Les Bunning

The main factors that need to be considered when determining how long your horse needs to spend at the breakers includes the temperament of the horse, your riding capabilities and experience with riding young horses, the type of riding you wish to pursue, the facilities you have to ride your horse in and how often you can ride your horse when it comes home.

The temperament of your horse can make a huge difference to the length of time. A relaxed, easy going, quiet horse that is willing and accepting of the tasks asked of them will take a lot less time than a timid, nervy horse that may be defensive and unwilling to accept the breaking in process. Not to say that the relaxed horse will turn out the better of the two. Often the timid horse with consistent work will become quite good, I would just be inclined to give a timid horse more time to become more solid with the work program. I have found a good thing for a timid horse is to take them to a point where they are achieving the tasks asked of them, then give them a spell for 2 to 4 weeks and take them back to the breakers for a refresher before tackling the training program yourself.

You're riding capabilities and experience with young horses makes a big difference to the time required. The most important riding capabilities when riding youngsters is to have good balance, independent hands and seat and to be confident. If you're not sure as to how you're going to go riding your youngster then leave them with the breaker for as long as you can and have lots of lessons when the horse is ready for you to ride. Don't take your horse home until both you and the breaker are confident in your riding; try to go back for lessons on a regular basis if you can. If you have another horse to ride do so to keep yourself fit and build confidence whilst you're waiting for your youngster to progress.

The type of riding you wish to pursue may require the breaker to spend more time putting specific basics on your horse. For example if you are pursuing Western disciplines then you may want your horse to go freely on a loose rein, know it's leads and have a back up and side pass established. If you want to do trail riding then the breaker could spend a lot of time on your horse riding them up the road and with other horses.

The facilities you have to ride your horse in makes a big difference as to when you can take your horse home. A round pen is perhaps the most important piece of equipment you can have for riding a young horse. Other facilities such as a fenced arena is of great benefit as well access to good riding trails or quiet roads can make your task a lot easier. If you can ride in company do so, the more exposure your horse gets the better and probably the more relaxed and confident you'll get too.

Finally it is important that a youngster is ridden on a consistent basis, generally 4-5 rides per week. If you work full-time, have family commitments or just generally don't have a lot of time to dedicate to your horse riding then the longer you can leave your horse with the breaker the better. In this situation having as many lessons and rides at the breakers before bringing your horse home the better. Many owners get disillusioned when their lovely going youngster doesn't continue on with their learning ways when they bring them home. It can be as much to do with the routine that is established at the breakers that advances your horse as the work that they do. If you just expect to be able to ride them when it suits you when you get them home, then you may be disappointed.

Do your homework on who to send your horse to. Ask to see their facilities and ask them all about their training program. Someone that has nothing to hide won't have any problems with these questions. Ask people whose opinion you value who they recommend. Don't ask every body or you'll get so many conflicting reports you'll be totally confused. No one person will keep everybody happy!!! Discuss with the breaker a program for you and your horse and try to keep your part of the bargain as best you can as you only have one chance to get this right the first time, you cannot un-teach a bad habit or vice, only discourage it and this isn't always successful.

Do some good preparation and I'm sure you'll have many years of wonderful riding with your youngster.

'Happy Riding'
Andrew Soper

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Amanda Howell - Eventing
Each horse is an individual, so the amount of handling, & how much experience you have with young horses, will determine how long you should leave it with your breaker. There are a number of factors you may want to consider when sending your horse off to be broken -

1) Your horses breed - some breeds mature a lot faster than others. Thoroughbreds, for example, are broken in & raced by the time they are 2 years old. Heavier breeds take longer to mature - for example, an Irish Sporthorse that is estimated to mature around 17hands, will take years more to grow & fill out, so it may be more sensible to wait until the horse is 3-4 years old, when his body is physically stronger to cope with the new work. Joints may not have matured & you will be stressing a weak frame, if you put too much pressure, weight & stress on the legs of a physically weak & immature horse.

2) Your horses' temperament - a calmer & more trainable horse will respond quicker & more willingly to the new experiences of being broken in. Some horses that have a tendency to be cold backed, for example, will require more time to adjust to being girthed up than others. If behavioral problems arise along the way, these need to be addressed before you can progress to the next step.

3) Your horses' natural balance & coordination - sorry, but some horses are just straighter, more balanced, & more coordinated than others! Some horses will be gangly & have legs that seem like an octopus, others might go with their heads up in the air - it all depends on the horses' natural build & movement.

4) How much handling your horse has had - if you have regularly handled your horse, it leads, ties up, has had its feet trimmed, has been brushed, worn rugs, even had a roller on, then it will be more prepared to be mouthed, girthed up & ridden. If your horse is going to be a giant, then it may be useful to break him in, then turn him out to mature, so at least he's been handled when he's not huge & potentially too big to handle if naughty.

5) Your experience with young horses - If you have had a lot of experience with young horses, then you may be able to handle your horse at a greener stage & do some of the finishing education yourself. This also depends on whether you have the facilities to train your youngster - a round yard, enclosed riding areas, quiet tracks. If not, then its advisable that you ask your breaker to take your horse through as many of the situations you may face before you take your horse home.

The most important thing is that your horse is broken in suitably for you to handle & ride. It is a good idea to visit your horse & watch the process of it's breaking in, so you can learn how to handle your horse & any of its quirks. You are better off spending money on a longer time at the breakers, than on hospital & vets bills if you skimp on the breaking in!

Amanda Howell

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Francesca Christie - Showing

How long should a horse be at the breakers?

Well now, that’s a Question…

I do all my own breaking except for the first three rides.

Well, time is something you need plenty of and be prepared to take and allow time if you want a good job done. Do not put anybody under pressure… it is your horses whole future!

The most important rule if you are an owner is do not think you might know what you are doing. Many horses have been ruined by people thinking it cannot be hard. I will just start mouthing him - STOP! Do not put the bridle in his mouth.There is a definitely a right and a wrong way, and a right and a wrong time. There is respect and no respect, and there is good fear and bad fear, and best you do not interfere!

Find a professional that you trust
How do I trust them? Well, I start by listening to them. If they say “…it should take X amount of time but it all depends on the horse and I can only go as fast as he will let me...” don’t think about the money, think about his whole future. If your breaker then says, “…the most important part is mouthing him and all horses are different…” then you know that you have jumped on the right tram.

As in all my experience if you mouth a horse correctly, which sometimes takes weeks, the horse will let a good breaker know when he is ready to ride, and 90% of the time (that is great odds) the horse will walk, trot and canter on his first ride. Be happy no one has been bucked off and your breaker is not trying to sue because you sent him a totally spoiled over handled precious pony that you adore and have driven mad from the moment his mother popped him out! Do not take away there natural instincts, remember the reason they let us ride them is due to good fear, developed through herd instincts, the pecking order. So… the answer is give them all the time they need.

Enjoy
Francesca Christie

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Les Bunning - ShowJumping

This is not a question a lot of us have to answer, because there is only a small percentage of riders that breed or buy an unbroken youngster. But if you are one of those who have to make that decision, many factors determine how long you would leave your horse at the breakers for. These factors may be: Is the horse for an experienced rider who might be able to take on a green broken horse and educate him. Or you may be a professional that has not got the time to do the early work on a young one and prefer that it stay at the breakers a bit longer.

You may not be confident to take on the responsibility of training a just broken horse.All these scenarios can determine how long to leave your horse with a breaker.

Once at the breakers the horses temperament and attitude to being broken in may also determine how long he will be with the breaker. As a rule, most horse breakers take between four and six weeks to get a horse mouthed and ridden to a standard were a competent rider can ride them,but if you think about the above scenarios one might decide to leave a horse anywhere from eight to ten weeks.

A responsible breaker should be able to tell you if your horse is ready for you. And keeping that in mind, it is very important point. Always choose a well recommended breaker and I feel if you are wanting to end up with a performance horse, you need to find a breaker that has some knowledge about the discipline in which the horse will end up in.

Some difficult horses are better in a breakers yard that relies on a strict routine (ie someone specializes in breaking in gallopers) and has a good reputation of turning out horses with good manners.

When you go to the breakers to pick your horse up, I would ride him there first and make sure he can trot a circle on both rins and canter on both reins on the correct leg and importantly starts to halt when asked. He also needs to tie up and stands to be hosed down ( I cross tie all my horses young and old stops them from fidgeting).

Remember, it is what happens after your horse leaves the breakers that will determine how well he goes on with the rest of his competition days. If you are not confident in taking your horse through the early stages you might be better leaving your horse at the breakers a bit longer or send him to a professional trainer in your chosen discipline until he is right for you.

All the best
Les Bunning

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