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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 974
  
Location: USA | What are everyone's thoughts on horses started late? Like 7 years old and only has about 20 rides . . . |
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  Northern Chocolate Queen
Posts: 16576
 
Location: ND | My opinion is NO THANK YOU! I've ridden plenty of those type for customers over the years & they typically haven't been worth the effort put into them. Most have had lazy "i don't want to" attitudes after all the years of doing nothing so getting them to WORK is a challenge. |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | I have nothing against them. I got my mare as an 8 year old with approximately 30 days as a 5 year old, and I sent her off for another 30 days when she was 9. Love her to death, can be a little difficult and a little hard mouthed and I think that could have been prevented if she had been started earlier and used earlier. But she has made a great horse, so I would consider one, but would prefer one started and used younger.
Edited by mtcanchazer 2015-02-02 6:16 PM
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 The BHW Book Worm
Posts: 1768
| I have owned 2. 1 was 6 year old double bred mr eye opener that had been untouched in a pasture. Old race horse guy owned her and had no business caring for horses with no help. I paid 1000 for her and she was to die for...the only horse with a SI on her papers under 90 was her. She was not even halter broke. After a few weeks of feeding her up it was apparent 6 years of less than great foot care and bad nutrition had taken its toll was not worth dumping the money into her for the 1000 small problems she had. I will say she was NOT lazy and did catch on very fast if i could have snagged her up as a 3 year old it would have been a dream. Right now i have a comming 5 year old with only 30 days and she is also not lazy and learning just as fast as a 2 year old. We are facing hoof problems we can bring back reasonably easy. so far i have made the conclusion that most horses that have been put on the back burner have some sort of baggage you have to pick up. Even if they were not started. |
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 Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | I've broke several that were 6-8 range that barely even led. The oldest I've broke out was a 12yr old stud horse and he turned out to be the one of the best horses I've ever had.
If you put in the time and do the ground work, older horses aren't any different than young horses -they learn the same.
The only difference I've ever seen is that an older horse is more confident and sure footed than a younger horse. Because of that, you can bring them along MUCH quicker and they stand up to mental and physical pressure more than a younger horse. If you do a half way job of doing the ground work, then that confidence can come back to bite you but you should have done a good job on the ground to begin with, IMO.
Look at it this way.... the majority of horses in the Mustang Makeovers are not young horses, they're older horses --- so they can't be all that bad! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1119
| I have one that is in her third month at a trainer, and will be there for at least another 30 days. From what my trainer has said, and what I've seen, is that the first month went really well. I had done all the ground work and had ridden her a few times (maybe 10, never outside of the roundpen), so she was able to be ridden within the first few days. Days 30-60 were pretty rough though. She had the "I don't wanna" attitude that SaraJean talked about, However, after the 60 day mark, she has really come along well and gotten a much better work ethic! I'm excited to see how she does over the next month or so. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1302
Location: California | I bought a 10 year old stud last summer who had 30 days as a 3 year old and then was never ridden again. He is a DREAM to ride. Collected, soft, great mover... I absolutely love him. He has the breeding of some of the best minded horses I know though, so that definitely helps.
I also got a 12 year old HUGE black gelding in two falls ago. He was bottlefed, kept a stud until he was 5 or 6, and just plain SPOILED. He had some rides as a 4 year and and here and there but I wouldn't say more than 60 days total. He took a lot of miles and attitude adjustments but he ended up being one of my favorite horses I ever owned (I ended up buying him from my client).
Last older horse I got sent was a 7 year old mare last summer with no rides. She was smart, too smart. She started out with some go and could drag her butt but eventually had that didn't want to work mentality. I put 60 days on her and then the owners took her back. Now she is a great trail horse though after a little time off from training. She just isn't going to be one who wants to go to work everyday. |
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Expert
Posts: 1432
| I've had several started when they were older with no problems. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 682
Location: Northwest | Dreamingofcans - 2015-02-02 4:09 PM
What are everyone's thoughts on horses started late? Like 7 years old and only has about 20 rides . . .
Fingers crossed, I just bought one (7 yr old/unbroke until 5/less than 30 days from then to now). She is bred very well and has a great mind. Her skills under saddle were non-existent so I started her back at groundwork/tying/trailering and we will be going from there. I am really hoping that she comes along nicely and takes to barrels rapidly once started on them. |
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12708
| SaraJean - 2015-02-02 6:14 PM My opinion is NO THANK YOU! I've ridden plenty of those type for customers over the years & they typically haven't been worth the effort put into them. Most have had lazy "i don't want to" attitudes after all the years of doing nothing so getting them to WORK is a challenge.
I second this! I got back a mare at 6 that had 'sold' as a 2yo. She hadn't even been properly tie trained, just out in a grass field being fat for those 4 years. I got her a few ground manners and sent her off to be started. The trainer called after a couple weeks and told me the only time she'd move with any energy was when she was on her way back to the barn. Never did get her past the 'I don't wannas!' This mare is bred to run and should have been a great barrel horse. Now I'm just hoping she'll give me some nice foals. |
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