The “Broke” Horse
In the horse industry, this is one of the most common phrases thrown around to describe a riding horse and their level of training. The tricky part: it is such a broad term, and there are so many variations of a “broke” horse. You’ve got “ranch broke”, “fancy broke”, “green broke”, “kid broke”, “dead broke”....”sorry broke”...and the list goes on.
On top of that, “broke” can mean completely different things to different people, depending on their expectations, discipline, and experience.
To someone training and showing in western performance events, “broke” often means that the horse is solid being ridden one-handed and can perform the necessary maneuvers for the event.
To a rancher, “broke” would describe a horse that has the necessary experience to go day work, rope off of, doctor and brand cattle, etc.
To a leisurely weekend warrior trail rider, “broke” might just mean that the horse is calm, safe and under control to go ride out over all sorts of terrain.
My point is: “broke” is subjective depending on who you are talking to and what direction the horse has been trained in.
When I am evaluating a horse for myself or a client, I focus on 3 different aspects of “broke”:
Level of Training- How far along is the horse in his training, how has he been trained thus far, and what direction is he currently being trained in? Determining how “broke” the horse is training wise is key to understanding the horse that you have right now, vs. what he potentially could be and whether he will be well suited to the rider or line of work.
Experience- Usually when you pay top dollar for an older horse, THIS right here is what you are paying for. To me, a horse that has very little experience is just starting out his journey to being a “broke” horse. A horse that has been-there-done-that, been hauled to events, had a variety of riders on his back, and is confident doing a particular job/discipline, will automatically be more consistent, dependable, and safe than a horse that lacks that life experience.
Mentally “Broke”- Is the horse focused, respectful, and relaxed in his work? Is he quiet enough for a kid to ride him and know the difference? If he sits for a week, will he be fresh and buck your ass off or will he come out as if you rode him yesterday? I have seen many show horses that were super “broke” training wise, but could not get along with a beginner rider or be maintained by riding 1-2 times a week vs. 5-6. A horse that is “broke” mentally is going to be safer and more enjoyable to a wider range of riders and potential owners.