Opinions...please, on starting Options

[I love Tater]

Hello everyone

For those who don't know, I have a 16 month old filly that i plan on training for reining and cows, no futurities or big shows, just local, and equestrian team. I have heard that for the big shows people start riding their horses before they even turn a year, I know a guy who started riding his now three year old at 18 months. But my farrier says he will not get on his horses until 3 years. I have also heard some people say that 2 is the best age to start riding them. My filly is big for her age, but I'm still not quite convinced that riding her now, even light would be best for her still growing joints. Please give me you opinions on what you think is best or have done before. Thanks in advance!

[Skippysperson]

I would not start training them undersaddle at less then 2 years old. Some horses are not developed enough either body wise or mind. Only you know.

[Hibiscus]

In my opinion, it is best to start at 3. I will NOT ride a baby.

[Wild Rose]

You are right in thinking that she's too young for even light riding. There are many things you can do with training for a saddle without riding.

She's not even a year and a half, so I wouldn't even do much lunging right now.

[JakesMom]

I start them very lightly in the late fall of their two year old year. Just mounting, walking , giving, turning some trot, very little canter. And them put them away over the winter and really get them going in the spring.

JakesMom

[moondncs]

If you can wait until your horse is 3 she will be better off.

I read this a while back on HC and was able to find it and I thought it was very interesting and is worth repeating.



Wild Rose is the one who posted this originally, I just copied and pasted the following:

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There are lots of differing opinions on this, but I would wait till the horse is at least 3 years old before any riding at all is done.

Here is some information that was posted here on HC awhile back.



The following article is written by a Veterinarian and professor from one of America’s prominent universities...

Owners and trainers need to realize there’s a definite, easy-to-remember schedule of fusion - and then make their decision as to when to ride the horse based on that rather than on the external appearance of the horse.

For there are some breeds of horse - the Quarter Horse is the premier among these - which have been bred in such a manner as to LOOK mature long before they actually ARE mature. This puts these horses in jeopardy from people who are either ignorant of the closure schedule, or more interested in their own schedule (for futurities or other competitions) than they are in the welfare of the animal.

The process of fusion goes from the bottom up. In other words, the lower down toward the hoofs you look, the earlier the growth plates will have fused; and the higher up toward the animal’s back you look, the later.

1. The growth plate at the top of the coffin bone (the most distal bone of the limb) is fused at birth. What this means is that the coffin bones get no TALLER after birth (they get much larger around, though, by another mechanism). That’s the first one. In order after that:

2. Short pastern - top & bottom between birth and 6 months.

3. Long pastern - top & bottom between 6 months and 1 yr.

4. Cannon bone - top & bottom between 8 months and 1.5 yrs.

5. Small bones of knee - top & bottom on each, between 1.5 and 2.5 yrs.

6. Bottom of radius-ulna - between 2 and 2.5 yrs.

7. Weight-bearing portion of glenoid notch at top of radius - between 2.5 and 3 yrs.

8. Humerus - top & bottom, between 3 and 3.5 yrs.

9. Scapula - glenoid or bottom (weight-bearing) portion - between 3.5 and 4 yrs.
10. Hind limb - lower portions same as forelimb.

11. Hock - this joint is late for as low down as it is; growth plates on the tibial & fibular tarsals don’t fuse until the animal is four (so the hocks are a known weak point - even the 18th-century literature warns against driving young horses in plow or other deep or sticky footing, or jumping them up into a heavy load, for danger of spraining their hocks.

12. Tibia - top & bottom, between 2.5 and 3 yrs.

13. Femur - bottom, between 3 and 3.5 yrs.; neck, between 3.5 and 4 yrs.;major and 3rd trochanters, between 3 and 3.5 yrs.

14. Pelvis - growth plates on the points of hip, peak of croup (tubera sacrale), and points of buttock (tuber ischii), between 3 and 4 yrs.

...and what do you think is last? The vertebral column, of course. A normal horse has 32 vertebrae between the back of the skull and the root of the dock, and there are several growth plates on each one, the most important of which is the one capping the centrum. These do not fuse until the horse is at least 5 1/2 years old (and this figure applies to a small-sized, scrubby, range-raised mare. The taller your horse and the longer its neck, the later full fusion will occur. And for a male - is this a surprise? -- You add six months. So, for example, a 17-hand TB gelding may not be fully mature until his 8th year - something that owners of such individuals have often told me that they suspected”).

The lateness of vertebral closure is most significant for two reasons. One: in no limb are there 32 growth plates Two: The growth plates in the limbs are (more or less) oriented perpendicular to the stress of the load passing through them, while those of the vertebral chain are oriented parallel to weight placed upon the horse’s back.

Bottom line: you can sprain a horse’s back (i.e., displace the vertebral growth plates) a lot more easily than you can sprain those located in the limbs.

And here’s another little fact: within the chain of vertebrae, the last to fully close are those at the base of the animal’s neck (that’s why the long-necked individual may go past 6 yrs. to achieve full maturity. So you also have to be careful
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[exes blue eyed d...]

Hello everyone

For those who don't know, I have a 16 month old filly that i plan on training for reining and cows, no futurities or big shows, just local, and equestrian team. I have heard that for the big shows people start riding their horses before they even turn a year, I know a guy who started riding his now three year old at 18 months. But my farrier says he will not get on his horses until 3 years. I have also heard some people say that 2 is the best age to start riding them. My filly is big for her age, but I'm still not quite convinced that riding her now, even light would be best for her still growing joints. Please give me you opinions on what you think is best or have done before. Thanks in advance!

starting 18 month olds is really only necessary if you plan on showing in the futurities, since you stated that it is not your goal to do so, I would follow JakesMom's advice and start riding in the fall of their 2 y/o year. you should be able to walk, trot, canter then. Don't wait until 3, that is too long.

[Wild Rose]

starting 18 month olds is really only necessary if you plan on showing in the futurities, since you stated that it is not your goal to do so, I would follow JakesMom's advice and start riding in the fall of their 2 y/o year. you should be able to walk, trot, canter then. Don't wait until 3, that is too long.

Why is 3 years too long to wait?

[exes blue eyed d...]

I think starting a performance horse at 3 is late IF there is a choice to start them at 2.5.

A performance horse has A LOT to learn and has to be extremely fit, properly starting as early as possible gives the competitors (both horse and human) as much time as possible to get extremely broke and fit for their discipline.

That said, I would buy an untouched 3 y/o, wouldn't touch an untouched 4.

This post has been edited by exes blue eyed devil: Nov 4 2009, 09:23 AM

[Wild Rose]

OK, exes. I see. I didn't get that from your post.

[Reiner0227]

I would also agree with late in the 2 year old year. Because not only of the reason Exes mentioned, but also because I can see a significant difference in the work ethic of horses started at 2, and those started at 3. Most of the horses started at 2 I have noticed have much better work ethics.

That being said I am sending my mare out to get started next May and she will be 32 months old, so just 4 months shy of being a 3 year old.

[heza buster brow...]

I didn't dare saddle up my colt until she was two. I had worked with her on the lunge line and put an English saddle on her (I figured I had to
do something so I took the irons off)

[exes blue eyed d...]

I would also agree with late in the 2 year old year. Because not only of the reason Exes mentioned, but also because I can see a significant difference in the work ethic of horses started at 2, and those started at 3. Most of the horses started at 2 I have noticed have much better work ethics.

That being said I am sending my mare out to get started next May and she will be 32 months old, so just 4 months shy of being a 3 year old.

I agree as well, about work ethic, another bonus to starting a 2!.

[DiluteMe]

I also wouldn't start (as in riding) a horse until middle to late twos. BUT that being said doesn't mean you can't do anything with your babies.

You can start teaching them the basics of everything from the time they hit the ground on. This of course all in good working order and judging by each individual horses reaction. Some horses minds mature at different rates, just like horses bodies do the same. Each horse should be worked off of their mental capacity.

That being said my current long yearling has just started working with putting the bit in his mouth and carrying it. I put a surcingle on Tuesday to start getting him used to cinch pressure. I do longe but at the longest 15 minutes. Always on a wide circle, nothing sharp. I mainly do walks with him just like you would a dog. We go 1/4 a mile to the mailbox, then another 1/4 a mile down the road to say hi to the weanlings down the road then back. We go down to say hi to the neighbor a mile down the road. We do these things with a bit in his mouth so he can learn how to carry it, what it is, etc. you can start doing walks when horses are weanlings (which I started him with), and honestly the best, sane, mentally sound good work ethic horses I've had do the best from these walks. We get to see new things everyday.

[r_beau]

You'll get responses from EVERYWHERE on this one, as we've already seen.

Personally, I think they are never too young to do things like ground manners. Leading, handling, picking up feet, respect, etc. There's a lot you can do without ever getting on!!

I also like to put a really easy and really gentle 30 days or so on them in the fall when they are 2 years old. More or less to introduce them to the saddle, my weight on their back, giving to pressure etc. I might ask for a couple circles of a gallop for the experience, but speed is certainly not my goal.

Then turn 'em loose out in the pasture to let me be a horse! You'd be amazed at how much those little guys will retain.

And then I like to continue to ride lightly when they are 3. Again, I am NOT concerned with conditioning or speed or anything like that. I am focusing on them responding properly to my rein, leg, and body cues and just being exposed to them. I know that they are still growing quit a bit so I keep the riding light and short. Riding 5 days a week for 30 minutes each is better than riding 1 or 2 days a week for 2 hours, IMO.

I don't like to push or ask for anything serious (if going into some type of competition training) until they are 4. And even then, it's not a serious push (no running the barrels full helter skeelter or roping steers out of the chute). They are growing still too much for that!

In any event, I like to start mine slow so they are well productive and useful until late in their horse life.

[I love Tater]

Thanks all of you guys for the posts! they really help!Even though my filly is really good minded, I believe I will wait until she is late in her 2 year old year. Until then I will continue putting a really light, kids western saddle on, and getting her used to a bit. THANKS all for your help and opinions!!!

[dottie]

because all youngsters develop at different rates, it is crucial to look at your horse's current balance/growth. If the horse is currently downhill at the withers, (growing butt high) riding and training for maneuvers and balance will be tough. That said, most of the the futurity babies are all started at around 18 months or before. The ground work for the most part is done by 24 months and the trainers are on their backs.
You cant baby them too much when you first ride them if you want them to be show horses, they need a serious time frame, so be sure you and the horse are ready once you decide to get started. If you simply get on a ride lightly, you may create a horse with a poor work ethic that gets sour because the horse was able to take things easy/ for instance, not rolling back correctly can create huge issues down the road. When you ask for a roll back, it needs to be a good solid turn with a great departure, not baby steps, forehand turns.

[Zeusyboy]

My "baby" is now 4, and he hasn't had much more than a short light ride on him. But, that also has something to do with my lack of time.

By 18months he was saddled and bridled while lunged. At 2, I put a few short rides on him, and haven't done much with him since.

But, he's also quite smart, and matured quickly. By 18 months he looked like he was 2 and a half.


ETA: Just take a good hard look at your baby. Look at her legs and bone structure. Her body and mind will tell you when she's ready.

This post has been edited by Zeusyboy: Nov 8 2009, 08:32 AM