what is the best age to break a quarter horse.

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what is the best age to break a quarter horse.

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  • How old do u break a quarter horse
  • Quarter horse age for training

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    09-07-2009, 01:24 PM
what is the best age to break a quarter horse.

What is the best age to break a quarter horse?
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    09-07-2009, 01:50 PM
As a 3 year old. The normally mature faster and what not. Alot of people break them as "2 year olds" but unless you are wanting to get the horse ready for a futurity or something, there is no rush. If I ever raise horses, all mine will not be broke till the are 3.
    09-07-2009, 01:54 PM
My Lilly will be ridden and doing light walk/trotting/circles and a bit of neck reigning once she hits two.
    09-07-2009, 02:06 PM
Depends on what you're doing with the horse and what you mean by break. Most people I know that breed Quarter Horses do western pleasure and mounted shooting. The horses are usually fully halter trained by about 1 1/2 or 2 (i mean like turning and real work, not just walking) and then they get them used to the saddle and bridle during their 2 yo year. Walk trot, maybe a tiny bit of lope for 3 yo and then harder training as a 4 or 5.

That's just what I've seen that worked. It all really depends on your horse. If your horse isn't mature or has bone problems it's better to wait longer so as to not risk injury.
    09-07-2009, 02:21 PM
I would say 2 1/2-3 years old.
Then they are near the end of their maturity/at the end.
    09-07-2009, 02:30 PM
They don't finish growing til they're 5 years of age.

Competitors typically start em when they're 2 to turn em into money makers asap.

I started my quarter on some ground when he was 3 and didn't ride him til he was 4.

The vet will tell you that the knees close at 2. But the horse's spine is still developing, he's still growing, and doesn't fully mature til he's 5 years of age.

The bigger the horse, the more time he can take to mature. I've got a draft that's 6 and ready to be ridden (light). Drafts, for example, don't finish growing and maturing til they are 6-8 years of age.

People get in a hurry, because it's a lot of time to wait til the horse is truly old enough. So, if you choose to start em at 2 or 3 be aware that you may damage them permanenty if you're not careful, because they are not fully grown (not just height wise, but also length wise...the vertabrae)....yeah, some horses are started quite young and are sound as ever, but there are plenty more that are arthritic and have other issues.

Just be careful.
    09-07-2009, 02:48 PM
I start breaking my paints when they are two. I only walk and trot no loping till they are 3 yeas of age. They are taught ground manners as soon as they hit the ground. Halter broke and learning from day one. I have a 3 year old paint filly just took her to her first show and I have been training her on the barrels for a while but haven't ever fully opened her up because I am scared. She is quick she can be all the way back I mean 500 yards behind the other horses when they start to run and she will pass them up and slide to a stop before she hits the fence. She is quick.
    09-07-2009, 04:27 PM
I really prefer to wait until they are over 3 years old. If you are able to wait until they are 4 or 5, that is best because then you can ride them as hard as you need to without worrying too much about damaging joints and bones that are still growing. IMHO, the worst thing that a person can do on a really young horse (younger than 3) is to ride a lot of circles on them at a lope or trotting small circles. That will deform the growth plates in knees and hocks and pretty much guarantee severe arthritis later in life. Most of the riding I do on my young ones is on trails or through cattle.
    09-07-2009, 05:21 PM
I read this very convincing article about how no horse's bone structure is mature before 6 years old and how there's no such thing as a slow maturing/fast maturing breed and how the longer you wait, the less problems you have in the long run. I'll see if I can find it . . .
    09-07-2009, 05:23 PM
Late two's or three's. Depends on how well-developed your horse already is.

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