Breaking a horse

namurt

Hi all,

Just looking for some advice. I'm helping a friend break a horse at the moment and we've just been asked to break another. The first one had been led in a head collar for years before being broken and she's doing very well. The second one is 3 years old but we were told she hadn't had a head collar on before we caught her last week and she doesn't know how to be led.

We've been bringing her out and leading her in the head collar all week but we're just wondering should we give her more time to get used to that before we try to mouth her and put the breaking gear on her or is it ok to start mouthing her this weekend.

In one way we don't want to rush her (even though it would suit to have the two horses at a similar stage, i.e. only a week or two between them as opposed to a month) but in another way if everything is new to her anyway should we just dive right in with the breaking process.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Ave Sodalis

Taking your time is crucial in breaking horses, never rush anything and always do one thing at a time. It may all be new to her anyway, but she still has to take it all in. Make sure you can catch her and she's used to people before attempting to break her as she will otherwise be confused and agitated without anything to trust in

blacklilly

All horses vary but you are better off taking things slowly then rushing it with a chance of something happening which will mean taking a step back. a horse must have complete trust with you in order for it to be mounted for the first time.

namurt

Thanks sup_dude. I had a feeling that would be for the best but just thought I'd ask for other people's opinions to be sure. She's getting better, she did very well being led on a fairly long walk in the head collar yesterday. She's very strong but didn't seem as nervous which is great.

Blacklilly, we're a long way away from mounting her, wouldn't even dream of rushing to that stage.

Harric88

I'd try her in a happy mouth bit first. Just hold it up to her mouth with some food in the palm of your hand see if she'll take it. Last time I broke a youngster in I covered his bit in treackle or golden syrup just to encourage him to "mouth" on it. Even if it takes a month or longer don't rush her or she'll become headshy! Good luck

later12

I would differ slightly in my opinion to some of the other comments. I don't think it's particularly beneficial to keep your horse on the lead-rope for any considerable or concrete length of time. If she's been on it for a week, and you're considering moving her on, I presume you're making that consideration because you feel she is responding to your aids. If so, I'd be happy to move on to the next stage: handling and then introducing the tack.

We sometimes prowl too carefully around challenging horses. This filly is already being quite challenged by being boxed, led and being worked close to handlers. So whilst it's not a time to over-face her, neither is this a time to slacken the reins (so to speak). Make hay out of the fact that your horse is learning. By asking her to make progress every day, you don't give her time to learn any tricks or 'settle in' at this critical stage of her development.

While it's regrettable this filly hasn't been handled to date, I've backed older unhandled horses. One of the most bombproof horses I ever hunted wasn't handled until he was rising seven! The important thing is you keep her moving, keep making progress. Never sit back with a horse in training. Like children, horses crave for consistency.

She associate you with challenges that she can adapt to, so as long as she adapts, keep challenging.