Baby horses: when to start competing??

daveismycat

daveismycat

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I am bringing on my first youngster at the moment. She's for keeps so I'm in no big hurry. Currently she's green as they come but hopefully she'll make me a handy RC allrounder.

Question is when do you start to get babies out and about?? We've done some RC individual flatwork lessons at quiet, low key venues and she's been great.

Should I stick to clinics/lessons out and about until we're in with a shout of doing a decent prelim/confident SJ round. Or is it beneficial to just get out there and see the sights and put some miles on the clock even if it's not particularly polished?

Thanks :)
 
I started my young horse with in hand classes in his 2 yo year and some into his 3 yo year. I then started trailering out for lessons with a trainer I trusted that was patient with baby behavior. This year, as a 4 yo, I'm starting with trailering to smaller events and just riding him there and not competing. About halfway through the year, he will start the young event horse classes, then moving to higher pressure rated events as he feels ready.
 
My babies tend to go hacking out of the truck with me going to friends yards a few times to make that a normal thing.

I then took one of my babies out in the truck for a shared flat work lesson (1 other horse) and she was good. Then a close venue had clear round jumping on a few weeks later so even though she had only jumped 3 times ever I took her to that as it was very low key. She was great and jumped round sweetly over teeny fences.

I think RC is the best and have just rejoined my local one. Teaching them about going to different venues, being with other horses working, jumping etc and learning to stand and be polite is great without the pressure of competing and seems a nice middle ground to competing.

I have gone to 2 separate group jump lessons. She has been fine with those so will take her to a quiet ish dressage and sj soon.

My other youngster is much greener than her. He has done truck hacking and 2 RC jump and 1 flat lessons and been good but is too wobbly to go competing yet. He could go and wibble round some baby dressage but the way I see it is I need to improve him more at home and out at RC things. He is sensible about going out to different places so that's not a worry but he's so wobbly I'd like him to go a little bit better before he goes competing!
 
I'm taking my rising 4yo out tomorrow, just hiring a local school as we don't have one and our fields are a bog! But will do her good to get out in the trailer.
Will crack on with her at the beginning of next year, when she is 4, just to some little clear rounds/dressage/xc school and then planning on selling her in Feb.
 
With my sisters he has been doing inhand stuff since being a 2yo - only a handful of events each year. He's been to a local indoor to do some a basic lungeing and flatwork, and has been boxed to inhand lessons. In Feb/March he will start coming to unaff dressage as a companion and then competing, then will go to a few unaff SJ comps. we're aiming for the BYEH but we'll see how it goes :)
 
Similar to Vickijay, I like to take them to as many different places as possible just to hack, school and have lessons. My 4 yr old then went to do some walk trot dressage, just 1 test each time to nice quiet places- I generally ask to go first so the warm up is quiet. She has now been and done a couple of these and a little clear round. Now she's confident enough to do some proper stuff
 
Thanks everyone. Planning a baby SJ schooling day and a walk & trot test for January and we'll go from there. It's all very exciting and I'm desperate to get her out. Just don't want to mess it up as I haven't done this before.
 
Going out and about: as much as possible from as early as possible: small shows, hacking, schooling night.

Actually competing and putting pressure on to do well : only once they're working happily at a higher level at home.
 
Dunno if Bee is relevant, but she'd been rebacked for about 10 weeks when she went out to mini SJ (60cm clear round, 65cm proper class), some more mini SJ a week or 2 later (65cm both times), dressage (intro class and a prelim) and then a 65cm ODE. She relished it all (far more than she did racing!)...
 
daveismycat said:
I am bringing on my first youngster at the moment. She's for keeps so I'm in no big hurry. Currently she's green as they come but hopefully she'll make me a handy RC allrounder.

Question is when do you start to get babies out and about?? We've done some RC individual flatwork lessons at quiet, low key venues and she's been great.

Should I stick to clinics/lessons out and about until we're in with a shout of doing a decent prelim/confident SJ round. Or is it beneficial to just get out there and see the sights and put some miles on the clock even if it's not particularly polished?

Thanks :)
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I would just keep going to different things and places whether for a hack/lesson or clinic. Just getting them out there and doing varied things with them is great. Don't put pressure on to do well, just enjoy yourselves which is the key thing just now. If you get worried or worked up competing then I would leave the competing just now. If you are laid back and relaxed about it and if things go wrong you can work through it and laugh it off then go for it. I don't wait for things to be perfect at home before going out places. However, I would keep it varied and not too intensive or too often with youngster - short and sweet.
 
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I have been trailering mine to lessons for about 6 weeks. I did intend to take her to a tiny little local thing on Sun but it was cancelled. I took her to a friend's yard instead for a hack. Mine is really laid back so as soon as there is something to take her to I am going for the experience.
 
Thanks all. It sounds like we're on the right tracks. I was getting carried away and thought about entering a Prelim at the 'big' local competition centre nearby in early January but I think I shall leave it a little while. Sadly they don't do intro tests. :(

We have a Jane Rutherford flatwork lesson on friday evening and in the new year we are going to a riding club course jumping practice thingy, probably only 50-60cm for a play. If that goes well there is a riding club baby event training day in Feb. See, I'm getting carried away again...!!!

I should point that she is a rising six ex-racer so although she is green, she is quite physically mature. I'm really excited by her attitude so far, so it is easy to get carried away with planning. ;) :)
 
daveismycat said:
Thanks all. It sounds like we're on the right tracks. I was getting carried away and thought about entering a Prelim at the 'big' local competition centre nearby in early January but I think I shall leave it a little while. Sadly they don't do intro tests. :(

We have a Jane Rutherford flatwork lesson on friday evening and in the new year we are going to a riding club course jumping practice thingy, probably only 50-60cm for a play. If that goes well there is a riding club baby event training day in Feb. See, I'm getting carried away again...!!!

I should point that she is a rising six ex-racer so although she is green, she is quite physically mature. I'm really excited by her attitude so far, so it is easy to get carried away with planning. ;) :)
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Sounds to me you are def on the right lines.... just enjoy yourselves! You are allowed to be excited and carried away! :D
 
I never took my boy to his first show till he was 5, a in hand show then ride him round car park, after that a few dressage tests, then 1 unaffliated SJ then on to a few BS SJ classes then that was him for this year. Next year will really start jumping his hopefully.
 
If she raced she will have seen a fair bit so will not need her hoof held like a horse out of the field. A more likely scenario is that race-like environment will wind her up, but you won't know until you go.
 
My 4 year old is due to go and compete now! Sadly xmas is in the way! Hiring a set of jumps tomorrow to jump a full course away from home then shall do one unaff on 2nd jan and then straight to BN ready for blue chip quals. Thats the plan anyway.....
 
Im riding a nice little 6 year old for his owner just now. Green as grass and done nothing so similar stage as your girl. Im planning taking him to do an intro and a prelim test end of January and get some jumping clinics in and if he feels ok will crack on in the spring. Aiming to have him ready for BE intro mid season if he enjoys it ;) lot of work to do before then though!
If you want some company out and about give me a yell :D im going to be in baby horse mode for the next few years, little gingers turn soon! ;)
 
Thanks for the replies :)

Tarrsteps - I use the term 'ex racer' loosely as although she was in training she never raced. I tried to find out more of her history but all the yard could tell me was that she was as slow as a boat and far better suited to a different career. She's been pretty good when out at lessons. A bit of an OMG moment initially each time but thereafter has seemed pretty relaxed about the whole thing. Long may it last!!!

Quadro - I think we'll give the Highland a miss this coming year!! ;)

Nightmare before Christmas - I know what you mean about Xmas getting in the way. Very excited for 2013. Good luck with yours.

Saz - Would be great to have some company. Might see you at the dressage depending on which one you're venturing out to. I'm still holding out for our big holiday to Alaska next summer (Husband is less convinced now that pony number 2 has arrived!!) so not sure where we'll end up or what to aim for. I keep thinking about the unaff 75cm Good Friday ODE at Titlington. And I've only jumped her 3 times ever!!! :eek: Wait a couple of years and it'll all be about the gingers! :D
 
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