First backing age

[callyhan]

What age are people first backing their youngsters? I have my first baby, he was 3 in July and he seems mentally mature enough to handle getting backed. I don’t want him in heavy work but I think it would be good for him to get the idea that a rider on his back is a normal thing. Hearing conflicting opinions though about skeletal and growth development, etc.

I am already doing all the training I can from the ground to prep him, ground driving, lunging in tack, getting familiar with mounting block and me doing weird stuff on the block above his head

[Demerara_Stables]

What breed is he? It’s less the mental maturity that I’m concerned with and more the physical maturity. The mental preparation gets there when you spend more time with them.

I originally was going to start my 3yo this fall but her body isn’t ready yet, so I may only sit on her once or twice and walk a few circles then that’s it until spring (she will continue to get ground work throughout the winter).

Some horses are ready to be sat on and walked around the fall of their 3yo year, some aren’t. I never sit on anything before the fall of the 3yo year. There’s no reason to, ever. If the horse is large-ish (15.2+) and of decent heft (not thin and spindly with minimal muscle mass), AND you aren’t heavy, then sitting on them and walking generally won’t do any harm. Keep it short (15-20 min), on flat ground, and only once or twice a week until they feel fit enough to start some hills or add time. Usually that takes a month or so. After a 4-6 weeks of walking and continuing ground work w/t/c, I ask for the trot. Again, starting with a few steps and in straight lines until they regain their balance with a rider up.

[colorfan]

I have always preferred to back my youngsters at 2. There is no running madly down the rail and turning into the boards.
These are quiet walk, trot, light rein, intro to walking over ground poles, picking up a bucket/jacket, riding up and down the hill, just experience. For maybe 20 rides, maybe less, maybe a couple more. Exactly what I ask does depend on size and brain maturity.
from the studies I have read horses mature physically at the same rate, they can look different and I feel they mentally mature differently.

As a 3yr old backing resumes with a refresher of course but then just carries on.

This year I am starting a 3ry old that hasn’t had much handling so she will get the 2 yr old program but instead of the winter off she may get more rides until Dec or she may get a few weeks off to think and then a few more rides before it gets too icy or cold to ride outside. That will depend on her mental state.

[JB]

@Demerara_Stables

What breed is he? It’s less the mental maturity that I’m concerned with and more the physical maturity. The mental preparation gets there when you spend more time with them.

Breed is pretty irrelevant, as equids as a whole follow a pretty predictable progression of growth plates closing. Pony breeds (not just a horse who ended up pony sized) tend to close a little earlier, large horses tend to close a bit later, but those aren’t the norm/average

At 3, it’s much more about mental readiness than physical. There’s no 3yo who can’t physically be backed, unless maybe he’s in such a butt-high growth spurt. Mentally, it may be a bad idea for a given horse LOL

@callyhan

he was 3 in July and he seems mentally mature enough to handle getting backed. I don’t want him in heavy work but I think it would be good for him to get the idea that a rider on his back is a normal thing. Hearing conflicting opinions though about skeletal and growth development, etc.

If a 3yo can’t physically handle an appropriately sized rider on for 10-15 minutes, 2-3 times a week, learning the basics of go, whoa, steer, walking and a little trotting, there are more things going on than being only 3.

I’d be much more concerned about good saddle fit, and that he’s not walking around with his head in the air and his belly dragging the ground, than a rider being on

[Demerara_Stables]

@JB

Breed is pretty irrelevant, as equids as a whole follow a pretty predictable progression of growth plates closing. Pony breeds (not just a horse who ended up pony sized) tend to close a little earlier, large horses tend to close a bit later, but those aren’t the norm/average

I agree that breed itself doesn’t make a huge difference, but I was just curious. A 3yo QH may be much more physically mature looking (meaning more muscle mass and not a lot of height left to grow) than a 3yo holsteiner.

I’ve yet to have a young horse in my program that isn’t ready to be sat on after I have them for 6 months or less. Some of them come as yearlings, some of them as 4yos, but spending the time and doing the appropriate groundwork has always resulted in a quiet, trusting horse, regardless of age. (Because this is COTH, no I don’t get on them just because they’re ready as 2yos, they all wait until 3).

@JB

If a 3yo can’t physically handle an appropriately sized rider on for 10-15 minutes, 2-3 times a week, learning the basics of go, whoa, steer, walking and a little trotting, there are more things going on than being only 3.

This is where a lot of (strong) opinions in young horse training comes in. OP, this might be ok for your horse, and might be the path you choose, but personally I see no reason to be on them before they are 3 1/2. I don’t do sales, and I expect my horses to be sound into their 20s, so I take things incredibly slow. There’s no reason to be working them “hard” (yes I realize that’s a very subjective term) at 3, and really not even at 4. It’s up to you to know your horse and your program (and hopefully you have a good young horse trainer to work with!), and decide what you think is best.

[CanteringCarrot]

I backed my 3 year old recently. I ride him a day or two a week with groundwork in between. We were basically at the same place that you are, OP. He seemed mentally ready, I did the prep work, so I backed him and he’s taken very well to being a ridden horse. I think he likes variety, so riding is just something else for him to do once a week or so.

I do a lot of posture work on the ground, and also make sure this continues under saddle. Fortunately, he naturally travels and carries himself quite well. Building up his strength before I sat on him definitely helped.

If you think your horse will take to it well mentally, then I would go ahead and back him. I think that a healthy 3 year old that’s been prepped and strengthened from the ground should be capable of carrying a rider of appropriate weight and do some light riding.

I just go as fast or as slow the horse tells me to, really. If I felt that my horse wasn’t ready, I wouldn’t have sat on him at all. I don’t back before 3, but don’t necessarily assign a number/age to all things. If one horse is ready at 3 and another at closer to 4, you just work with the individual horse infront of you, IMO.

[VodkaRedbullx2]

2.5 for backing. Light work. Walk trot saddle bridle routine etc. Turn out for winter and restart in the spring. Better start early before they hit gnarly growth phases. Teeth eruptions, growing pains. Just putter along. Also better start early before they become a 17 hand 5 year old with “opinions”…

[NancyM]

Skeletal structure matures at roughly the same rate over breeds, but neuromuscular development varies. Some big youngsters are not well coordinated, and thus are more easily injured with light work. Some breeds mature with their coordination and strength slower than others, and these horses need to hold off on riding for longer. The size and skill of the rider is also important. A light weight rider who is well balanced in the saddle is easier on a young horse than a heavy rider who is not well balanced. Sessions under saddle with a young horse should not be long, or too strenuous. Horses with good natural balance and carriage are a better bet to start younger than those who don’t have these characteristics. Sessions with riding young horses should be short and sweet, and end on a positive note. At what age this should happen is very dependent on the horse itself… there is no hard and fast rule that applies to all.
With racehorses, the sport that some love to hate, the work done early drives to maximum bone density and joint surface development at the time of life most able to remodel these structures, leading to longer term soundness in the most demanding of equine disciplines. Horses left until 4 years old before starting race training are notoriously unsound. There is always risk that must be accepted, to start early, or to hold off on training, both have negative aspects. You must read your horse and weigh the risks that apply to you, and act accordingly.

[TheJenners]

A lot of people with Irish Draughts will sit on babies around the end of the 2 yo year. Like, actually just sit, maybe get led around, but get the horse used to sliding on and sliding off. The woman who backed my IDSH mentioned it as well when she came to refit my saddle to my 4 yo and was looking at my yearling ID that is nearly the same size, that she will sit on the babies at 2 just because they are so big, to let them get the idea. I don’t know how I feel about it but none of the horses I see seem to be any worse for wear and often out hacking around and doing stuff as early 4 yos with eager minds and minimal shenanigans. Not sure if I’ll do that with my moose, I mean filly, but if she keeps going at the same growth rate, I might.

[Kyrabee]

My mare was backed at 4. She was not ready physically at 3. If I had a do-over, I would have waited until 4 1/2. She was very late to mature (Andalusian/appendix QH) and was the equine equivalent to the 98lb weakling. With the package she had…narrow chest, small feet, and small bone, I decided to wait. I got her started and we did little to no arena work for the rest of her 4 yo year…just hacking, hauling places and ‘exposure’ stuff. She filled out a lot over the winter and was ready to go to work her 5yo year.
She is still going well at 22 (she is the horse in my avatar pic).

All my other horses I have started were started in the fall of their 3yo year, kicked out for the winter (no indoor) and put to ‘work’ the next spring. They were all easy to start (by me…lowly amateur).

[JB]

@Demerara_Stables

This is where a lot of (strong) opinions in young horse training comes in. OP, this might be ok for your horse, and might be the path you choose, but personally I see no reason to be on them before they are 3 1/2. I don’t do sales, and I expect my horses to be sound into their 20s, so I take things incredibly slow. There’s no reason to be working them “hard” (yes I realize that’s a very subjective term) at 3, and really not even at 4. It’s up to you to know your horse and your program (and hopefully you have a good young horse trainer to work with!), and decide what you think is best.

No disagreement here, there is NO WAY a 3yo is ready for hard work no matter what his physical appearance is like, no matter his mental acceptance. Even still needs careful work, solid basic flatwork. I CRINGE at 4yos going around even cross country courses where an actual jump effort is required because you know all that work started at 3

I don’t have a problem with very, very basic go, whoa, steer, walk in the fall of the 2yo year, a couple times a week, 2-3 days a week. I do think there are some horses who are opinionated enough that putting that level of “work” on them that early can be beneficial. If that work “breaks” him, it’s not because of the work, there’s an underlying issue. For probably 99.999% of horses though, there’s nothing you can do there that can’t be done at 3 or 4, and there are other non-weight bearing ways to get them ready for being ridden

[fivestrideline]

Some of the colt starter types I follow have a different approach - they want the youngsters going wtc (wjl) in the first few rides if possible, whatever the age. No frame, loose rein, minimal steering, just teaching them that they CAN lope under saddle. It’s an interesting idea, and the claim is that SO MANY horses started extra super slow, just walk and bit of trot, have issues with going forward or learning to lope under saddle. Get the go button installed early, I guess. A lot of race trainers are similar, they may do lots of walk and trot but the canter and swap is installed pretty early too.

Still, it really depends on the mental capacity and rider/horse build. Some are ready to start hacking around for 20 minutes every few days, some have baby attention spans and can’t handle much. A spindly, gangly, questionably balanced 3YO in the middle of a terrible growth spurt is different than something that is more balanced naturally.

As always, it depends. Avoiding awkward growth phases and teeth eruptions is a good idea, but very few 17h 5yos are very fun to start working for the first time

[Montanas_Girl]

@fivestrideline

Some of the colt starter types I follow have a different approach - they want the youngsters going wtc (wjl) in the first few rides if possible, whatever the age. No frame, loose rein, minimal steering, just teaching them that they CAN lope under saddle. It’s an interesting idea, and the claim is that SO MANY horses started extra super slow, just walk and bit of trot, have issues with going forward or learning to lope under saddle. Get the go button installed early, I guess. A lot of race trainers are similar, they may do lots of walk and trot but the canter and swap is installed pretty early too.

I’m of this school of thought. Walk/trot/lope (just a few strides) from the very first ride. Then, cantering with a rider isn’t a super exciting “big deal” the way it is if your ride the horse for months and months before ever asking it to canter.

I back my babies sometime in their two year old year. I have a June 2022 filly who I will be backing in the next couple of weeks. I get on them literally a handful of times. Walk/trot/lope on a loose rein with a general concept of steering, maybe walk over a couple of ground rails, and that’s it. Then they go to a specialist colt starter for 60-90 days in their three year old year to begin real work. By the time they come home from him, they can usually walk/trot/lope in and out of the arena, do basic lateral work, accept light contact, track cattle, trail ride, and just be good horsie citizens.

[findeight]

Have to clearly define “ backing” here. Some maybe thinking more like “ breaking” not just introducing the concept of moving forward with a rider.

[Bonnie2]

I have always started mine the hottest part of the summer of their two year old year. They are still impressionable children, still cataloging their world. You handle a foal the first day of it’s life and humans become as normal a part of the world as Momma and the grass. Tack and (gentle!) riding should be just another part of life. None has ever given an ounce of trouble. A couple days walking around the ring and a meander around the field with a friend and they’re done for the year. When you start “real” work is very individual dependent. We restart them and give them a little light riding each summer until we feel they are ready for more work. Starting them as “toddlers” is much easier than 4,5,6 when even good horses hit the “do I have to?” stage.

[Eclectic_Horseman]

Fall of their third year. Then put them away until summer of their 4th year when they begin work.

[Demerara_Stables]

I just want to add that the idea that waiting until the horse is older means they’re in some sort of phase where they don’t want to work is a myth. My career has been spent handling and riding horses from weanlings through 8yos, and there simply is not a trend that 5-7yos are more difficult to start. In fact, for the few I’ve started at that age, they’ve been easier because they’ve had 2 extra years of handling. Every horse is an individual, and doing the proper homework ensures an easy start regardless of age.

[Festivity]

For me, I’d prefer to very lightly back them as mid to late 3 year olds, mostly goofing off bareback getting the basic ideas. Then at 4 working up to more serious work. Mine are all personal horses that live at home and being able to hop up bareback in a halter for some relaxed fun when I don’t have time or energy for more is just as important if not more so than being able to go in a show ring.

As far as when to start the canter, I think a lot of that depends on the horse and rider. One extreme we had was a Haflinger x Arab mare that my mom raised from birth, did extensive ground work on, and backed herself. Because of physical limitations with my mom she wasn’t up for cantering the mare as a youngster so she ended up doing two years of walk and trot only. Eventually things worked out for me to work the mare when I came home for a visit from college. I did her first canter under saddle. She gave me a couple of bucks when first asked and I then gave her the option of doing a nice forward, round trot or she could pick a relaxed canter. After a lap and a half of a forward trot, she offered a gorgeous, relaxed canter, which was easier. I don’t remember her offering to buck ever after that or having an issue picking up the canter. So it can work out to teach the canter later, just depends on the horse.

[StormyDay]

As you’ve seen OP this is a very contentious subject
I sit on mine at 2. They learn to walk around the arena, stop and go. Maybe 5-6 rides. Then they get the fall/winter off. At 3 they learn to trot and canter. Then again fall and winter off. Then at 4 they start real work.
I want my horses when they are being introduced to work to think ‘oh this is super easy; I want to participate. I get attention and treats.’ And by slowly introducing work, they have positive thoughts about riding for years before anything becomes hard.

[callyhan]

This was what I was worrying about @Demerara_Stables

I plan on teaching the acceptance of a rider, being calm at a walk, maybe trot if he handles things well, steering, halt in the fall of his 3 y/o year and then wait until next spring for the canter work. I was just wondering if it was going to make things more difficult for me somehow to not keep him in consistent under-saddle light riding over the winter.