3 rising 4 year olds

[BeanyG]

Hey i have recently taken on a welsh d/traditional cob who was broken in october time, been to a couple walk+trot tests and is now with me, however i find myself worrying as to how much work she should be doing as my own boy the same age isn't even started.
So please could i have some opinions of how much work, what sort and how long for that you would do with yours at this age
Thanks
N&F

 

[BeanyG]

Anyone?

 

[RubysGold]

Im no expert. Don't really want to comment on how much yours has done.

I have a 3yo turning 4 this summer. I bought him in October, he had done some walking through the village to see cars but that's all.
Since then I've taught him to lunge, long rein and wear tack. I also take him for walks.
Will be sitting on him soon
am taking it really steady with him

 

[BeanyG]

Ah this lass is hacking out nicely already, although she doesn't seem to have seen alot at all and i personally would have left her longer but owner want her to carry on with work but hasnt said anything as to how much she would like, ive only had her a week or so but thanks

 

[Suziq77]

When I got my WB she was 3 rising 4 I hacked her around for the summer and took her out to a couple of shows and clinics for a look around, didn't do much over the winter due to weather and lack of company for hacking. Brought her back into full work the following March, spent the summer hacking, schooling and doing walk & trot / prelim dressage tests with a couple of showing classes. Took her autumn hunting once/twice a week from late August to early October, bit of a break in November, hacked through December and January then started "proper" work preparing for the show season in Feb. She's now rising 6 and a real pleasure to ride anywhere.

I also have a second 6 year old, a TB who was backed at the end of her 4 year old year and didn't do much for her 5 year old year. At the moment I'm mainly hacking her to build up strength and will increase school work over the course of the summer.

How much you do with them depends on the horse - if you're not sure then better to go slowly than push for too much too fast IMO.

 

[Littlelegs]

At that age I like them going on short hacks on a loose rein, letting them experience the world but it gets them forward thinking. By end of summer I like to be at the stage where they are working long & low, have 3 reasonably balanced paces & can do baby steps of leg yield & shoulder in, all learnt out hacking.

 

[BeanyG]

Thanks she does seem to really enjoy working, she is waitng to come out when you get there and there out 24/7 and not on any feed so cant be shes waiting for that, how many times a week were you going out at this ages?

 

[Suziq77]

Thanks she does seem to really enjoy working, she is waitng to come out when you get there and there out 24/7 and not on any feed so cant be shes waiting for that, how many times a week were you going out at this ages?

One of mine would go out 4 / 5 times a week for 30 - 40 minutes, the other 2 / 3 times a week for 30 minutes. Mainly walk work with a bit of trotting and the odd canter in a good place. The first one was much stronger at that age and could be like an unexploded bomb if you didn't keep to regular, little and often hacks whereas the second looked far less mature and wasn't nearly as excitable if she'd had a few days off!

 

[rowy]

Mine gets ridden 3 times a week- 2 times hack 1 time school.
School session 15 mins in all 3 paces. Hack all 3 paces around a field for 20 mins or 20- 30 min walk along a road.

 

[POLLDARK]

It really does depend on the individual horse, if it is growing at the same rate all over & is balanced then a little work is fine I feel but if it is growing at different rates in different parts of its' body ie really croup high for instance I would leave well alone as regards riding & stick to ground work until the horse looks more balanced. Ridden work with an unbalanced horse can put excessive & unequal strain on some parts of the body that won't occur when it evens out.