Need bit advice on broke 5yr old horse

[Sierra pachie bars]

I tied a smooth snaffle sweet bit . So far so good. She a spazz but a good girl. I mean shes five. I want to thank everyone for their advice. I also found my older quarter horse seemed to always open his mouth a lot. He never misbehaved. I had his teeth floated. They were BAD. Poor baby had scars in his mouth. He was ridden with someone very rough. So I decided to try side pull on him. I went rode him and he was so relaxed. I think whoever had him did so much damage to his mouth. We have worked a long time in building trust. I have given him so much love. He comes up now and gives kisses, and rest his head on my chest. I think he knows we saved him. I can honestly say he kinda loves me. I am so happy with him. Now to get this five year old to be like Tommy bear. We are willing to put money into proper training. We plan to keep this mare forever so we are willing to do whatever is needed. I should post photos of her she's so cute .

 

[SourRoses]

Some very good advice you got and you're doing the best thing by getting a trainer

Just wanted to add my 2 cents....
Training a horse does not happen sitting on its back. Training happens on the ground. If I were you I would strongly ensist the DH not ride her for the time being. I would have him spend time with her, groom her, lead her, ect. So that she comes to really trust him and depend upon his company. Whether its safe is not the issue Im thinking of here (as it seems you have that well enough in hand)... Rather, his future relationship with his mare, since you said you want to keep her around a good while. Any mistakes on his part, misunderstandings between him and the mare, and failure for her to learn to trust and respect him, may make a large and somewhat difficult hurdle for the two of them to get over once she is being trained properly.
I was a little baffled by the "young" thing. As when I was a pre-teen I spent every penny of my savings on the most fabulous Paso fino mare. She had just turned 5 when I got her, from a professional stable and she had been trained for showing. What a dream she was to ride... turn your head to the left and she went left... lean back and she stopped on a dime (most Pasos trained in that style, however). I started showing her right away. She was smokin hot. I'd be riding her though around the grounds and shed be in the mood to work off some steam.. other kids would come up to gape at her and I could just hop off and let them clamber on up... and she would flat walk around like an angel in a sunny meadow.

Oops, got a little distracted by my memories there

but I think my point was that your mare is green, not really that young.. not that I mean to pick at nits either

 

[danischi24]

5 really isn't that young. If you told me that you got a 3 year old TB off the track, I could understand but a 5 year old quarter horse is fully trained in most of the places I've been. They start them at 2 & by 5, they aren't spazzy babies anymore. I would not take her age into account at all. If she has problems, they are training related, not age related. At 5, her personality is set at what it will be forever though of course, if she is spooky, that can be trained out with desensitizing work. Don't be afraid to sit on her because *gasp* she's FIVE. Be afraid to sit on her because she's unschooled. I never get horses over 3 or 4 because they are too old for what I want-to train them my way without having to untrain all the crap from before.