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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
   
Location: Montana | My mare was green broke at 8 when I bought her. Had 30 days at a trainer getting a refresher and started on barrels at 9, didn't compete for the first time until she was 11, and now at 13 I'm sending her to a barrel trainer for at least 30 days as I feel like I need a little more help than I can give her right now...and the trainer I'm taking her to feels that older horses sometimes take to things more quickly. So I'm hoping things turn out well! Yet, I am pretty sure my mare will never make a 1d/2d horse, so I'm not expecting great shakes, just something to have fun with in the 3d/4d and maybe pull a few checks. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 331
Location: Loma Linda, CA | My mare is 8, well 9 by AQHA standards but her bday is in May :P
She is just NOW being broke. She has had about 30 days on her so far. I haven't even considered putting her on the pattern, but I do intend on it this year. Maybe over the summer or the fall.
My gelding, I started him on the pattern when he was 4, sold him, now he's coming back as a 7 year old and will be restarted on the pattern. I was playing with him last weekend and after 3 years off he can still lope a pattern, but we will be working on a lot of slow work before really entering races and stuff. |
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| rodeomom3 - 2014-02-27 2:22 PM
I think it is a plus to have a later start. As others have said, more mature physically and mentally.
Ditto what she said.
I would MUCH rather have an older one that is mature mentally and physically that has been started late. They haven't had their legs ran off and they last WAY longer.
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 Dr. Ruth
Posts: 9891
 
Location: Blissfully happy Giants fan!!! | I agree with most but I also want to emphasize janbabe's comments. Salty was broke broke broke when she came to me and a pure joy to ride. She has never been anything but. And I LOVE that. I believe she is 10 now. But she had some physical issues that didn't come up until we started running. It believe we have it all figured out but I think it is important to realize when they start running they are going to need some help transitioning their bodies. |
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  Sweet Tea
Posts: 3496
Location: Home of the World Famous "Silver Bullet" | our good 1D mare was halter broke at age 7. never had her feet trimmed. just run into a shoot given wormer and shots. she is a doc bar. so so smart. within a week we were riding her down the dirt road. got 2 more just like her. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 721
Location: The Great West | How old is he now? What's he running on a standard?
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 678
Location: Canada | We've bought horses (ok... well the SO has bought himself some rope horses) that I have got my hands on and started on barrels. The oldest one I started was 18 at the time and he became a solid 2D horse rather quickly. He was already broke, had been hauled to rodeos for roping so he was used to the sites and sounds and it just took some fine tuning (bending, flexing, lateral movements, and collection) off the pattern to get him ready, then when we put him on the pattern he took to it in no time.
I don't think the late start hurts them personally but IMO it does hurts the price if you are selling them. If you are looking at a barrel horse that is 9 or so and it hasn't been seasoned or hauled I wouldn't expect to pay the same price as a horse of the same age who already has been hauled and a records of placings. |
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Fire Ant Peddler
Posts: 2881
| Really the only reason for starting a horse really early is to futurity them. If you are not futuritying the horse later is better because they are more mature physically and mentally. |
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