Anyone who has brought on a young horse

[4whitesocks]

(And please don't shoot me down if this is a dumb question, apologies in advance) - I just want to know realistically how long it took you get from starting to get your horse into a proper outline (working well from behind, accepting a contact, flexing at the poll etc) to a stage where it is 'ask and get'...if that makes sense? Today was the first day I managed to get my 5yo Sid working 'properly' by myself...last w/end my yO did some work with us & after she had ridden & got him going well I hopped up and for the first time really felt him working beneath me....

Today I got up with a very determined attitude and we had intermittent success...his walk is great, trot is good on occasion if there's nothing to distract him but initially there's a lot of 'holding him together'....which is damn hard with hand & leg and I'm not half as fit as I should be....having said that there were several 'magic moments' where he was totally light in my hands and he really lifted under me...

For those of you who have a horse who is now naturally 'light in your hands' how long did it take you to get to that stage?

i should say I bought my first horse 2 years ago (having stopped riding as a kid at about 14) and to be honest today was a first for me, and a really satisfying 'first' but I want to set the two of us realisitic goals - bearing in mind I'll happily accept I'm a 'green rider'...

 

[clipertyplop]

i would say its a its a continuous (sp) job, but sounds like your on the right track but remember it has to be fun, or its not worth doing ......happy riding.......

 

[viola]

About 8 months if started nicely as a 4year old (and by that I mean getting a youngster ready for Novice Dressage and novice SJ) but soooo different with each horse.

 

[viola]

Just thought that 'light in hands' can take much longer if you are talking about true self-carriage...then we are thinking YEARS.

 

[4whitesocks]

Thanks for that....it sounds about right - I do have a lot of help (am on full schooling livery) and this is only week four of 'right now down to serious work'...it's great to be making progress but I have an awful habit of expecting too much too soon (mind you also have an awful habit of being far too soft!!)...

 

[Jemayni]

It depends entirely on your experience and how much of a natural your horse is; my first pony was an extremely difficult horse and I was an extremely novice rider, it took about 3.5 years before we were sort of working "nicely" (i.e: 65-70% in prelim.) But with my current horse who is very obliging and I wasn't such a novice, he got 79% in his first prelim dressage test in the autumn of his 4yo season.

My advice is don't rush, take your time because irrelevant of how well schooled your horse is its brain and body cannot cope with the real tricky stuff until he's a bit older anyway. Plus imo you will have a better relationship with your horse if you aren't constantly challenging him.

 

[4whitesocks]

LOL - don't worry I'm not expecting miracles!

 

[4whitesocks]

He's naturally a cheeky brat! But extremely full of himself when he gets it right....I am very novice but Sid is hopefully eventing material (with the right pilot)...am hoping to continue improving myself and get someone v experienced to ODE him next year....

 

[_jetset_]

Hi, I took on a 5 year old four weeks ago... she was backed at 4 years and then had 12 months off. So I have rebacked her and am bringing her on. I have been riding her most days mostly in walk, with a little bit of trot and have been working on her going forwards and into the contact off the leg.

The last three times I have ridden she is becoming much softer in the hand and finding her own natural outline which is naturally up right. I have been trying to get to to come straight and learn to flex from the poll... and we are getting there.

I would say there is no time limit on this sort of thing. Some horses find it much easier than others to go in a correct outline, as Grace has done. And yet my other horse found it much more difficult and therefore took longer.

Good luck, I hope you are enjoying it!

 

[brighteyes]

We have one called Sid - a right cheeky brat and soooo pleased with himself when he gets it right. What is it about the name Sid? We have brought several youngsters on and work on the little and often, keep it simple yet varied principle with forwards and straight being the main aim at first. Mental and physical maturity plays a big part, too. If you aren't getting the right answers, ask yourself whether it's too soon for the question.

Good luck

 

[Allykat]

I had my gelding from 3 1/2 years. We have been working for 3 years and we are getting there. We have had troubles along the way in that he had had long and large growth spurts, which we really couldn't work through so he has just had to develop in his own way. We are now working into an outline when asked and we are just creeping into the low 60%'s at local unaff prelim dressage. I'm in now hurry and it sounds l too me like you are on the right track.

Just enjoy what you do....One day you will look back and feel a massive sense of self achievement

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

My lad had done nothing when we got him, he was 7 years old when we started schooling him properly. He was all over the place, threw himself into canter, couldn't move straight to save his life. The main saving grace was he appeared wiling to learn.

It has taken us 13 months so far & he's now holding himself nicely, he's getting a lovely topline, his transitions are now pretty smooth & his paces are pretty much established...still occasionally puts his head up in canter though. He is now soft through his back & is comfortable to sit a trot on. It's got to a point now where 'the penny has dropped ' with him. He knows what is wanted of him & he now finds it easier to do so there aren't the battles that we've had in the past.

We haven't used any gadgets on him, no side reins, draw reins, bungee, etc, etc, it's been down to hard work & spending alot of time with him. The feeling now when I see him move is so good.

Anyway back to the original post, it can take months or even years, depends on the horse, the quality & ability of the rider & the time you give it. Good Luck.

What I would have given to have had him from 3-4 years old!

 

[GTs]

[ QUOTE ]
oday I got up with a very determined attitude

[/ QUOTE ]

You need the horse to have a determined attitude, young horses need to have their head in the game for a great schooling lesson - if they don't it generally is a huge mess.

 

[druid]

Most of them, consistently by about 5yo if started at 4-4.5yo.

Marey...only about 4 years

 

[BethH]

I think it is a great question. I think every horse is different and it depends how much you want to rush, my horse has had an op and has never been able to use back legs correctly since I bought him as a 4 year old. He is now just 7 and we have recently almost rebacked him for his rehab programme, taking him right back to basics ( I consider myself pretty novice as a rider). I have spent 3 - 4 months so far just working on a good slow balanced walk with good movement/stride length coming through from behind and some trot, (bear in mind he has never been correctly muscled so is building them for the first time which takes longer) we have done a lot of work on getting inside and outside bend/lots of circle work to give him good suppleness and flexibility and that has really helped. I personally don't believe you should have to hold a horse together, I think you can help them, but that is your job teach balance and pace. If you can do that well, they will then be able to naturally give you a nice outline and better straightness and elevation. It sounds as if you are already getting some good results so just take your time and end every session on a good note no matter how small

If this is a horse you intend to keep long term, i would say take your time, but don't waste your time. Slowly but surely is best and they will learn well and retain it!

 

[MissDeMeena]

Depends entirely on the horse, and by that, i don't just mean its temperment, i mean its shape and make!

For example, my 4yr old Socks, i've Never had to ask him to go in a shape, he just always has... where as Squeak, my 5yr old i'm still having to play around with (i've had him a year now) and i'm guessing it wont be till he's about 7/8yrs that he'll be more established.

 

[Rachel_M]

As MissDeMeena says some horses are built so thier natural way of going is what most* riders are looking for and others, with perhaps ewe necks, long backs, etc will struggle with collection and outline and will take longer.


TBH I think you have to know what you are wanting out of the horse and work with that in mind, all the time. Horses are like humans, somedays I can't really be a**ed to get out a bed and do work. You'll just have to accept that it could takes 4 months or 4 years!


I wish you the best of luck, nothing more exiting than bringing on something yourself!

 

[4whitesocks]

Great answers from everyone - I guess what I'll take from them is...it will take as long as it takes!! He is short coupled and is a very compact 16hh....he has a fabulous walk, a natural roundness and suppleness and great extension....trot at the moment is more up than forward so today I decided not to battle with him on it because he was so full of beans and off my leg (we've changed his feed slightly due to him getting a bit porky and sluggish....it's been 5 days and my god he wasn't sluggish today!!)..so we decided to work on canter because as BethH said, I wanted to have one good thing to take away from the session...we got some really together & relaxed canter on both reins, he was 'together' and we were 'together' if you know what I mean...felt fab!

Next weekend (I only get to ride one day during the week and weekends) I think we'll go out into a big field and just play...

 

[BethH]

Good for you sounds very definitely like progress to me!