4 year olds

[J1993]

What do you do with your 4 year olds? Mine is backed and riding away quite nicely. Only hacking at the minute. I want to start doing some school work with her but its hard to know what to do. I have been hacking her since April and shes looking really well, this summer has really been the making of her. She's doing around 3 1 hour hacks a week at the minute. Some people are already doing cross country jumps, some say they just hack. Some haven't sat on them yet. What do or did you do with yours?

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Mine is hacking in walk and trot, excellent with traffic, dogs, cyclists etc.

I haven’t cantered her yet and I haven’t started schooling properly beyond circles, and changing direction.

I also only ride her about twice a week at the moment. It’s mainly due to work being so utterly manic at the moment but I honestly think the slow approach has really been good for her. At no point at all have I felt her get confused or worried, it’s all been so straightforward.

 

[ohmissbrittany]

Really depends on the horse's brain, body and what you want out of it to be fair...

Super mature physically? Do a bit more. Immature mentally? Maybe less is more.

Want it to stay sound for ages? I wouldn't hammer it early on. Trying to produce for sale? Definitely step the game up.

There's lots you can do to make them fun though, without starting to canter tiny circles and get super fit. Up and downward transitions (not done often enough IMO, think that's what 80% of people asking about new stronger bits really should do), start teaching it to yield its hindquarters (turn on the forehand) or turn on the haunch- comes in handy to have them opening gates and lateral work! Backing up. Walking over poles. Trotting over poles - start some light gridwork set on easy distances. If you jump I wouldn't do more than once a week at that age TBH.

 

[itroteverywhere]

Mine's only just turned 4 and has been sat on once and now looks bum high again all of a sudden. I would quite like a few sits before the winter but I mostly have ground work planned. I didn't sit on my last one until he turned 5 and I don't think it did any harm. I am aiming for longevity though rather than to sell on, and this one has a lot of growing to do - maybe I would feel differently if he looked more mature.

 

[ycbm]

My 5 year old was very immature at 4 and worked 2 or 3 times a week on short hacks or even shorter schooling sessions.
.

 

[JDChaser]

Broke mine in start of lockdown, my lockdown project! Now we hack about every day. He's seen traffic, bikes, been through the river, canters around the fields etc alone and in company. Also do fifteen minutes schooling (if that) a few times a week. Going to start popping some small fences in the field this week and get him over some logs. For context he's a stocky native pony x warmblood and has a brilliant level head on him. He is gonna be a fab wee horse for someone. I dunno whether I can bear to part with him!

 

[Michen]

Mine came back into work March and did three months long reining. Now working fairly hard I guess, 5/6 days a week but mostly hacking at w/t/c for an hour and a bit at a time. Schools For 20 mins a couple of times a week.

Not doing any proper jumping yet. He’s mature physically for his age.

 

[ihatework]

Mine was lightly backed as a 3yo. Then went back in field. Was rebacked in January did 8 weeks groundwork and flat/jump/hacking, had 5 weeks off when we went into lockdown. Came back in end April, did 5 weeks flat & hacking. Was up behind so had a couple of weeks off then has done 4 weeks very light hacking & groundwork. Started up again last week and had a jump today. Looking to get him out to some little stuff in August