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What age should you start a horse?

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What age should you start a horse?

7K views 56 replies 15 participants last post by  I Love Lane 
#1 ·
What age should you start a horse for riding? I think you should start saddling them at age 2. But thats just my opinion. :wink:
 
#27 ·
actually they don't mature the same in every breed. Drafts for instance take a little while longer.

I think you can start your foal whenever you want as long as their fully developed in their knees and stuff. There is a thing were you can get that checked you know and most people do it before starting their two year old horse.

I don't see why you guys are getting so worked up over this i mean if you want to start a horse at a later age then do so and if somebody else wants to start at an earlier age then they can do so. All in all its not like someone is pointing a gun to your head and forcing you to do what they believe in its just opinions and thats what the forum is about.
 
#28 ·
Yeah, some take a little longer, but no horse is done untl 4 at the youngest.

Checking the knees is meaningless - they're some of the first growth plates to close. The spine is one of the most important, and one of the last to close around 2 or more years later.

People can state their opinions, but debate is all about saying what you do and don't agree with, and explaining why, so of course others will counter right back. I'm under no delusions that I can make someone change their minds.
 
#29 ·
Kyani said:
I am willing to listen to other points of view. I used to think it was ok to lunge a youngster, until I was educated otherwise.
not trying to pick at you Kyani, I have stayed well away from this topic but i have to say this - how is it any different longeing a young horse to letting them out in the field to run around like a spaz?? At least it is a more controled environment on the longe and they are not going to break a leg or go through a fence...... are you suggesting that all young horses should be wrapped in cotton wool and not move until they are 3 for fear over damaging their growth plates???
 
#30 ·
There may be differing opinions and muliple threads but they have been very informative. I am fairly new to having young horses, I have 2 that will be 2 in a couple of months. Because of all of you, I have decided to wait until they are 3 to start them under saddle. I had planned on starting this spring but will wait till fall and the following spring. I think I will go ahead and get them used to the saddle and possibly putting a saddle on their back but no riding till next year. See, all that opining and arguing actually did some good :lol: A friend of mine waits to start hers (Peruvian Paso's) until they are 4-5 I thought she was waiting a bit long but from what I have heard some breeds need to wait that long.
 
#32 ·
i cant remember who said it but warmbloods take longer to mature than many horses. not the other way around :)

put it this way, for those who are saying its ok etc etc why does it matter what we say anyways? ultimately you will do what you wish so why get so uptight? bottom line is that even if we dont agree its not like you need our permission or anything so why bother defending yourself? thats where arguments start. if you ask for an opinion you are going to get mixed answers and you should be prepared for that. it isnt only the people who see it your way that are going to reply.

sooooo over arguing and it seems that its the same few people all the time that are arguing :roll:
 
#33 ·
i am glad to say that i thought that i was just being a bit hard on some thinking that it was always the same few that seem to get into arguments - it is nice to know that someone other then me feels that way so THANKYOU Jazzy for having the courage to say what i was only willing to think :?
 
#35 ·
i think actually getting on them 2 but handling them from day 1 ... my friend has a baby and she is soooooo social able and we take her everywhere with us ... when she is 2 in Aug. she is going to be the calmest 2 yr old ever ... well that is things aren't going to faze her at all ... same thing with my 4 yr old ... she is english but i take her to western stuff all the time to get her used to things, i feel that it is going to make her better all around :)
 
#36 ·
Lol, I know I'm always in THIS arguement. Why else would I come on these threads :lol: Love a good debate, me.

Anyway, about the lunging thing (how many different ways are there to spell that, by the way? Must depend on where you come from) - it's the constant circling in one direction that places the strain, not the speed or impact of the work. Lunging on a MASSIVE circle wouldn't be so bad, but also very difficult.
 
#37 ·
horse_luver4e said:
Ok not to drag this out but where is there fighting? Can any of you point out where your bickering about?
sry but point taken your starting to argue with them about where an arguement is...just saying.


So Jazzyrider i read the post about your little young ones lol and it made me think am i getting the wrong impression out when i say 2 1/2 to start. When i say start them at that age i mean by saddles placed on them and no riding just light stuff. I hope i didn't get people thinking i meant riding by then haha i just noticed that i sent out a mixed msg there. Sry about all that. I'm glad i read your post haha.

But also my opinion my be different because i'm around quarter horses more and thats just the age most people start working with their baby's around here.
 
#40 ·
Jr_lover said:
jazzyrider said:
little young ones?? which post was that? lol i cant remember hehehe
hehe my mind is everywhere today i meant Vidaloco haha :lol: i think i was reading your post before i posted that and your name got stuck in my head just ignore my slowness today :oops:
lol ok :D
 
#42 ·
horse_luver4e said:
Ok but if this continues on about arguing and fighting when there is none. I'm leaving becuase I can't take it anymore. :x
My friend left too. :cry:

But anyway, do drafts mature sooner or later than stock horses?
i didnt say there was none i just said it wasnt aimed at you. dont be so worried that everything is aimed at you. i dare say your friend would have left because of the arguing not because of mods trying to stop the arguing
 
#48 ·
You know what the solution is? Stop it with the wanna-be modding! Let the mods do their jobs and everyone else just bloody post for christ's sake... If there's an argument, just go with it. If the mods don't like it, they'll do something about it. Why do we let these topics turn into a discussion on the nature of arguments on the horse forum? Then it becomes a big court case with litigation and quoting happening everywhere... Next thing you know, "what were we talking about?"

It's an argument.
It's thought provoking.
Yes, it does get out of hand from time to time but thats why we have members with 'moderator' under their username.
Whats the big deal? Personally I wouldn't want to belong to a forum where everyone posts the same thing over and over again and people go around without a single original, sometimes controversial thought to express. Talk about day-dreamy sugar coated robots. Geeez! :x WAKE UP!

And now, so that I don't sound like a hippocrite, something related to the topic...

When it comes to breaking horses, you have to know what you're looking for. No horse is the same and they all develop differently. You have to watch them and decide for yourself, based on their signs, when it's time to saddle up. I like to think it's a bit like testing the waters. If you're going to throw up a brick wall untill they turn 3, you're going to miss out on some of the horses that are truly ready to be broke earlier. You really have to tune yourself in. Learn from your horse, and ditch the cut and dry, weekly planner routine and begin to feel your way around things.

That's not so say there shouldnt be consistancy, but it shouldn't be so cookie-cutter.
 
#50 ·
Wow, 2 pages of arguing about arguing....that was exhilarating! :) :)

I lightly backed my stallion as a late 2 year old (walk/trot). I do think I might wait a bit longer with my next one though, and spend the 2 year old year exposing to saddle (but not backing), working on yields and bridle work from the ground...plenty to do from the ground that I think will make a better foundation for when I do start to ride. so I guess I am voting 3 now. :)
 
#51 ·
I have a question along these lines...

Those involved in QH or Paint futurities...are there ridden classes for 2 year olds or is it just halter at that age (I am referring to competitive showing).

If there are 2 year old ridden futurities, I can see why so many QH and Paint people start their babies so young...I would think that the associations are putting the pressure on there - I think that is a bit crazy to be competing at that age. :) That is a lot of physical and mental stress on a not at all mature horse.

Please someone let me know if I have my facts mixed up...I have a vague memory about it.
 
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