saddle breaking 8 yr old

Question
trying to saddle break an 8 yr old mare. trainer has now been able to put saddle on her, when she is in field or in her stall she will not come to you. totally ignores us when we are at fence, as soon as we walk away she comes over to fence. if she is left go in pasture with saddle on she will run and buck for over an hour.trainer has to leave a very long lead rope on her so he can catch her. as soon as he gets rope she will stop and stand nice. her ground manners are excellent. she is very skittish about almost everything. is she to old to saddle break? several people have told me she is to old and stubborn to saddle break. trainer has had her for over a month, he has been able to ride her for about 3 times so far. i wanted this horse for my 8 yr old granddaughter. should i look for another already saddle broke horse.   thank you, lucia

Answer
8 years old is more of a challenge than 2 or 3 yr old.  She will be more stubborn with certain aspects of training.  Although she is not too old to train.  I don't believe in such a thing, unless of course the horse is at retirement age and should be enjoying the high life!

Perhaps I've mistaken you.  Although from what I can understand the trainer is leaving the horse to pasture at times with a long lead and a saddle on.  Is that accurate?  If so I don't advise that.  That's a recipe for disaster....

I am impressed that in the short time of working with your older mare that he has already been able to ride her a handful of times!  That's wonderful progress!

As for your 8 year old granddaughter, unless her riding skills were that of a near professional, I do not recommend a green horse of any age to be paired up with her!  That is a risk I am not willing to take for the rider and the horse.  At your granddaughter's age, if her riding skills are still in the beginner stage, then she might be best paired up with a bit of a "bomb proof" horse whose a bit more confident and reliable.