but known quirky breeding.


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## RobinHood (17 February 2010)

In the process of helping my friend back a riding 5yr old section A at the moment. We picked her up from the field where she'd been for 4 years although she'd been well handled and shown inhand as a 3yr old.

After a week of lungeing, long lining and faffing about in the stable she is walking and trotting free range in the school with frequent transitions. Next step will be follow another horse round our circular canter track ie a simulated hack, as our hacking is down a very busy country road.

The last section A she backed took 2 months as she was 10yrs old and didn't want to make the transition from in hand to ridden showing!

Have backed/helped to back haflingers, cobs and native ponies and they've all been walking, trotting, cantering and hacking competantly within a month.


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## funkyfilly_92 (17 February 2010)

nice thank you for your replys. x


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## ColouredFan (17 February 2010)

the first horse we broke in took 5 weeks from start to haciking out and walk trot and canter in the school.

We have just started the second, he has shown in hand in his previous home. The first few days eh was left to settle, he is now 10 days later wearing tack, going on the walker happily, and has a basic grasp of lunging and long reining, so far so good.

Last year our 2 year old went away to school for three weeks, he was already used to wearing tack, by the end of the three weeks, he was lunging and long reining and at the stage where a rider could have started to get on, we turned him away at this point, he will be finished in April/may.


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## Evil_Cookie (17 February 2010)

Depends what you deem 'broken in'. Started my young horse in august, had minimal riding due to saddles and injuries but I'd finally say she's properly 'broken in'. We started with long reining then lunging and walking in hand on the roads. We've just cracked canter, right leg each time carrying herself correctly, hacking out regularly on her own and in company with minimal fuss, walks and trots in a nice shape, bends correctly for corners, has started leg yielding and jumping, turns on the forehand, rein back etc... The reason we've only just started canter is because she is very quick thinking so have worked on lateral work and rein back to get her listening. Her canter has had minimal work but she can do it nicely, have been very lucky as she's naturally very balanced. My last youngster who was quieter took about a month to be walking trotting and cantering nicely. Every horse is different, you may need to change your plans to fit around the personality of the youngster. I didn't expect to introduce lateral work to mine so early, but it has worked as it gives her something to think about rather than throwing herself about. Just jumped for the first time yesterday after the quietest start to a session yet, usually we have to trot for 5-10 before she will work quietly, she took to jumping so well (just a tiny x pole), like she'd been doing it for ages. I'm hoping to aim for BE 4yr old classes with her, she's certainly trainable. 
 Good luck with yours


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## junglediva (17 February 2010)

it depends what u mean by breaking in... to me... breaking in means able to have a rider on his/her back and moving forward nicely with no assistance from foot handler. to some... even if a horse can have someone sit on hits back and just walk hasnt been broken? only when it can canter ect it is known as broken. with me it depends on the horse but on average it takes about 3 weeks to mouth, lunge, long rein, back and have it walking forward nicely and calmy... from then on i consider it broken.


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## MagicMelon (17 February 2010)

Depends on the horse. Usually the ones I've had so far have taken 2-3 weeks to be walk, trot, canter.


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