Backing 3/4yr olds

[ycbm]

I popped my new 3 year old on the lunge yesterday to see if he knew anything about it, and after a little encouragement he trotted a circle round me using only a headcollar, so I think he's had some exposure before. He's hugely bum high and two completely different horses. They are both lovely but they barely join in the middle ? I'll be testing tack on him soon and as he's been driven I'm not expecting any issues, but he won't be carrying any weight until he levels up a bit.
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[lannerch]

Its a lovely stage, you're quite right, so much fun! I'm afraid i dont have any ridden pictures because I'm always by myself, the best I can do is my hacking view...

And what a lovely view it is ?

 

[ahml100]

Love seeing everyone’s updates and there are least a dozen I would quite happily steal ?

Jamie is coming along nicely, we are long lining and I have just introduced walking over ground poles properly.

He is off to my trainer end of next week to be debacked

 

[Northern]

Things are progressing nicely. We’re out riding by ourselves and in company. I’ve entered us in a dressage clinic in a few weeks so have returned to the school to practice a few things, such as “keep going” (transitions are good, maintaining pace needs work ?) and “straight lines”. Clinic will just be an outing for her (first time for this trainer, I said I would fill up numbers), so anything more is a bonus.

Today we managed a straight line in walk AND trot and a few canter strides (all in 15 minutes ?). Then did a beautiful forward trot on the way home. Hard work for my girl and she got a nice shower and feed afterwards.

 

[TheMule]

Love seeing everyone’s updates and there are least a dozen I would quite happily steal ?

Jamie is coming along nicely, we are long lining and I have just introduced walking over ground poles properly.

He is off to my trainer end of next week to be debac

How exciting! Looking forward to seeing updates of how he gets on with the trainer

 

[j1ffy]

Daffy, TM and Lannerch - yours are all looking lovely!

Love seeing everyone’s updates and there are least a dozen I would quite happily steal ?

Jamie is coming along nicely, we are long lining and I have just introduced walking over ground poles properly.

He is off to my trainer end of next week to be debacked

Sorry but the typo made me laugh ?. Jamie looks great though!

I’m still just doing bits and pieces with Chilli. I had hoped to do more this weekend but my (supposedly older and more sensible) loan horse flung me onto an asphalt car park so riding has been out of the question for the last few days. However we did have a successful hack around the village - about 40 mins - with a friend last week and did the same in-hand today. He’s brave and forward, but polite.

I am very excited about the future and in no hurry to do a lot with him after his busy 3yo year, keeping my loan horse was a good idea (car park incident aside) as I think I’d have been tempted to do too much with Chilli otherwise! He’s incredibly willing and keen to work. I think I’ll aim to do a very short lesson in a month or so with my regular trainer to check what my expectations should be of a 4yo in terms of reactiveness to the aids - I worry that I alternate between too demanding, particularly if I’ve just got off my other boy, and too soft.

 

[lannerch]

Daffy, TM and Lannerch - yours are all looking lovely!



Sorry but the typo made me laugh ?. Jamie looks great though!

I’m still just doing bits and pieces with Chilli. I had hoped to do more this weekend but my (supposedly older and more sensible) loan horse flung me onto an asphalt car park so riding has been out of the question for the last few days. However we did have a successful hack around the village - about 40 mins - with a friend last week and did the same in-hand today. He’s brave and forward, but polite.

I am very excited about the future and in no hurry to do a lot with him after his busy 3yo year, keeping my loan horse was a good idea (car park incident aside) as I think I’d have been tempted to do too much with Chilli otherwise! He’s incredibly willing and keen to work. I think I’ll aim to do a very short lesson in a month or so with my regular trainer to check what my expectations should be of a 4yo in terms of reactiveness to the aids - I worry that I alternate between too demanding, particularly if I’ve just got off my other boy, and too soft.

Interestingly I have also got flung of my friends older wiser well schooled horse when some ducks decided to launch a well timed attack out of the ditch , luckily not on asphalt but I’m sore enough so sympathy goes to you jiffy.

Whilst my 4year old was as good as gold and butter would not melt in her mouth.
I find the more we ride her after a break the more responsive she is getting to the aids as if time off to think about it has let her do just that .

I always carry a stick ( to back up the leg ) but have not had to use it since she has come into work again.

 

[Cherryblossom]

I’m super pleased with Poppy today. I popped the long reins on her just to go around the house because it was windy, but she was totally unfazed by it, so ended up taking her down the road to the neighbours house. She walked past windy trees, fields of sheep and over a cattle grid with a rubber mat over it, with very little hesitation. She then stood nicely in a strange stable while I mucked out the stables (neighbour has horse related injury) and dandered back up the lane and home with no drama! I keep having wobbles that she’s not big enough/ straight enough/ athletic enough and then her wonderful attitude reminds me that she’s priceless!

 

[ahml100]

Daffy, TM and Lannerch - yours are all looking lovely!



Sorry but the typo made me laugh ?. Jamie looks great though!

I’m still just doing bits and pieces with Chilli. I had hoped to do more this weekend but my (supposedly older and more sensible) loan horse flung me onto an asphalt car park so riding has been out of the question for the last few days. However we did have a successful hack around the village - about 40 mins - with a friend last week and did the same in-hand today. He’s brave and forward, but polite.

I am very excited about the future and in no hurry to do a lot with him after his busy 3yo year, keeping my loan horse was a good idea (car park incident aside) as I think I’d have been tempted to do too much with Chilli otherwise! He’s incredibly willing and keen to work. I think I’ll aim to do a very short lesson in a month or so with my regular trainer to check what my expectations should be of a 4yo in terms of reactiveness to the aids - I worry that I alternate between too demanding, particularly if I’ve just got off my other boy, and too soft.

??? ahh but debacking is a very important part of the process ???

 

[ahml100]

How exciting! Looking forward to seeing updates of how he gets on with the trainer

Thank you! The plan is for him to be there for a couple of weeks before coming home

 

[Palindrome]

My rising 4 is not yet back under saddle after her break but I made a little tire jump and she had a go over that for her first time jumping.

Making a big effort the first time :


But soon taking it in her stride :





She is also getting easier with giving her feet thanks to a lot of carrots. I am really shuffed with her as she loves attention, cuddles and treats.

 

[Asha]

Its lovely to come back on this thread and read the updates. Seems everyones having a fab time ( excluding those who where came off older more established ones !Its always the way isnt it. the older ones show you up !)
Frank has had to take a bit of step back as any spare time has been given to our new arrival. You cant beat foal watching !
He did have a couple of outings, first one to his first lesson where he did some pole work followed by a few jumps. Found everything straightforward apart from the oxer, seems they are a little scary. After that he did a bit of hacking and then the next outing was at a local competition venue for a lesson. He had clearly took everything on board and this time jumped all the oxers first time ( 60-70cm). Hes going to have another couple of quiet weeks just hacking now and we will see what we have in June and maybe plan a trip to somerford grassroots field.

 

[MarvelVillis]

My gelding went off to my trainer's yard last Monday to be broken in. I got an exciting update yesterday, he had his first ridden outing and was good as gold apparently. She said a couple of pigeons flew out of a tree as she was mounting and he just stood there waiting to be asked to walk on. Looking forward to having my first sit on him!

 

[daffy44]

Well, apparently my 4yr old is very busy changing shape at the moment, he had a growth spurt at the start of the year which was over before he went to be backed, but it left him quite tall and extremely narrow. Since he has come home he has looked pretty stable height wise, but now he is settling into regular, albeit light work, he has muscles popping up all over the place! He had a massage treatment last week, and everything was good there, no tightness or sore spots, he is just doing a good popeye impression! Other than the impressive growing everything else is coming along nicely.

Pics are a taken a month apart

 

[TheMule]

Well, apparently my 4yr old is very busy changing shape at the moment, he had a growth spurt at the start of the year which was over before he went to be backed, but it left him quite tall and extremely narrow. Since he has come home he has looked pretty stable height wise, but now he is settling into regular, albeit light work, he has muscles popping up all over the place! He had a massage treatment last week, and everything was good there, no tightness or sore spots, he is just doing a good popeye impression! Other than the impressive growing everything else is coming along nicely.

Pics are a taken a month apart
View attachment 71795

Looking super strong now, nice view!

 

[TheMule]

My 2 loose jumped for the first time this year today. Both remembered what to do- they will both do anything for a polo, Nova just literally takes himself round and round, stopping for his polo briefly between each fence

 

[Palindrome]

My 2 loose jumped for the first time this year today. Both remembered what to do- they will both do anything for a polo, Nova just literally takes himself round and round, stopping for his polo briefly between each fence

View attachment 71801
View attachment 71802

Ah, look at those tidy knees on Nova, he looks so grown up with a great technique.

 

[TheMule]

Ah, look at those tidy knees on Nova, he looks so grown up with a great technique.

Thanks- he has always been super in front and now he has the strength and power he's following through behind as well. Very excited about him, he is just everything I wanted to breed (which very rarely happens ?)

 

[daffy44]

Fabulous technique there TM!!

 

[MarvelVillis]

Well, apparently my 4yr old is very busy changing shape at the moment, he had a growth spurt at the start of the year which was over before he went to be backed, but it left him quite tall and extremely narrow. Since he has come home he has looked pretty stable height wise, but now he is settling into regular, albeit light work, he has muscles popping up all over the place! He had a massage treatment last week, and everything was good there, no tightness or sore spots, he is just doing a good popeye impression! Other than the impressive growing everything else is coming along nicely.

Pics are a taken a month apart
View attachment 71795

That's amazing the difference in just one month! I'm excited to notice the changes in my boy as he's just been backed and started to hack out.

 

[GG13]

It’s my mare’s actual 4th birthday today and we celebrated with our first hack in company. She was really well behaved and led most the way. So pleased with how she’s coming along

 

[lannerch]

It’s my mare’s actual 4th birthday today and we celebrated with our first hack in company. She was really well behaved and led most the way. So pleased with how she’s coming along

It’s my girls 4th birthday today to , birthday twins ?‍

 

[ahml100]

My 2 loose jumped for the first time this year today. Both remembered what to do- they will both do anything for a polo, Nova just literally takes himself round and round, stopping for his polo briefly between each fence

View attachment 71801
View attachment 71802

They are both looking fab! The HH petition for The Eventing Mule May have to start quite soon at this rate!

 

[ahml100]

So, the day is finally here! Tomorrow, Jamie is off to my trainer to be rebacked and ridden away before coming back to me ??

A little photo of him before the physio came out yesterday to make sure he was in tip top shape for boarding school!

 

[TheMule]

They are both looking fab! The HH petition for The Eventing Mule May have to start quite soon at this rate!

I'm happy to take volunteers to get her started..... ?

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I'm happy to take volunteers to get her started..... ?

I love her ?

 

[TheMule]

I love her ?

Would you like to come and give her a little jump?!

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Would you like to come and give her a little jump?!

If I were nearby, absolutely.

I'm dying on the inside to start a horse (or mule!) again, or even work with a greenie, now that my horse (who is def part donkey ?) is 9 years old. However, I can only afford one large animal, both time and money wise, and I am stuck on the continent for at least the next year or so.

I do scroll through mule classifieds every now and again. I told OH he needs a nice mule, his comment "seems like it would be hard to find a saddle to fit a mule" so he didn't say no ?‍

 

[TheMule]

If I were nearby, absolutely.

I'm dying on the inside to start a horse (or mule!) again, or even work with a greenie, now that my horse (who is def part donkey ?) is 9 years old. However, I can only afford one large animal, both time and money wise, and I am stuck on the continent for at least the next year or so.

I do scroll through mule classifieds every now and again. I told OH he needs a nice mule, his comment "seems like it would be hard to find a saddle to fit a mule" so he didn't say no ?‍

My mule has actually been easier to fit a saddle to than my warmblood- I have 3 different saddles that fit her and one horrid treeless thing for him!
She is a lovely little thing, but she is definitely much more tricky than the horse baby. She doesn’t do anything naughty, but it's a much more complicated mind game

 

[ahml100]

So with Jamie now safely at boarding school, with a strong talking too as I left that Mummy is not paying all this money for you to fool around and no matter how cool the other kids are, you are expected to spend your time learning not mucking about ?

I thought it would be interesting to take a picture before he left to hopefully take another, probably September time to document the change in shape!

Then I thought it would be interesting to see the difference from yearling to four! Big difference is we have finally grown into his ears! Back end is big and now just need to get stronger in front.