advise on a young horse

[giddy kipper]

thanks for reading. I purchased a horse in June whom I believed to be 5.5yrs (according to her passport) She is a 15.3 medium cob. The vet has just told me that she is infact only 3 . She has been backed and indeed I have ridden her on trails but only for about half an hour. I havent ridden since I found out her "true" age about 2 weeks ago, she has come from Ireland. My worry is that she is too young to be ridden as I don't want to cause her problems in the future if her bones are not yet fully formed.
I'm just asking for your thoughts on this please.

 

[AmyMay]

I don't see any problem continuing to ride her quietly. Just don't hammer her.

How was it not picked up at her vetting?

 

[twiggy2]

i would turn her away till next year but TBH the damage may have been done before you get her

 

[webble]

I don't see any problem continuing to ride her quietly. Just don't hammer her.

How was it not picked up at her vetting?

Agree with this you could keep doing in hand work with her and densitising things like plastic sheet and umbrella trraining etc

 

[NeverSayNever]

chances are if she’s come over from Ireland she will have already done a ton including being hunted so as someone else said unfortunately the damage may have already been done. As long as you dont overdo things now i cant see why couldnt continue. Id ask your vet for advice.

 

[Zero00000]

My boy was started early, ive turned him away for a bit...

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Mine was supposedly 3 (last year) but was actually 2 and has been broken in etc. He has been turned away since I got him (he has been with me 14 months now). He was in 6ft 3 rugs last winter but is needing 6ft 9 ones now so he is clearly growing lol. Restarting him in spring.
Personally I would turn the horse away and give her a break xx

 

[Goldenstar]

I would remove your horses shoes and turn it away you just have time for the feet to grow abit and it's so much healthier if the horse gets some time without shoes .
When you bring the horse back up don't assume it will just as it was when you turned it out some young ones need a recap of the training before you ride them again .

 

[EffyCorsten]

take off shoes and turn away for 9 months to a year. Then if I where you get someone experienced with young horses to help you bring her back into work.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Our 3 yr old had been broken just before we bought her, we have turned her away over the winter, although she is stabled overnight, so handled daily. We intend to restart her next Spring.
The 2 yr old had 'been broken to drive' but has also been turned away.