# Age to break her in?



## Nkwilkins (Oct 21, 2014)

My filly is 2 after Christmas and I was going to start her with light work about 3 and just work on groundwork for the next year. 
She is a section D and she is big built.

Two of my friends who have worked with horses before (race horses) are saying I should start her when she's 2 because she will learn to throw her weight around as she gets older and she will be harder. Apparently the longer I leave her the worse she will be and she will be easier to teach at a younger age.

Personally I think she is too young and not physically or mentally ready! 

Opinions?


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Get her used to the saddle and very short rides of perhaps 20 min at the walk to start. She will need to learn to stand still whether you mount from the ground or the saddle. Short sessions that go well are often more beneficial that longer ones. I was working on getting my mare to step into the canter from the walk. The first time she did it, we cantered 3 or 4 paces then I stopped her, dismounted, loosened her cinch and put her away. The next day she did it beautifully which I again rewarded her by putting her away. The second session, with some trotting warmup lasted less than 10 min.


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## MaximasMommy (Sep 21, 2013)

I googled it and came up with this
"Generally speaking a Section A Welsh pony is mentally and physically mature enough to start under saddle lightly at three years. Section B Welsh ponies don't mature mentally until at least four years and physically until 6 years, and this goes for the Section C Welsh pony of cob type and the Section D Welsh cob also. As everyone knows horses truly mature later than a pure pony breed; and those pony breeds that have had horse blood introduced for size also mature later both mentally and physically. Please see the article below which explains the physiology of growth."
(Source)


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## WildAtHeart (Jul 17, 2013)

If you don't think she is ready then trust your gut. You can never have too much groundwork anyway . Horses all mature differently.
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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

Working with race horses usually is different than other horses. They are trained young, used and abused, and thrown away. Not saying all are but it is common. 

There also is a difference in their training. Many race horses aren't trained to have good ground manners. They are trained to just race. 

It is your choice as to when you want to start your horse for riding. However, you shouldn't wait to start training. You can work on ground manners and exposing her to different stimuli.
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## Roman (Jun 13, 2014)

I'd get her used to the tack, moving with the tack, and perhaps ride her for a short distance for a short time. Leave longer riding times and distances until she's 3 or 4.
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## BreakableRider (Aug 14, 2013)

I prefer to start at three. It gives the horse enough time to mature while still being at an age where you can easily build bone density with correct work. Physically speaking, a horses skeleton matures at the same speed regardless of breed. However some breeds can outwardly appear more mature sooner. 

If you do your groundwork correctly, starting her at an older age WILL NOT hurt at all. I have started 18 year old horses under saddle and after proper groundwork, they are just as easy to start as youngsters.


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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

There is no evidence to suggest that horses are later in maturing than ponies. In fact, there IS evidence that has shown that ALL breeds, no matter size, mature at the same rate.

OP - waiting will be better for her in the long run IMO. Even 3 is earlier than I would start a youngster, I am a big fan of a start just after their 4th birthday. 

On another note, your friends are silly. Anyone who has watched a week old foal playing knows that even that young, they know how to throw their body around. And anyone that has had the pleasure of dealing with a horse that has had the right groundwork put into them knows that the well mannered horse doesn't throw their weight around in malice at all. Only a confused or ill mannered horse does, and you have plenty of time to build manners in your girl.


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## IonaDevon (Nov 19, 2014)

my mare is 3 yrs old and i have just started to put a saddle and bridle on her i walk her up the lane and let her get use to the saddle, you can never do too much ground work  but you can also start her at 2 and a half year old putting a bridle on her and a saddle and let her get use to it, and also lay over the sides of her and let her get use to some weight, but dont do too much  good luck with her


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## ArabLuver (Aug 27, 2014)

I would do practically everything on the ground until 3, and then start LIGHTLY riding until 4.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Nkwilkins said:


> Two of my friends who have worked with horses before (race horses) are saying I should start her when she's 2 because she will learn to throw her weight around as she gets older and she will be harder. Apparently the longer I leave her the worse she will be and she will be easier to teach at a younger age.


Absolute codswallop is what came to mind when I read this.

I got my draft cross gelding as a 15hh, 1200lbs 2yo barely-handled stud colt. He had just turned 2 eighteen days before I bought him. I halter broke him (he basically knew how to wear a halter and pull whoever was leading him to the turnout and back) and did ground work for the first few months, then we broke him out just shy of two and a half. Because life happened, he ended up sitting with a ride here and there from the time he was three and a half until now (he's five and a half now). He's now 16.3hh and 1500lbs. I can honestly say that I wish I would have waited until he was at least three, more like four, to start him. He was too much of a baby mentally still and didn't understand what was being asked of him. Now that he's older, he gets it a lot quicker and is actually easier to work with/doesn't fight me nearly as much.
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