# Average cost of backing and breaking



## woodlander (4 March 2011)

This is an odd question coming from a stud that does it! We get loads of requests to do this but make no money from it. Our rider is very experienced and first class with youngsters...we do everything slowly and always with two people for lunging and leaning etc and we try and get the owners to do as much prep (ie bridling) before they come. Our four year olds can go out and get good scores in affiliated dressage. What are the costs charged by other training yards?


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## The Bouncing Bog Trotter (4 March 2011)

I've been quoted anything from £130 pw to £220pw (+vat) to have my youngster backed this spring and then ridden away. I've ended up using a very competent local event rider who comes to my yard and charges me £30 per hour. After asking around I have found that the highest charges don't necessarily gain the best results. 

Charges seem to depend on local reputation and what people think they can get away with etc. There was a recent post on here where Janet George responded with her charges. 

I see this as an investment in my horse's future so I wasn't interested in the cheapest price. 

Whereabouts are you based as this will also have an impact on what you can charge - is there a lot of local competition from other yards?

Hope this helps.


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## boxcarhorse (4 March 2011)

I've been quoted £120 - £160 per week having asked around in Glos.  Based on a six week stay.


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## WellyBaggins (4 March 2011)

^^^ this


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## racingdemon (4 March 2011)

we've paid £120-£130/week for 2yos & for sales prep, would say that if you have a good reputation & get asked without advertising, you could probably up your prices a bit


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## fiarmay (4 March 2011)

£150 - £175 per week in general and it takes as long as it takes.


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## spacefaer (4 March 2011)

fiarmay said:



			£150 - £175 per week in general and it takes as long as it takes.
		
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what she said!!


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## figgy (4 March 2011)

i have been calling a few people about it one was £150 pw and one was £210 pw .


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## woodlander (6 March 2011)

Thank you all for your input. Very helpful, As you say...it takes as long as it takes and is significant for the rest of the horses life.

We do have local competition but I am not too interested in what they do as on two occasions their "products" have had to come to us because their owners had been dumped.

We do a premium job so we will charge a premium price. Guidance much appreciated


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## Oscar (6 March 2011)

I sent my two 4y/o's to be backed at a cost of £180 a week each!  They were there for just over 6 weeks.

When they went, I had been spending time getting them used to being lunged in side reins in walk, trot and canter with no issues.  They had a bridle and saddle on, were well handled, were shod,  and would lead around the farm like dogs! I was 17.2hh and the other 16.2hh!!

I am just too old to be falling off nowadays! Everything was taken slowly and never rushed.  I would thoroughly recommend - however some people want it done for a song and everything established in a fortnight!

I think you have to set your price and let your reputation speak for itself!  Also the owners need to also realise their own ability once the horse comes back to them and they need to continue with expert help every step of the way.


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## lizzieb (6 March 2011)

I'm paying £20 a day so £140 a week for my mare to be rebacked following kissing spine surgery. They've done an excellent job taking it at the speed she needed and I can't be more pleased


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## lialls (6 March 2011)

I am in the same area as you woodlander, I've been quoted £100 pw near Llandod for breaking and riding away, they do what it say on the tin, the horse will know the basics but its nothing pretty yet.  Theres a lady at Hay who will do the same for £100 pw as well, the horse will know the basics and will come away looking slightly pretty.  And Robert Oliver has quoted £110 pw for breaking and riding away but i havnt seen or had any references so dont know excatually how far they go with it.


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## 1973horse (7 March 2011)

hi does anyone know of any good trainers in the derbyshire/nottinghamshire area


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## Tempi (7 March 2011)

1973horse said:



			hi does anyone know of any good trainers in the derbyshire/nottinghamshire area
		
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Probably best to do a separate post as then more people will see it 

Woodlander - i would expect to be paying around 200-250 a wk at a yard such as yours, and anything from 120 to 200 for other yards depending on who they were and experience in breaking etc.


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## 1973horse (7 March 2011)

will do tempi


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## Rockinroll (7 March 2011)

Hi all, i think 150-200 is about right and two weeks should be normal for a light backing if no big problems.  BIG QUESTION i have somewhat related is WHAT is normal work for a youngster?? I took a 4 yo to well known trainer for 3 months and found out he was only ridden 1-2 times per week.  Trainer suggested he needed lots of ground work but when this horse came to her he had already been lightly backed previous summer and was an easy horse to work with with adequate lunging abilities.  WOULD YOU a. ask for a part-refund b. forget about it   I knew the trainer was not much of a hacker and the young rider was beautiful rider...and horse so nice natured that maybe not riding him a lot would not really show...i am just at a loss to know if a green horse going into training 3 months after being lightly backed would only be ridden 1-2 times per week???? When i confronted what sort of work on the ground was needed, she just didn't reply at all (twice) CONFUSED.  Any comments or feedback?  THANKS.


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## Oscar (7 March 2011)

Rockinroll said:



			Hi all, i think 150-200 is about right and two weeks should be normal for a light backing if no big problems.  BIG QUESTION i have somewhat related is WHAT is normal work for a youngster?? I took a 4 yo to well known trainer for 3 months and found out he was only ridden 1-2 times per week.  Trainer suggested he needed lots of ground work but when this horse came to her he had already been lightly backed previous summer and was an easy horse to work with with adequate lunging abilities.  WOULD YOU a. ask for a part-refund b. forget about it   I knew the trainer was not much of a hacker and the young rider was beautiful rider...and horse so nice natured that maybe not riding him a lot would not really show...i am just at a loss to know if a green horse going into training 3 months after being lightly backed would only be ridden 1-2 times per week???? When i confronted what sort of work on the ground was needed, she just didn't reply at all (twice) CONFUSED.  Any comments or feedback?  THANKS.

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Sounds to me like you've been stitched up!!  Unless you have a contract I doubt you'd have much chance of securing a refund unless you were prepared to go to court.  Its an expensive lesson if it were me I'd only send somewhere local - arrange to be there as much as possible while any schooling is done.


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## FrodoBeutlin (7 March 2011)

Tempi said:



			I would expect to be paying around 200-250 a wk at a yard such as yours,
		
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Wow 250 a week is a lot of money, for that amount of money I would send a youngster to one of the very top yards in Germany.


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## joseyjo88 (7 March 2011)

We are just outside Cambridge and charge £180 a week .  Generallyhorses are with us 4-6 weeks,and go away WTC in basic outline, jumped a couple of small fences, hacking alone/ in company. The owners are invited to come up and ride them at ours before they take them away, to check they are happy with the level the horse is at.


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