At what age do you consider a horse to be ' grown up'?

[saddlesore]

As above really! My horse is 6 and sometimes I feel he should be much further on in his training than he is. I've had him for two years and he's come on loads but is a nervous sort and can still be a bit spooky/unsettled whilst hacking at times and is a bit 'hit and miss' to hack out alone

As such I cannot consider him to be 'grown up' and I think it will take him until he is 7 or 8 to be fully emotionally mature.

When did your horses 'grow up'? Or are you still waiting lol

 

[Echo Bravo]

To me he's just a baby still growing up, depends I think on their mentality and temperment.

 

[Mike007]

I think maybe even 9 is about it. For example ,many big horses dont fill out until 7 or 8 and then they must need a bit of time to get used to their size and abilities.

 

[saddlesore]

I think you're right. He was a bit of a nightmare when I got him, scared of his own shadow poor soul!

Sometimes I forget he's only 6 because I've had him for a while if that makes sense!

 

[dibbin]

Mine's 15 and still acts like a 4 year old ... but I think for most horses it's about 8 or 9, that's what our old YM used to say anyway.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I think sometimes it is inexperience like your horse (I think 6 is still quite young) and sometimes some horses just never get over being spooky - like mine. He is 15 and has been there and done it and got the T-shirt a thousand times over but if anything he has got worse as he has got older although his reaction is less severe. Put him behind a confident horse and he goes to sleep put him in front and he becomes very tense. He would definitely be a survivor in the wild as he is very focused on any potential danger.

Despite the fact that I have always ridden him past things (without beating apart from a few taps) and have done lots of "spook-busting" he still looks at things e.g. big leaves, a woman getting out of a car with a bag, the mounting block I got on him from 30 minutes ago like they are aliens from outerspace! His standard response is to spin around and sod off - generally though now I have taught him to at least wait and not spin even when he is doing a giraffe impression with eyes on stalks.

 

[showqa]

I'm kind of repeating myself from an earlier thread here, so forgive me, but I really think it's a very individual thing - depending on breed and character.

Carl Hester was recently talking about one of his future stars who he only really started to do anything with at 8, because he simply wasn't ready for it. I actually think it takes a very sensitive horseman/woman to realise that you cannot rush a sentient being. They will each take as long as they take, and to hurry them means basically making them sour or worse - them physically breaking down prematurely. It's not a race is it, and "the journey" should be as satisfying as reaching the destination.

 

[showqa]

PS. I am still waiting, and my horse is rising 7 - although my horse has also come on in leaps and bounds.

 

[horse_lover]

My horse will be 20 the beginning of next year and he still behaves like a 4yr old, you dont know what your going to get from one day to the next

 

[Happy Hunter]

My old 23year old Mare never really grew up!!!
RIP you little 4yr old!

 

[soulfull]

They are all so different but I think at 6 any horse is still young. Mine is 6 and I still think of him as a baby most of the time. He is really quite good most of the time, but then he will remind me 'I am only 6' and get all silly and excited

WB. Welshies etc very often don't mature until the are at least 8 physically of mentally

 

[spotty_pony]

Physically - most are mature by the age of 7 but bigger horses could be 8 or 9 before they are fully matured. Mentally - it depends on the individual horse, its experiences and its training.

 

[Alexart]

I'd say 7 or 8 physically, mentally - never!!

 

[Sleepeeze_dad]

I'd say 7 or 8 physically, mentally - never!!

Well that's a bit of a blow. I was looking forward, in a couple of years, to my rising 6 year old to show a little more decorum... especially round my feet.

 

[JenHunt]

it so depends on the horse. Physically anywhere between 4 and 9... mentally...??

Mine's 16 but still thinks he's 3!

 

[Sanolly]

I am only starting to think of my cob as 'grown up' and he has just turned 10! My rising 6 welshie is still a baby!

 

[HollyWoozle]

My girl turned 8 in June and is still a bit babyish in her nature. I think of her as a slightly insecure teen.

 

[saddlesore]

Lol, its good to know I'm not alone! Interesting comment re not rushing a sentient being, makes so much sense. My horse and I have grown very close in the past two years as he has started to come out of his shell and I hope I can 'read' him reasonably well but I'm sure I still make plenty of blunders along the way! All part of the challenge I guess!

 

[peanut]

My horse is 8 and physically I consider her to be grown up; mentally she often still behaves like a stroppy teenager.