# Dead Broke/Bombproof



## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

They're used fairly interchangably but some people call colts bombproof even though they are not broke to ride where "dead broke" implies they are broke to ride. 

Be careful though as no horse is really bombproof or dead broke. That's what we get for having a love of animals which have a mind of their own. Sometimes they have bad days or a shadow is going to eat them.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

No difference -- they are both myths!

Seriously though, deadbroke to me means that the horse is very stable in its training. If you tell it what you want, it will do it. That may be for riding or harness. Bombproof to me means that the horse will not shy at most things in most environments.

But as Spastic Dove says, every horse has its day. You must always be ready for anything regardless of a horse being deadbroke and bombproof.


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

I heard the term used to mean the same thing, really...it just means a really well trained horse; one you "should" be able to put anyone on and expect that horse to perform reasonably well, regardless of his rider's experience. 

For example, my mom's old Arab gelding is what I would consider pretty bombproof...he is good with any age passenger, and is good no matter where you take him. 

My mare, while she is well trained, is not bombproof yet. While I can ride her and do tons of things with, I can't put just anyone on her and expect her to act the same way. She would get too confused still, and rather than risk someone getting hurt, if I put someone on her, it's always on a lunge line, where I control her feet, and the rider can concentrate on learning how to balance.


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## ppickett21 (Feb 5, 2009)

Thanks for the responses. I didn't really think there was a difference, but I have a rescue OTTB 19 years old mare that I was told is dead broke. I know that she was used as a broodmare for how long and how many foals I don't know. She is a very sweet horse and laid back, but I haven't been on her yet she is 16h and I am 50 yrs old and the ground isn't as forgiving as it use to be. She weighted 750lbs when she was rescue and now 1033 so she still have a couple hundred more lbs to gain so I haven't taken the chance of getting on her yet. Do ya'll think the first thing I should do is put a saddle on her and lunge her? If not please tell me what would be the best thing to do.


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

If you're at all unsure of what this horse may do, concentrate for a few weeks on JUST ground work; gain her respect there first, then start thinking about the saddle. 

Get her moving her feet in every direction for you; hip and shoulder yielding, backing, lunging, changing directions, etc...it might be good for her too, just to get back into the swing of things before being worked undersaddle. That's what I would do anyway...I always make sure a horse is responding well to my cues from the ground, before even thinking about getting on him. Especially a horse who may not have been ridden in some amount of time!


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Dead broke and bombproof are typically used interchangeably, but if you want to split hairs, I use bombproof to describe how 'spooky' the horse is and deadbroke to describe the experience, willingness and _consistency_ of the horse.
Although training is important, in my experience the number of miles under saddle in different environments/situations together with age and the _genetic disposition_ (which you have no control over) of the horse are even more important to how bombproof/dead broke a horse is or ever can be.
Although some folks say they are both myths, if you look at the range of horse behaviors out there, you can get pretty **** close.


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