Age to begin breaking a horse????

Question

Ok first and foremost no I do not need to know what age to start breaking a horse. I break horses and I know the age that they are most generally started this is a question to see what age others think a horse should beging being broke. I am EXCLUDING TB racers and all racehorses form this question as we all know they start early. This is geared towards the all purpose riding horse! I am asking b/c I have noticed over the last few weeks as I begin to get more and more clients on my breaking business set up that folks are wnating their horses started WAY WAYY too early. I have a lady who contacted me about breaking her 14 month old colt... WTF??? And I have noticed on craigslist there are several 14-18 month old horses that are shwon being ridden by kids... (not a good idea) & by BIG adults.... (ok let's ruin some young bone by doing that....) Am I crazy or has anyone else noticed this and what age do you personally like to start a horse???

Answer 1

I like to start training them when they are baby not riding but just clipping and making sure they will let you touch there ears and legs and all different types of stuff. as they get old like 1 i meant just thrown a saddle on them and not ride them but just put them on a long rope and make them trot and walk and canter and train them to keep there head down or tuck. When they are two i ride them

Answer 2

I start at 2. Not at the first of the year but when they are physical 2. Then I put 90 days on them. Gound work, dirving riens and depends on how the come along about 15 days, I start getting on thier back. At first I only ask them to walk forward and turn and then get off. I just ease them up working leads doing light work never putting more than 45 min to an hour on thier back. After the 90 days they are turned out for atleast 6-7 months just to be horses.

At 3 I bring them back in and start doing real training for 90 day. Only after that do I concider a horse green broke. The perpose of the first 90 is to get them used to a rider and taking ques, getting all the ground work and basic out of the way. My personal therory is every horse will buck. Its better when they are young and don't know how, makes the trainig process a lot easier, when they learn that I'm not up there to hurt them. And when they come back they want to work. Not every horse I have trained bucked but, I am careful not to put too much time on a young horse. I do know the dangers. But if done right I think its a great way to train. But thats me. I see the reasons for starting at 3 and they are good. If you do a 2 year old right you wont have any physical problems.

OH and by the way I do not show 3 year old because I don't believe they are mentaly ready for it. I have seen too many screwed up 3 y/o because of that. I take a long time but I feel its worth it.

Edit- Ground work only-ONLY- at 14-18 and only very light work. Thats way too young to start a horse, young kids or not.

Answer 3

2 years.

Answer 4

I brake to ride at age 3, by that time the bones have fused but not all the way you still have to be careful not to work them too much. if you want your horse to live a long life free of arthritis you will wait until age 3.

Answer 5

Breaking a 14 month old?  Jesus H Christ!  

In my book, 3 to 3/12 is the ideal age for LIGHT work with a LIGHT rider.  No circles, no breakneck speeds, nothing  but work on the flat.

It never ceases to amaze me how some people just don't think about how the weight of a horse's first rider might affect the horse.  "It's a 1,000 lb animal, it can carry an adult no problem!"  Yeah - maybe a broke horse can, but these youngsters have never carried anyone before.  They WILL teeter around like a drunken sailor no matter what how small the rider is, so why make things any harder for them by putting a 160 lb person on their back for their first ride?

Misinformation about horses' growth rates abounds.  I know lots of people who think you can "feel" when the knees are closed (and no, these people do NOT happen to have x-ray vision).  It seems that some people think that once the horse *looks* like an adult, it's "ready".  I guess that's where the "break my 18 month old!" comes from...

One last note - I believe the breaking too early thing is most abundant in the US, as are many poor horsekeeping practices.  Why IS that?

Answer 6

I say its what kinda person you are.. alot of Quarter horse ppl.. ( that i've found im not saying anyone is wrong ) think that they should be broke at two year.. but i've found that a lot of arabian ppl prefer the horse wait to be broke at three... i personally think if the horse is big strong well worked and good on ground work it could be broke around 2 years and a few months.. but if the horse is small.. unhealthy.. weak.. not good on ground work.. disobidient. .should spend the two year old year working on all that stuff and wait to be broke at three years of age.. just my opinion

Answer 7

I agree with you. We start colts on our ranch under a saddle anywhere from 2-3 years old. We'll start riding them then as well, but only lightly. They don't have to go to work full-time until about age five. I would do groundwork with a 14 month colt but never ride him! That's terrible! Horse's joints don't even fuse until they're about 7. Eeeeee....

Answer 8

2 1/2

Answer 9

People who dont know enought about horses are usually the ones who make these poor decisions to break them early, people who are just money hungry, and treat horses like disposible products. They think just because its big the horse can handle it, giving no thought to the fact that its still a growing baby.

But the racing industry makes people think its ok for horses to be broken young.

Personaly I think foals should be handled from day 1, halter breaking, ground manners ect, but should never be ridden till they are minimum 3 yrs old, 4 years is much more ideal and they have a better chance of  not have damaged done to their bones and joints.

I have a prime exmaple for you, about how its the uneducated doing this. I saw an ad for a 2yr old gelding for sale, has been ridden since 1yr old, shes selling it for $4000 cos its fully broken at 2yrs old, and hasnt put a foot wrong yet. Of course it hasnt, its doesnt know any better yet. I sent this lady an email, I tried to be nice about it, but my anger got the better of me by the end. Keep in mind, I dont normaly do this sort of thing, but I was so mad at what I read. This was my email to her:

I was both shocked a appauled by your ad, as Im sure everyone else who has read it was.

No horse should ever be broken to ride till they are atleast 3, preferably 4. He is still a baby, his bones and body are still growing, would you give a 4yo child a backpack full of bricks to carry around?? Of course not, because he is a growing baby. You are doing this baby irriversable damage. I would hope you stop damaging his fragile growing body right now, turn him out for another 2 years, and break him to ride when his body is mature and strong. And for gods sake get an education.



This was the reply:

mind your own god dam bisiness!

for your information, we arnt even riding him out, he gets lightly ridin in the paddock! havnt even cantered!

thoroughbreds race as 2 year olds!

if i wanted your opinion i would have put a wanted ad out!

thanks for your help.... not!

oh and, he's already sold!

That right there is the problem, not enought education before taking on such a big resonsibility. Just because he hasnt been ridden out, or cantered yet, doesnt make it ok. Plus the horse didnt actually sell, its still advertised for sale.

Answer 10

we break horses too and we have had the same problem with clients. we had a lady with a 13 month old colt wanting him broke but we told hear it was way too soon and she got mad and said she wont tell anyone to come to us with their horses. generally i start groundwork with them at about when they are two and a half, then riding when they are more towards three.

Answer 11

Everyone I know leaves the "real" work until they're about 3. Leading, manners and groundwork etc is done way before that and just as a matter of course.

I think the trend of riding and working very young horses is worrying and ultimately destructive.

Answer 12

How's that foal of yours doing?  I'm foal watching now. Into my fourth night, ugh!!  

I'll probably get alot of thumbs down for this, not like I care though, but breaking for me depends on the mental and physical characteristics.  Two examples being, and talking about my own too personal horses.  I began breaking my draft cross at 18 months of age.  She is only 15.3 hands  so its not like she was going to be like her parents that were over 17 hands.  She was stunted obviously from malnutrition before I bought her.  She had good bone of course cause she is a draft cross.  I rode her for 6 months spending the first few months working on exposing her to the road and trails.  We worked on lots of yielding and commands.  I never rode her more than 30 minutes and didn't begin more work till she was close to 2 1/2.    I never hurt her and she's now going on 9yrs old.  Other example is my TB.  I began training him when he was a weanling.  I worked on driving him in his stall and in the isle way.  I put the chiffney bit in his mouth and walked him. I began teaching him how to yield from the ground.  I layed saddle pads on him and all.  He was always messed with in the stall not a ring.  Everything to make it easy on him when I did break him later.  I got on his back when he was 2 yrs old bareback in his stall.  Perfect angel!  I saddled him up when he was 2 1/2 and walked him around than plopped up on him.  I rode him around and everything that applied to him when he was a baby worked out perfectly for us.  I just had to be the first one on my baby and than at 3yrs old I sent him to VA to be broke for the track.  He's now four years old and hopefully will get a chance to run.  

I have no golden rule of age to break cause each horse is case by case.  I have no qualms starting a horse at 18 months of age but it will be done no later than there 3 years  if I can help it.  Even though I may back a horse early, that does not include cantering or galloping till waaayyyy later.  

Some horses need more time and some need to get broke early and anybody that breaks horses will understand what I'm saying.

Answer 13

I start working with horses very young with the idea that we are moving toward being ridden.

This means by age 1, I want a horse to lead, tie, and I want to be able to handle his feet.  I want to sack him out, take him for walks (not rides) and pony him aorund with older, seasoned horses.

At two, I start lunging, and working on gait control (not before afe two)  I get a horse used to wearing the bit, and we might do some ground driving.

By three, the age I start adding a rider to most horses, the basics are covered, their ground manners are perfect, and they have been exposed to a variety of things, so transitioning to being ridden is usually a piece of cake!

I DO NOT ride horses before three.  No exceptions.  Some horses I wait longer.  Just depends on the horse, his conformation, and what I think is best.

Answer 14

GOOD for you!  My horse (we have 11, but this one is mine) was broke at 3 years old after lots of ground work.  HE is awesome, level headed and BABY safe!  I bought him after 3 months of training and he was level headed and just gets better and better!  

He is now 8 any one can ride him from beginner to advanced.  HE will stop and not move if a green horn gets off balance on him.  HE never spooks, won't take advantage of any rider and was started right!

Luckily the breeder, trainer that raised and broke him goes over and beyond what many trainers do for ground work before he rides them.  Sacking them out, cracking bull whips off of them, packing them out on hunting trips.  They are exposed to so much, and have so much confidence before they are mounted it makes a difference.

We have two 3 year old fillies that we are sending to him to be broke...

Answer 15

Personally, I wouldn't even think about breaking a horse until at least 3yo. Business or no business I WOULD NEVER break a 2yo!!

Even at 3yo they aren't physically nor mentally ready. At 4 they are ready to start, although the easiest and quickest horse I've ever broken was 5yo.

At five he was wanting something to do, and once I had gained his trust I had him backed within 10 days of buying him. He was desperate to learn and was like a sponge. He soaked up new things as fast as I could teach them to him. 4 years later he is still with us and a fantastic horse!!

Answer 16

my personal opinion and theory is to let a horse be a horse until he is two,the reason for it is the mares and geldings will teach the horse more about its place in the herd than i can.then i start the horse with light training in small amounts and no riding.i teach them haltering,leading and ground manners and start to teach them with the help of a pony horse just the basics nothing more and this may go on for a couple of years.i don't break the horse until it is physically and mentally mature enough to under stand what is going on so the lessons are retained in the horses memory.i have trained many horses for ranch work and hitch and because i don't start horses too young they don't have the physical and mental problems that i see happen on here.to cut it short,i let a horse be a horse until the horse looks to me for direction and shows a willingness to learn,until then they are just part of the herd.

.

Answer 17

well i would think that if you would like a really good horse start at 2 but if you want it to be like in the expert to middle rideing horse start at 3 or 4  

      hope this helps(:(:(:

Answer 18

i would say 2.5 for saddle breaking.. so putting it on, putting a bit in their mouth and lunging LIGHTLY walk/trot only on a big circle.

then, at 3 years a rider should get on and walk for a few weeks, getting stop/go/turn,  then after a month rider should as for trot and continue with stop/go/turn training.

then i think the should go someplace.. a show to walk around, a trail something different.

i would stay at walk trot for 3 months? and the introduce canter.. at this point the horse is 3.5

then stay at w/t/c until the horse is 4 and begin POLES.

at 4.5 little jumps

and 5 doing 18"-2 ft courses..

i even though, so really you need dressage and jump and "go someplace" training throughout the process..

Answer 19

Who's gonna fix it?

Answer 20

So many people just want to ride their horse NOW, with no mind toward the horses' future soundness, which is sad.

Personally, I think AT LEAST three. There are some breeds that take longer to mature, and they shouldn't be started until four or even later.

...and for the record, I think racehorses shouldn't be backed until two or three, either. I think we'd see far less horses breaking down on the track if they didn't race until they were 3.

Answer 21

I agree with waiting til 3, later for a slight horse, before beginning weight bearing excercise.  Open joint capsules are open joint capsules, no matter how tall or fat the yearling is.

Riding them young is among the shameful "traditions" that have plagued TWH over the years.  I was appalled to go with a friend to look at a few 2 year olds...they were actually 26-27 mos. old, and the lady said they had a year of light riding on them.  

This wasn't some hilljack, inbred, eat an ear of corn through a picket fence backyard breeder whose number of horses was only exceeded by the number of junk cars in the slack barb-wired pasture...this was a skilled horsewoman with an eye for a good horse, with a spotless facility, top quality, well bred horses and actually a very sweet, genteel nature.

Answer 22

definitely at least 2 years

Answer 23

Ground work & handling from day one (leading, bathing IF warm enough, even loading in the trailer, put mom in, baby follows,putting my hands ALL over, mess with feet & start picking them up a tiny bit & have even started getting them use to clippers at this age.  Don't clip much, but I like to get them use to the feel & sound early, etc.)

Basic, no stress ground work, leading at the trot, backing, tying, etc. 1yr.

By age 2 I like to get them use to the saddle being put on them & cinched up, lunging for short periods, Leaving them tied saddled after they get use to having it on.  Might even bit them up for 5 or 10 minutes.  Will start slowly putting pressure on the bit to teach it to give, then go to tying the head around for short periods if the horse is accepting of it.

I do not saddle break horses anymore (bad back & left knee), but I want them well started when they go to the trainer.  That way I can tell them where the horse is & what needs to be worked on & then let them do their stuff.  Depending on the horse, but usually age 3 for well green & training them for what they will be used for no later than 5.

Now days, when we decide to buy a horse, we don't have time for training them anymore, we buy broke horses now.  That way we have time for the horses & everything else in our lives....

Answer 24

I haven't started one in awhile, but back in the day I waited until they were 21/2 to begin preparing for carrying a saddle.  I used driving reins and surcingle first, to get them used to the reins coming over their hindquarters.  I attached the reins to a rubber bar bit and once in awhile one would take off with me dragging behind hanging on to those reins.  I never believed in lungeing a horse this young since I thought it put too much stress on their immature joints to circle like that. Next I would saddle them, after prepping with a sacking out or two...and work with the driving reins run through one thing or another including the stirrups.  They learned to go, stop, turn, and sometimes back up in this rig. At around 3 if I felt they were up to it, I started mounting and dismounting, and that led to the first ride.  At that point I switched to a bosal and used it until it was time for finishing in a bit. Today I might do it differently, and do more different things with ground work, but I'm too old for breaking rank horses.  I'd still wait until around 3 on a quarter horse...longer for larger breeds that take longer to mature.

Answer 25

yah thats way to early. i personally start riding when they are about 2 1/2 but nothing intense . i mean of course its always ok to get them used to the saddle and what not early but  riding them is a no for me. and i dont really start jumping until there about done growing because ive had many friends who have horses who were jumped early and are now lame and with joint problems

Answer 26

well, i agree with you. I would say you can start generally breaking a horse at two, but if you start breaking at two, you have to still take it slowish so you don't give them sway back, and it also completley depends on the horse, because every horse is different mentally and physically. i start breaking horses at 1 year and and a half sometimes sooner, but thats because i am only 13 and only weigh 90 pounds, so i am light enough that i won't give them sway back. but i still take slow for a while until they are two, because if you do heavy training when they are that young{like flying lead changes, sliding stops} , stuff like that you can also ruin their feet and legs. so i generally work on the slow stuff, just basic walk, trot ,a little bit of loping, and lots of leg pressure. I have a two year old now that is practically finished, but the biggest reason for that is because he has a really good mind and he is fit enough to take that kind of work. but my mom starts traing/ breaking when they are about 2 or three, but it really depends on the horse, their mind and their body. but i could go on and on for hours about breaking ages, what to do, what not to do, so i'll leave it at that for now. Also, i fyou have a lady that wants her 2 year old dead broke in 30 days, you have to tell that lady that it depends on the mind of the filly, if that filly is dumb, it will take more than 30 days to break her, if that filly has a great mind then yea it is possible. but it also depends on how good of a trainer you are, and if you can get her broke that fast. so again every single horse and trainer is different, so sometimes it's hard to say, but i definatley, definatley wouldn't start before they were one, at that age you could put a saddle on their back and let them carry it for a while, but if you got on their back at that age you would break, or at least ruin their back. if you want to talk more on the subject, go ahead and e-mail me.

p.s. i don't start barrels , any other gymkhana, or jumping until atleast five, if you start sooner than that you will definatley break their legs.