When can a Yearling Quarter Horse begin to wear a saddle on her back??

Question

She is mild mannered. Gentle natured. She is 10 hands in size.

Answer 1

I train horses and always saddle my own colts early so that way when it gets to be a rush with new horses coming in for training, my horses are fairly easy. I start working with mine in more of the "off season"
I find a reasonably light saddle and saddle the colt up and keep the girth pretty loose-just tight enough so it will not slip off. Those 20 lbs from a small saddle will not hurt the colt. Then when it gets to training time the real saddle is nothing new to the colt.
But your purpose is defeated if you don't desensitize the colt to throwing the blanket and the saddle on it's back. You want to be able to put stuff on and pull it off without the colt freaking. The time you spend with oyur colt makes it so much easier when it's time to start riding them.
I usually just use a pony saddle or a small kids saddle.
And to those of you who think this is wrong, my colts that i've trained this way love to be ridden and love to do anything with me. I rarely have bucking with any of themand they run up to me in the pasture and are usually upset when they aren't the horse that gets to come out.
The yearling colts that I feel are ready I will also put a snaffle bit in their mouth and get them accustomed to that.
So anyhow if you want to put a saddle on your colt and you have a light saddle- do it.-just nobody on your yearling's back yet

Answer 2

a two-year-old is too young to begin work under saddle with a rider. Many two-year-old horses are badly damaged every year by people who start their under-saddle training because they "just can't wait" or because the young horse is tall and "looks strong enough to ride."

As a rule of thumb, the earlier you start a horse under saddle, the shorter that horse's useful life will be. It takes patience to wait for a horse to grow up, but the horse that is backed lightly at three, begins more serious work at four, and isn't jumped until it is five or six is a horse that may well continue working into its twenties.

Racehorses and many show horses are started very young, but their careers are usually over by the time they are four or five -- sometimes much earlier. There is a saying in racing, "race 'em at two, can 'em at five," which is, unfortunately, all too accurate. The relatively few horses that are successful at the track are generally retired by the time a dressage horse or eventer is BEGINNING its working life.

Many trainers and owners look no farther than the horse's knees -- as soon as those bones have closed, the horse gets saddled and ridden. This is foolish. It's true that knees generally close between 18 and 24 months, but those aren't the only bones in the horse's body -- just the ones that close most quickly! The last bones to close are the spinous processes at and behind the withers -- in other words, where the saddle goes, and where the rider sits. These generally close when the horse is between five and six years old; in some breeds, especially the larger, slower-growing Warmbloods, horses may not attain full growth until they are seven or eight!

A two-year old doesn't have to sit idle -- it can be taught to show in- hand, to trailer, to longe at walk and trot (on a 35' or longer longeline, with a cavesson).

A three-year-old horse can be longed at walk, trot, and canter, taught to wear a bridle and bit and saddle, and backed lightly before being turned out for the winter. That horse will be ready to begin systematic training in its four-year-old year, and can go into full work when it is five -- and that horse may still be in full work at age 25!

- Jessica

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Answer 3

use a light weight saddle now to get the yearling used to the feel and as the horse gets bigger and older, use a heavier saddle. Like the others stated, don't ride until the horse is at least 2 years old. They look big and strong, but their legs won't support a lot of weight and heavy training without injury.

Answer 4

Any time, Just don't start riding/breaking/starting work until she is 3 or 4. If you introduce her to the saddle before that, you should have less trouble when the time comes to back her. Personally I would borrow a saddle from someone to get her used to a little weight on her back, so I could buy a properly fitted saddle when she is ready.

Answer 5

To be presented to tack, i guess can take position each and every time. yet you shouldn't even lunge her till she is two one million/2, and do not experience her till she is 3 or for. The longer you wait, the more beneficial likley it truly is that she will be able of proceed to be sound till she is 25 or 30. Horse that are all started at her age continually finally end up with complications. that doesn't mean you won't be able to do something mutually with her. stroll her in hand lots, get her used to issues that could want to be 'scary'. get her used to having her ft dealt with, alongside with another area of her body. Take some time education her to load interior the trailer. The more beneficial artwork you position into her now the easier she'll be even as it comes time to get her used to tack and a rider.

Answer 6

u can start at two with a saddle but dont try to ride her till she is 2 1/2 or 3 she will b stong enough then

Answer 7

you might try a saddle blanket or pad but i wouldnt put a
saddle on her yet

Answer 8

probably best to wait until she is fully grown and can support the weight on her back.