# 3 Days To Saddle Break?



## Mewlie (Apr 14, 2017)

Until you see the horse and get a feel for its personality, there are no guarantees of anything. I have personally worked with a horse that took a mere week to go from halter-broke to solid puttering around at the walk and trot (the horse would canter, but not consistently). So, while it's not impossible to have a horse accepting a saddle, bridle, and baby steering in three days, you need a horse with a certain mindset and far more than an hour a day for it to work, at least in my experience.


Be up front with this lady and realistic in your estimation of time to train for what she wants. If she doesn't like it, so be it. She can try her luck elsewhere. Your safety and sanity come first.



I can't offer any advice on pricing your services, as it differs mightily depending on where you live. I recommend researching what others are charging in your area for the basic 30 days "starter kit" and work from there.


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

I probably wouldn’t do it if I were you. She doesn’t seem very realistic. Best case is that she does have the horse ready for a person to ride, but if this is true then there is a reason she is not doing it herself most likely. Worst case is that she’s seriously ignorant of horses. Either way doesn’t sound fun to me.


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## Kaifyre (Jun 16, 2016)

I agree with Knave. You can on occasion get a horse decently moving out under saddle in a week or less but only with extensive groundwork, and only if the horse has a really good mind, and only if you're putting in more than an hour a day. Run away, don't walk. 


-- Kai


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## Boo Walker (Jul 25, 2012)

Heck no! Why be so unfair to an admittedly rude horse and expect anything of value to happen in 3 hours? A lawsuit waiting to happen on so many levels!


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

agree - RUN do not walk AWAY from this person. I would say that a green horse - even with 30 days of training is still a VERY green horse! 3 days? Sounds like a horrible situation for the horse.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

This does seem like an oddly specific (and unreasonable!) request. 
If you choose to move forward with meeting the horse and rider, stick with your typical hourly rate plus travel expenses.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I wouldn't touch it. I think a lot of folks definition of broke is way different from mine. In 30 days, I say a horse has been started, I never claim it's broke. For me a broke horse is one that steers, has a good whoa, backs up, walks, trots/jogs, canters/lopes from a trot but probably is random on the lead it picks. It will allow a bit in its mouth but probably isn't great at contact yet. Will flex but hasn't connected flexion with contact. For 3 days, I'd barely have started the ground work I do before I put a saddle on them. Depending on the horse, I might still be doing ground work at the end of 30 days and never sit on them. A horse with no ground manners (trampled her & bossy), would get extensive ground work before I ever thought of getting up on her. I'm totally not into getting hurt. She'd be doing everything I wanted in the saddle, from the ground, before I ever even tried. Not worth the time and trouble and totally not worth it for the money she'll pay for 3 days of training.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

I wouldn't touch that horse either --- not because of the horse but because of the owner. 

The owner sounds pushy, unrealistic, has no clue, and doesn't give a flip about your safety.

People like that horse's owner are part of why I stopped re-schooling horses years ago.

You don't need the money THAT bad


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I agree that there is too much here to go wrong. So many expectations on this lady's part, and it will be YOU , in the middle, who will lose the most.


I'd tell her that you need at the very least two weeks, or no deal. as for cost? I couldn't say. YOu'd have to ask around.


But, I bet you anything, it will be trouble with a capitol T no matter which way it goes.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I agree with the others. I would never take on a horse that the owner expects to be ridden in X amount of days. 

Not saying it cannot be done but, with what has been said to me it seems the mare will need more time.


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## Hackamore (Mar 28, 2014)

It’s not a sound idea to make training commitments before seeing or working with a horse. Be straight with your client and have them visit to see the progress after 3 days and then the client can decide if more training is needed. Now if the horse turns out to be as described it is very possible to have a horse confident carrying a saddle and at WTC and even carrying a rider in 3 days. However this would be very elementary stages of riding, consisting of carrying the rider in a round pen at WTC with very little to no direction. I am most always on the back of a horse as described above in this time period. Once they can carry me around and stay relaxed at WTC I will then start working on turning , backing, etc. 

Best of luck in your decision.


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

If this lady has already dictated what it is she is expecting when you have not met the horse or worked with it-PASS. I would never touch a horse if I had that little amount of time to break a horse. 
You need time to work with it, do proper ground work and de-sensitising before you can even consider it getting on. This lady sounds like trouble or REALLY lacks knowledge on realistic times to break a horse.


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## taylorms (May 30, 2018)

Hackamore said:


> It’s not a sound idea to make training commitments before seeing or working with a horse. Be straight with your client and have them visit to see the progress after 3 days and then the client can decide if more training is needed. Now if the horse turns out to be as described it is very possible to have a horse confident carrying a saddle and at WTC and even carrying a rider in 3 days. However this would be very elementary stages of riding, consisting of carrying the rider in a round pen at WTC with very little to no direction. I am most always on the back of a horse as described above in this time period. Once they can carry me around and stay relaxed at WTC I will then start working on turning , backing, etc.
> 
> Best of luck in your decision.



the horse hasn't been touched in two years and likes to walk all over people. I'm not going to put a saddle on her within three days when within three days, she's still pinning her ears and not giving me two eyes.


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## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

A. the owner must be sitting around watching Clinton Anderson advertising videos and assumes anyone can do that if she thinks you can have this horse saddled and riding in 3 days.

B. Before three years ago, I had no idea what it took to gentle a horse and train them. I largely still don't, if I'm honest. But I know darn good and well it takes way more than 3 days. 30 is just getting there and it takes a heckuva lot more wet saddle pads beyond that.

C. So, she wanted you to get three days in and then she could do the rest? Sounds to me like you are the designated guinea pig. She doesn't have the sand to risk getting hurt herself in those first 3 days.

D. Sounds like you dove into this despite the sound advice to run in the opposite direction and may be regretting it in light of your more recent thread.

Good luck.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

I was trail riding my breakers within a couple of days of the first ride... BUT that was with months and months and months of intensive groundwork.

My ottb's second ride as a pleasure/performance horse was a trail ride I trailered out to... BUT she had been being ridden on and off since a long yearling (as she raced... I don't agree with it but it is normal in racing circles). She wasn't a breaker, she was a retraining project, and those are different matters with different rules.

A horse with barely any ground manners? No way. I wouldn't get on its BACK within 3 days.


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## ZeroxCypher (Jun 26, 2018)

Agreed, agreed, agreed with everyone else. Definitely sounds like she just wants a taste of what the horse will do without doing it herself. I would definitely pass.


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