baby horse off to school

Boxers

Boxers

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A few weeks ago I posted that I had bought a not quite 3 yr old 16hh horse for my 16 yr old daughter. So since then we have been walking him out in a bridle, roller and side reins and he has been a star.

Today he went off to the 'breaker's yard'.

He will be there for about 5-6 weeks and then he can come home. Just can't wait now. I wasn't able to go to take him but my daughter went and she said Jay travelled well in the lorry (loaded at 3rd attempt) and seemed to settle ok into the stable there.

It will be odd not to see him for so long, but daughter is very excited about going to see him and ride him when he is ready to come home.

Let's keep our fingers crossed that he is a good boy at the trainer's place and I really hope that ultimately he will turn into what my daughter wants him to be.

Must get my signature changed so that you can see him.
 
It's a great feeling knowing they have gone off to be turned into 'big boys' - My 4½yr old has been gone a few weeks now and has taken to being ridden very well. So proud of him and the young rider doing the work.

He has been leased to a young rider I've known since she was 6 yrs old - now nearly 17. Lovely rider and has brought on all her ponies herself.
 
He looks lovely, but I'm a bit surprised to see that a "not quite 3yr old" is going anywhere! It saddens me that babies seem to get less and less time to be babies nowadays. Lightly back a rising 4yr old by all means, but a 2yr old needs more time to grow and develop. If the horse isn't going to race, why can you not let him have a little more time?
 
Good luck to you, I sent my filly away last year when she was 3, it's lovely when they come back to you all grown up. Hope yours goes as well as mine did. Personally I dont think that 3 is too young, especially if they are a big mature horse, mine is now nearly 4 and I am glad I did it last year as she would have been a handfull by now if I hadn't
 
In basic terms this horse is 3 this year so I see no reason why not to gently break in - I am doing it in 4 weeks time and certainly this has never done any harm to my other horses. Why do people have to 'knock' other people on their decisions...............OP only wanted to share their excitment and were not looking to whether people though it was right or wrong to break a 3yr old and tbh and I am certainly looking forward to the update us on how he has progressed.
 
Auslander said:
He looks lovely, but I'm a bit surprised to see that a "not quite 3yr old" is going anywhere! It saddens me that babies seem to get less and less time to be babies nowadays. Lightly back a rising 4yr old by all means, but a 2yr old needs more time to grow and develop. If the horse isn't going to race, why can you not let him have a little more time?
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Well he will have time to grow and mature.

He is being backed and ridden away lightly now at the training yard. When he comes home to me and daughter in approx 6 weeks time, she will have finished her GCSE's and will have the summer to gently ride and school him. I can assure you he will not be doing a great deal.

Come the autumn/winter he is going to be turned away with a couple of retirees who are on our yard until spring 2012 when he will be re-started and then brought on.

I appreciate your concern and in many ways I agree with you, but be assured he will not be hurried and he will be turned away for at least 5 months over the winter.
 
Meandtheboys said:
In basic terms this horse is 3 this year so I see no reason why not to gently break in - I am doing it in 4 weeks time and certainly this has never done any harm to my other horses. Why do people have to 'knock' other people on their decisions...............OP only wanted to share their excitment and were not looking to whether people though it was right or wrong to break a 3yr old and tbh and I am certainly looking forward to the update us on how he has progressed.
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Thank you.
 
Meandtheboys said:
In basic terms this horse is 3 this year so I see no reason why not to gently break in - I am doing it in 4 weeks time and certainly this has never done any harm to my other horses. Why do people have to 'knock' other people on their decisions...............OP only wanted to share their excitment and were not looking to whether people though it was right or wrong to break a 3yr old and tbh and I am certainly looking forward to the update us on how he has progressed.
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Internet forum = right to reply! My post was not intended to sound nasty or bitchy - it's just what I would have said to any of my clients or friends who said they were sending a youngster away to be broken as a rising 3yr old. It probably won't come to any harm, and I didn't say it would - just that I feel that babies should have plenty of time to be babies before starting to work like adult horses. The OP does not appear to have taken my comment as a 'knock" and has come back with a civilised response - and I wish her all the best with what looks like a lovely horse.
 
Auslander said:
Internet forum = right to reply! My post was not intended to sound nasty or bitchy - it's just what I would have said to any of my clients or friends who said they were sending a youngster away to be broken as a rising 3yr old. It probably won't come to any harm, and I didn't say it would - just that I feel that babies should have plenty of time to be babies before starting to work like adult horses. The OP does not appear to have taken my comment as a 'knock" and has come back with a civilised response - and I wish her all the best with what looks like a lovely horse.
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I certainly did not think your reply was nasty, bitchy or a 'knock'. You are entitled to your opinion. Jay's birthday is at the beginning of June. There are many factors I have taken into consideration about the timing of his backing. Once again I say that he will be getting turned away for the winter to grow and mature and will not be doing a great deal between now and then.
 
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