3yo competing in dressage-thoughts?

seen too many wrecked, `its won and its not four till three months time` it got navicular and ringbone as well by the time it was eight.
 
tristar said:
seen too many wrecked, `its won and its not four till three months time` it got navicular and ringbone as well by the time it was eight.
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What is it that makes you think the work is what gave them hoof troubles? It’s known to have a large genetic component and also the whole shoeing/management situation.

Just playing devils advocate but correlation doesn’t equal causation.
 
Sussexbythesea said:
You still have to abide by rules even at HC.
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Unaff it depends on the organiser and their choice.

I still vote they’re clueless as if it was in a youngstock class this year they just don’t realise how to age horses and have gone by its actual birthday so it is actually 4 now.
 
Pony is definitely a three year old, it will not have its fourth birthday until next year. As far as i know the competition has been cancelled due to the weather.....
 
peaceandquiet1 said:
Pony is definitely a three year old, it will not have its fourth birthday until next year. As far as i know the competition has been cancelled due to the weather.....
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You say next year but when next year? Because there's a very big difference between January or Feb of next year, and December next year...
 
If it is eligible for young stock classes it should not be doing ridden classes in the same year.
I don't think I know anyone who would condone competing a three year old in any ridden class and I feel saddened that some people think it is ok.

Time and patience is the way to produce sound healthy horses. I wouldn't want to buy anything sent out competing at 3.
 
SpringArising said:
You say next year but when next year? Because there's a very big difference between January or Feb of next year, and December next year...
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Haven't we all agreed already that we can disagree whether a three year old can be safely ready, but that rules are there for a purpose and should be followed? P&Q only posted to answer the previous posters suggesting that the owner was confused.
 
ycbm said:
Haven't we all agreed already that we can disagree whether a three year old can be safely ready, but that rules are there for a purpose and should be followed? P&Q only posted to answer the previous posters suggesting that the owner was confused.
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I'm not asking for the purpose of knowing how much she's bending the rules (which TBH I don't care about, it's not me who breaks them or has any intention of doing so therefore what anyone else does isn't my business), I'm asking to know as it's basically a whole year's difference in terms of growth, which would put a different spin on things.
 
ycbm said:
Haven't we all agreed already that we can disagree whether a three year old can be safely ready, but that rules are there for a purpose and should be followed? P&Q only posted to answer the previous posters suggesting that the owner was confused.
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While yes, according to the rules competing on Dec 31st is not okay and competing on Jan 1st is, and that's that...

I do take the point that that means an August foal can compete in January - and according to the rules that's fine - but a March foal competing in December is not fine according to the rules. And that perhaps the welfare of the August foal is more at risk of being compromised than the illegally competing March foal. I mean, even if you wouldn't do either, then you'd still worry more about the legal competitor than the illegal one in welfare terms - strictly following the rules doesn't really match up to the purpose of the rules all the time.
 
The pony is a native which means it is probably an April or May foal but i don't know when in the year its actual birthday falls. The pony is out on loan so the actual owners are not the ones competing it though i am sure they are aware. The whole question is now irrelevant in this instance as the competition did not go ahead due to the weather so the pony will be "legal" in terms of age by the time it is rescheduled.
 
stormox said:
Exactly. And on the continent young warmbloods are doing GP movements at 2 and 3. Its not going to kill it, and ponies mature earlier than horses.
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You what????

I worked on the continent for years, in a variety of yards, and never saw 2 and 3 yr olds doing GP movements. They weren't backed until 3, and only then if they were doing the young horse classes. We got them walking, trotting and cantering under saddle, and doing a bit of leg yield - and the 4 yr olds had a change and a bit more sideways installed
 
Auslander said:
You what????

I worked on the continent for years, in a variety of yards, and never saw 2 and 3 yr olds doing GP movements. They weren't backed until 3, and only then if they were doing the young horse classes. We got them walking, trotting and cantering under saddle, and doing a bit of leg yield - and the 4 yr olds had a change and a bit more sideways installed
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I saw them at the stallion tests in Holland. And someone on another thread on here posted a link to late 2 yr olds and 3 yr olds at Addington(I think) doing very collected and extended work. I dont mean theyr doing piroettes and stuff but they are certainly doing fairly advanced (for us)dressage at the back end of their 2 yr old year.
And Ive seen videos of reining horses competing at 2 or 3 in futurity classes. Sliding stops and all that stuff which must be a lot of strain on the joints.
 
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I have a 3 year old that would manage a work trot test at the moment. No, she won't go anywhere until she is 4... but it hasn't taken me "hours" of lunging and work to get to this point... she has an amazing temperemnt, well handled, and has done a small amount of correct work. She was ridden for 10 minutes today in the school mostly in walk. I won't bother introducing 'canter' work until Febuaray probably.
I am planning an outing to dressage or/ and a showing class which you can walk and trot only.
Why may you ask? Well she is for sale...and its hard to sell horses at the moment. If she was in Ireland she would of probably of done a few days of hunting by now. When people enquire some (some!) People seem put off by the fact she won't have a long cv as a 4 year old, and comparable ponies do... I have had those been there, hunted show jumped etc by the time they are 4 to re school. Its head was blown... it would not do flat work as has no grounding.

Basically if you know what you are doing it doesnt take an awful lot to do a respectable intro test, however rules are rules and if nothing else the person will probably void any insurance and make themselves look like a fool if caught. No point, give the poor thing a holiday until after Christmas!
 
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