Breaking/backing blues

[prettybluepony]

well my little pony is 6 years old, and still isn't broken, he isn't mine, just a pony I've been working with. We've done ground work, lots of it, he was mistreated in his last home, and I've had a bit of trouble because of that.

The problem is that as soon as you've got the bridle and saddle on he starts -twitching- and we walk him round he calms down. You lean over (and sometimes fall off) him, he bucks and rears (we're getting past this steadily) put then calms down.

Now the trouble starts, you get fully on no aids or anything and lead him round. he switches off and rears and bucks for life. he is great on lunge, working on long line, and ok on leadline, but shove a rider and tack on him and boom. just a rider, or just tack and he is fine, we havig real trouble with this. :( I would work with him more but I have school and homework -groans-

[intouch]

We've been having a similar problem with a 5 yo mare, she was almost unhandled when we got her at Christmas, it has taken a long time to get her to settle, but she is now handling very well.
She can bronk for Ireland and I cant see anyone staying on, she planted my daughter a couple of weeks ago, but we just keep taking her back a few steps to where she's OK with what she's being asked, then progress again.
One thing we did was to take her on a concrete surface where her footing was not so secure, so she was less likely to misbehave, that has worked so far. She is now hacking out and walking on her own in the sandschool with a little trot - so far so good, but the thought of asking for canter is - well, not yet, anyway!!
I guess what I am saying is, don't look for too much, and stop before he is out of his comfort zone, just accept little and wait till he trusts you.
I do think there are some horses that have a highly developed survival instinct - I don't think Briar means to be naughty, it almost happens before she has time to think. The day she put my daughter on the floor she came running to me to save her!
Keep on keeping on, and best of luck - but keep safe!

[galadriel]

I wouldn't be trying to get onto a horse who isn't already comfortable with the saddle. With my previously unhandled 7 yr old, I walked her all around wearing a bareback pad until she became comfortable with the idea. She initially had a tendency to panic in new situations, so I did this many, many times before I went to sit on her.

I also spent time leaning over her while she was eating, and otherwise getting her used to weight on her back/saddles/girths at times which were quite innocuous and comforting for her. I would not have tried to mount her, at all, if she were still having trouble accepting just the saddle.

Also, it's very important that this saddle fit well. For some reason many people seem to think that the saddle used for backing doesn't have to be anything special. This is your horse's first encounter with a saddle; if it's a painful one (saddle doesn't fit), then it will take you a very, very long time to convince him that saddles are not intrinsically painful.

[shirley]

Could not agree more with last posts. Go back to where he is comfortable and calm and go forward very slowly from there, add one thing at a time until he is comfortable with that, then another - no time to rush these things. He has a whole lifetime of saddles, riders etc, so getting him used to things gradually will be good for him - not just physically but psychologically too.
We have just started backing our show pony this last several monthes and she is rising 5 - so a little late, but slowly slowly - she is still maturing physically and getting her head around new things happening to her. We tend to do a couple of days work then rest, etc, so why not fit this around homework revision etc. Make the sessions short and sweet. We also lunge to ensure that her muscles and physical development is kept up as well. So if he lunges well this will be good to. In the meantime whilst lunging him have you put him over trotting pole or small cavelletti etc.
Good luck not just with breaking etc but with exams too!!!