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Please Help! 3yr old backing

3K views 24 replies 12 participants last post by  countrygirl93 
#1 ·
Hello there, my name is Laura and I own a 3 year old warmblood cross pony with cloverhill bloodlines.
I have owned Jess for 2 years now and over the past year we have been backing her. in the winter I used to sit on her int he stable (I know it's dangerous, I didn't know wat the time), was led around the yard bareback.
In the summer we lunged her around her paddock and she did very well and showed signs of moving on, so I got on her (with a saddle) and was led up and down the paddock, with no problem.
She is mouthed in a happy mouth bit, but what i'm scared about is what she did with me in the summer, she was being lunged in the saddle and had side reins on. I was lifted on to her and I was led in a couple of circles before she completely exploded. Of course I bounced which made her worse (the sitrrups were tied underneath her belly so i gripped on to the saddle) Bucking, rearing, jumping , spinning, you name it.
She will be four years old next spring but her problem is she shows signs of moving on but then she explodes.. Please, can anyone help? I'm only 16 and I don't want to be injured abnd don't want to sell her.
 
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#3 · (Edited)
Ahhh! DO NOT EVER ride a horse in side reins or with the stirrups tied up (under her belly?!?!!?!) :/ that sounds like a bad idea!

She has already gotten away with blowing up and getting a person off, so this behavior needs to be stopped before she decides to continue on with it and hurt herself.

We don't want you hurt either.. so I would definitely find a trainer! They can help you figure things out with your 3 year old.

Good luck :)
 
#6 · (Edited)
Hmm, well if she can't get a trainer till spring.. then she needs to work on RESPECT (manners :P) TRUST through groundwork, and sacking the horse out WITHOUT SIDE REINS. Your 3 year old should not be in side reins if she has the tendency to blow up! That's going to get her in trouble :/

For basics.. I think once she can effectively lead her horse and "send it" places (almost like lunging but at a walk) then she can work on lunging. And once her horse lunges well, then you can work with the trainer on side reins and the actual riding!

I wouldn't use side reins until the spring when you have a trainer to help you though!!! <--- notice how I'm repeating it :P


GOOD LORD that's a huge buck!

Have you checked to make sure her tack fits??? That it's clean.. have you checked her teeth and checked if she's sound?
I wouldn't be on her without that trainer!! Put the lunge line away and work on the lead line. You yourself need to learn to use the lungeline properly or you could get your horse or you seriously hurt :(


EDIT: In the picture you have stirrups and reaaally short reins...... was this another time or was this the time you wrote about? Also is that a purple whip jammed between her bridle and kind of flying around?!!?!?
 
#8 ·
Im very surprised that you are not only lunging a youngster, but also in side reins. I guess things are done different over here, but in the UK warmbloods are considered slow growers and starting them too early can cause problems.

Lunging is not great for young horses as it's put unnecessary stress on their joints and long lining is so much more beneficial to a horses training and learning experience. Side reins are a useful tool, but I wouldn't recommend them with a young horse who hasn't got the basics right yet and in fact I don't like using them much at all. I think like any aid they should be used to reinforce the rider aids and it sounds to me like you want her head in a contact so it mimics contact from the rider to the bit. Unless you have a trained horse that can engage properly, you shouldn't be forcing in into an outline.

I think by exploding on the lunge she herself is letting you know that she feels over faced and isn't sure of what is going on. I would go back to basics and concentrate on long lining her to get her confidence up and also get her working and listening correctly.

Long Lining | Intelligent Horsemanship at Moor Wood Stables with Adam Goodfellow and Nicole Golding
 
#13 ·
I know I haven't explained it very well, I was trying to upload the photo to show what was happening, but the lunge whip wasn't being used to punish, which is what it looks like. Her stirrups were tied below her belly (which again is stupid, mum's idea) She was alwaso wearing a neck strap but when i grasped on to that it got worse (yet another silly thing to do), I have no experience so it was my first reaction, thankyou :)
 
#10 ·
Hmm, well if she can't get a trainer till spring.. then she needs to work on RESPECT (manners :P) TRUST through groundwork, and sacking the horse out WITHOUT SIDE REINS. Your 3 year old should not be in side reins if she has the tendency to blow up! That's going to get her in trouble :/

For basics.. I think once she can effectively lead her horse and "send it" places (almost like lunging but at a walk) then she can work on lunging. And once her horse lunges well, then you can work with the trainer on side reins and the actual riding!

I wouldn't use side reins until the spring when you have a trainer to help you though!!! <--- notice how I'm repeating it :P


GOOD LORD that's a huge buck!

Have you checked to make sure her tack fits??? That it's clean.. have you checked her teeth and checked if she's sound?
I wouldn't be on her without that trainer!! Put the lunge line away and work on the lead line. You yourself need to learn to use the lungeline properly or you could get your horse or you seriously hurt :(


EDIT: In the picture you have stirrups and reaaally short reins...... was this another time or was this the time you wrote about? Also is that a purple whip jammed between her bridle and kind of flying around?!!?!?
This is the time that I wrote about , scary :/
 
#12 ·
I'm glad you're okay :) but I think she needs a slower more solid start before you bring in lunge lines, whips (yikes!), really short reins. She definitely looks overwhelmed.

Slow things down :) When you get a trainer, then it'd be more consistent and her training would progress more. But only once she understands the basics of respect, space, and release!
 
#14 ·
You've over faced that horse. Reins and a bit with signals from you, cavesson and side reins and signals from the person on the ground and her young brain has gone into meltdown.

Obviously a picture is only a snapshot in time and not a great indication of what happened, but I would question the person lunging...Why is their body language blocking the horse? (right shoulder into the horse) I'm guessing the horse has turned around as the person lunging has the lunge line and whip in the wrong hands. The side reins are twisted and too tight (even tying to evade and buck she still has her head pulled in). Well done on wearing a body protector and hat although I can't see that the stirrups are tied under? It seems your feet are in them.

Stop and go back to basics otherwise you are going to have a serious issue on your hands. It takes no time at all to turn a good horse bad when they are young. Try not to be too upset though, you're doing the right thing by asking questions and it's clear you're trying to do the best for your horse.
 
#16 ·
how were they tied, exactly? I'm also seeing them at a normal length with your feet in them...

You've been given some good advice. Slow down, take it one tiny step at a time. Three year old horses are still immature and over-stimulation is the main cause of disasters with young horses all across the world. Adding side-reins, a cavesson, a saddle, a lunge line, a rider, and a whip to an extremely green horse is like tossing a fifth grader into algebra. They can pretend to understand, but within a very short time- they're overwhelmed and they blow up. In this filly's case- I mean blow up quite literally.

Go back to the beginning. No tack, no lunge line, no side reins, just a halter and lead rope. Baby steps. Does she know how to back on the ground, respond to voice cues, and yield to pressure? If not- start here. You cannot ride a horse that does not understand that pressure is the cue to move, and that movement is the only way to stop the pressure. Teach her to yield to you at the shoulders, at the poll, at the neck, the hindquarters, and at the girth-where your feet will eventually be resting. She should move the moment you touch her after a while, no pressure needed. She knows what to expect and why. She should respond to the verbal 'woah, back, walk, and trot' instantly and obediently. Only then should you move on to something besides leadline work. I teach all of my weanlings and yearlings this from the start, making it fun and rewarding. After all, they're still babies.

Once she has mastered this, move on to just wearing the saddle. Repeat all previouse lessons with the saddle, asking her to yield to pressure. Lunge her at only a walk and trot on a 20-25 ft line, and teach her to change directions as soon as you ask. Make sure she is absolutely comfortable. Desensatize her to the saddle and your lunge line as soon as you're done.

always keep sessions less than 25 minutes long, and reward her with praise, a good scratching, or perhaps a carrot. Lunging should only be 5-10 minutes long.

Next, move on to the bridle. Do not lunge her in the bridle yet. Simply work on leading, giving to pressure on both sides of the mouth, and flexation. Once she is comfortable with this (I'd give it atleast three sessions) and not mouthing at all or showing wariness or hesitation, you can lunge her at a walk and trot with the bridle but no side reins. Draw up your stirrups- do not tie them in any way or form. Do not have both a bridle and a cavesson on at the same time. Pick one and use it. Do not interchange.

Babies thrive on short, meaningful, consistant sessions. Three ten minute sessions will teach her ten times faster than one thirty minute lesson.

I would not attempt to back her at all until you get a trainer, and even then- do it in a safe, enclosed area with few distractions. It'd be best for your trainer to do it the first few times, and please don't do it while she's on a lunge line! The last thing you need is for her to bowl someone over or trip on the line, or get whacked in the face like she did in the picture. No whip should ever be used on a green horse.

Otherwise...I don't really know what to say. Don't make rash decisions, alawys have an experienced handler with you, and don't overestimate your filly's maturity. She may just need another 6 months or a year of being a baby. Horses mature at different ages, just like people. You can't mature a horse by throwing stuff at it. It just comes with time.
 
#18 ·
So, is sending this horse to a trainer an option? Cause if I couldn't handle what that horse is doing, i'd let someone more experienced have a shot.

I'm 16 too, but I believe I've had more experience with buckers and brats. Heck, I got hired to train problem horses and horses with bucking and other kinds of bad habits. My 3 year old was a bucker, but I learned that if I worked her at a trot and got her to be round and soft for a few minutes, I could ask her to do whatever I wanted. Maybe you just have to find what makes your horse work for you. For both of you.

What these people have been saying is all good advice.
 
#19 ·
I'm going to tell you, from first hand experience, get a trainer.

I have a coming four year old who I've also had for two years. I took her training as far as I could with my own knowledge, but it got to the point where I didn't know what I was doing anymore, which it sounds like that's where you are, too.

So, I swallowed my pride and called in a trainer.

It was by far the most well spent dollar I've ever spent on my horse.

I could only afford 30 days, but this got me a solid, and SAFE, walk/trot.

A professional's help is invaluable.

And I'm 18, so we're not far in age, either.
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#20 ·
That is a huge buck. I agree with sky manners is key to a good foundation. I have a 1 1/2 year old gelding who can be a lil tinker at times but i only have to raise my voice and pull the headcollar before he calms down and respects that im incharge. Their only going to get bigger so you need to take it slow and work on trust.
Hopes this works :)
 
#21 ·
Alot of what these people are saying is great advice. If you can't handle him find a trainer. You don't want to get hurt if you you don't understand enough to fix the problem. If you can't afford something like that study up on why your horse is doing that and what the reasons could be. Check all reasons off, including you doing something wrong or him/her being in pain. After that is assessed try working on all the groundwork and manners first(like previously mentioned). You want to learn with your horse in a safe way and the ground is the first place you want to start. Try different angles of approaching the situation. Every horse is different and learns at a different pace, just like we do. Some you have to be more patient with cause they need more repitition and some learn after a few times and will do it right on cue everytime after that. It just depends. That horse wouldn't act that way under saddle if it had an understanding of exactly what you were trying to get across to him/her. You might have been asking in the wrong way. Sending too many signals is often the problem with people still learning themselves usually because they don't know the right way of getting it across to their horse. Ultimately you want your horse to work with you instead of against you. Use the internet, it works wonders. There are hundreds of trainers that have their training help online. If you need some references there are a few big names you could look for that do the job right the first time: lynn palm, clinton anderson, pat parelli, john lyons(his son does more now). If you are into horses I'm sure you've heard of many of them. They are all natural horsemanship trainers who have shared their methods of training making the cowboy days of "breaking" a memory of the past. Most of them work western(lynn palm does both...she's personally my favorite probably because she shocked the world with being the first person to win 2 superhorse titles on the same horse, the famous Rugged lark...r.i.p and she made brideless riding a thing to accomplish) Just like mentioned before youtube is a wonderful tool, but don't forget about forums like this one, magazine articles, live clinics, and the infamous rfdtv channel if you get it. Investing in buying training videos for references really helps too. If you needed help further don't be scared to ask. We are all here to help one another. I'm sure we all have our own personal expertise in the horse world and we are on here for the same reasons. We love horses and we want to give help as much as we want to recieve help. I hope that helped. Happy training.
 
#22 ·
I can understand why your mum wanted to tye the stirrups underneath but that's acturally the wrong point. Its supposed to be done to get the horse desensatized (sp) to feeling the sturrips against the sides without any banging against the animal and shouldn't be done with a rider on board.
She looks like one very over phased young horse, I'd go right back as I have found because you can do something quickly doesn't mean you should.
I'd be looking for a trainer so you can get help with these problems.
Also on a side note your mum should really be wearing a riding hat, glooves and preferably a body protector when lunging.
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#23 ·
I'm sorry, but you said you are 16 and have no experience..at least with breaking a horse? WHY would your mom put you on an unbroke 3year old??? I'm a mom and would NEVER do that. Glad you are ok. Your filly needs to learn to balance with the rider's weight before putting side reins on to teach head carriage. My suggestion would be to send your girl to a trainer who actually knows what they are doing. :)
 
#24 ·
Also...always end on a GOOD NOTE! Even if you work her (round pen) for 5 minutes, short and sweet is a good thing. She will learn to trust you more as well. Horses are flight animals, if they are scared, they will blow up, run, etc. Patience is important, but with calm authority. TRUST is a huge thing with them. :) Good luck kiddo....you can do it. Like the others said, back to basics with her, doesn't look like she's ready to ride yet.
 
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