I start a lot of late starts working with a rescue. This is absolutely a thing. They don’t go like horses started earlier in life. The older ones basically never get there. You have a chance with a 6/7 yo but it’s not at all easy and feels just off as a rider.
And as someone mentioned above, 2yo is absolutely the easiest start. They are still in the non-questioning stage. Marked difference between 2yo and 3yo, and I think 4yo is my least favorite starting age, and I’ve done yearlings to teenagers.
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Plenty of other experts - actual experts in equine physiology and growth, unlike Bennett - have done research in this area for decades. See the MSU review paper posted up thread for a summary of all the credible, peer-reviewed research on this topic. None of them agree with Bennett, and I don’t know of any actual equine scientists who consider her credible on this topic. Yes, she accurately describes when various parts of the skeleton mature. But her conclusions that therefore no horse should be ridden before age 5-7 are based on nothing more than her personal opinion.
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True, one exception for us was starting feral horses.
We received 15 of those in late June and by early September most were nice school and trail riding horses.
They were from 4 years old to best guess some 8/9 years old, could have been older, males still stallions.
We thought the difference, why the feral ones were so nice to start, almost like 2 year olds mentally, is because they didn’t have any exposure to humans before and their absolute whole world had changed and they were trying to adapt, furiously and working with us to learn helped them, they were really involved, even the older ones.
As soon as they trusted you, they depended on you and could not learn fast enough to be better at this new life and they seemed to enjoy it also.
Everyone handling them also became very attached to them, maybe because they were so needy?
Yes, domestic two year olds are wonderful to work with, have to be sure to measure your steps, they want to work so hard, which is great also.
What is helping in the western world, where horses have been traditionally worked very hard, so starting them also, now many are learning that when you have to work hard, is ok, but to train, is not how hard to work one, but work smart and don’t overface, a bit more is not better, quit on an easy, good note, even if the horse may think it wants more.
We had plenty of colts that dragged when they realized we were going back home, home a pasture with friends, not a stall, mind you.
They loved to go out and find and move cattle, felt good to boss them around, I guess, even the race bred colts thought that was fun, plus we had spots they could graze for a bit on very tasty grasses on designated breaks.
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I have started all of my own youngsters. All but one of my lifetime of horses was bought as a long yearling. I always got on them in the fall of their 3 yo year. Did about 60 days then let them chill over the winter. I only had one that had lameness issues…an Arab with early onset hock arthritis at about 7 yo. This was very likely somewhat genetic as almost every sibling I knew of had stifle or hock problems as they aged. I should have paid more attention as the sire had issues too. Anyway, he has been the only outlier out of 4 (my sample number)
Current horse was a 98lb weakling at 3. Very weedy and slow to mature. I waited until 4 to start her and wish I had waited until she was 4 1/2. She was only worked very lightly at 4 and we started serious training at 5. She has been very sound. I wish I could say the same for me 
. She turns 22 next month.
I let the horse dictate. Are they ready physically? Mentally? Since I got to grow them up, I knew exactly what I was throwing a leg over. Most of mine are/were smaller breeds. Even my WB/TB cross only hit 15.2 so I err to the side of 3 yo to start. I am sure as heck not going to wait until 6. I am on the side of beginning basic exercise to help strengthen the skeleton and soft tissues. I would never opt for pointing a youngster toward any kind of futurity events or racing ( for my own horses).
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I just opened the article (shame on me for not doing it first).
…and I saw my own former charge looking back at me.
As one of Barbaro’s caretakers who knows far more about the situation than Dr. Bennett, shame on her. I’m cannot take a single word she writes seriously if this is the angle she is going to take.
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That speaks volumes, Texarkana. Thank you! 
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