At what age of a Arabian horse is it ok to ride?

I would wait until the age of 4 for an Arab to be started under saddle (all horses have the same growth rate, some just have a smaller build). However until then there is plenty of vital groundwork that can lead up to being ready for the saddle, desensitizing, disengaging, lunging, respect, leading etc.

Starting a horse to early often has ill effects such as Athritis and Swayback. I see swaybacked horses all too often, whilst it isn't always from being started to early most of the time I see a swayback horse, it is. This can make fitting saddles a nightmare, could possibly prohibit you from doing shows aswell as making it harder to sell your horse.

Swayback Photos:

http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000Y.OnWhj...

http://www.horsegroomingsupplies.com/pictures/file...

Here's are good article as to why not to start a horse too early: http://www.webertrainingstables.com/riding-young

I suggest you get a good trainer to work with you and the horse and do not start the horse until at least 4 if you want a long living, healthy horse.

As with any other horse you need to have the basics perfected before you even look into jumping. All Arabs are thin boned, and generally poor jumpers but like always there are always a few that are okay/good. Small exercises such as ground poles and slanted ground poles are not only used to improve striding, but they're also a brilliant way to introduce jumping as the horse needs to think about co-ordination and where its feet are. I would be doing that at 4 and half, no earlier. I would expect the horse to be jumping 2ish feet by age 6, and up to 3 feet by 7. It isn't common for Arabs to safely clear a jump over that height. When it comes to training, you must know what you're doing. Arabians are one of the smartest breeds so you need to be on your game. I own 2 Arabians, they're 12 and 8. The 8 year old, Atlas, was broken to the saddle at 5, and was only taught to jump this past year. He doesn't clear 3 foot rails, but he doesn't hesitate to jump a 3 foot fallen log when trail riding. He is in training for endurance, so a bit of jumping is useful there. All in all, an Arabian is just a breed and should be introduced to/taught jumping like any other horse. The only difference is the age at which you should start.

It's not about being "big enough"

A draft horse is "big enough" but a draft doesn't fully mature til he's 8 and maybe closer to 10.

Your horse's knees don't close til the age of 2.

Then his spine is still developing til the age of 5.

People who ride 2 year olds do so, thanks to what they've seen/heard/been told by people who show/compete for money/ribbons/fame/fortune.

The faster they get the horse ridden, the faster they can compete and win.

Is that ok for the horse? No.

There are lots of horses who end up washed up before they are even 5 years old!

Doesn't matter how much you weigh or how tall you are.

Your horse still does not mature in the spine til the age of 5.

So, if you want your horse to not have back trouble you'll:

1) do all of the necessary ground work

2) wait til the horse is closer to 5 before you put any weight (saddle/rider)

If you do all of the ground work now, by the time the horse is ready, you'll have an easy first ride, and every ride after that will be a piece of cake.

Ground work is what makes it all happen.

Not rushing to get on the horse's back.

There's way too many people who rush, and end up hurting the horse and messing things up, than there are those willing to wait and go at the horse's physical and emotional pace.

If you do it right.....you've got a healthy horse for the next 30 years.

We don't attempt extensive training until the horse is four years of age, because this is typically when the have finished growing (for most horses-- not just Arabians). However, we have ridden some of our two-year-olds (very very very very very) lightly (with a 90lbs rider), but three-years is better. The question as to "when it will be big enough" is all in genetics, nutrients, and good breeding. Some Arabians don't exceed 13HH while others (sparingly) graze 16HH. The norm is certainly 14HH-15HH, which should fit you relatively well. If you want a more definite answer, you can contact your veterinarian ($$$) and have him overlook your horse's growth.

I'm not big on these things. I like horses, but my parents are the Arabian nuts. I pick up thing here-and-there, but I can't give you a run-away answer. Contact a few people you trust.

Take care. And, good luck. Have fun. Learn lots.

Start riding it at no earlier than 5 years of age. Arabians mature later than other breeds. Just because of the risks of damaging the growth plates, which do mature later than that of other horses, I'd recommend starting riding anywhere from 5-6 years.

Isn't this a question you should be asking your trainer, anyway?

I wouldn't start an Arabian before the age of four. The breed tends to be slow to mature physically; introducing them under saddle too early could have adverse affects in the future.

Starting late into their forth year or older appears to be safe though, from what I've learned from people who raise and train Arabians, I wouldn't put them under too strenuous of work until their 5th or 6th year.

A horse should not have anyone on its back until at least two and a half, longer is better though. They should be doing very light work, just learning how to hold saddles, take a bit, respond to pressure. Real work or training (in my opinion) should not start until their fourth birthday. Meanwhile, teach your horse to lunge, accept a bit, walk over bridges, be near a tarp, load into a trailer, and other necessary skills without actually riding.

But since Arabs mature later (and live longer on average) I would wait at least another year before teaching him to take the weight of a rider.

Arabians are particularly late maturers and you need to be sure that you don't ride the horse until it is at LEAST 5 years old. This horse will not be matured in its body before then.

@ Everyone who says Arabians mature later than other breeds: NO, then don't. All breeds mature at the same rate. There is a slight difference in the rate of bone maturity according to gender, but no difference at all according to breed. QH are bred to *appear* mature earlier, but their bones and bodies are just as fragile at an early age as Arabians and TBs (which are routinely ridden hard and broken down before age 3).

Stallions stop growing first, because testosterone accelerates growth plate closure. Two groups of similarly bred male horses will average out at noticeably different heights if one group is gelded early and the other group allowed to mature intact. Mares continue to grow for a few months longer than stallions do (the growth plates stay open longer).

Look up Dr. Eleanor Kellon, the Ranger piece. No horse is physiologically ready to carry an adult human before age 4-5 for light riding, and 6-7 for jumping, cutting, gaming, and other strenuous sports. Yes, many people do start horses under saddle much earlier than that, but the horses are prone to early-onset arthritis in legs and spine. The spinal bones are the last to mature (growth plates close).

Breed does not matter when it comes to age of physiological maturity!

Horses are usually started at the age of 2 yrs old because they are or just about the right size for riding, but the thing is that they don't actually get rode regularly until they are 3 to 4 yrs old. Hope this helps.