lannerch
Well-Known Member
Beautiful ?
Backing 3/4yr olds
- Thread starter TheMule
- Start date
xDundryx
Well-Known Member
I've spent my evenings reading this thread with interest, we have a 3yo TB filly (officially 3 in April) who will be going off for backing with a lovely, knowledgeable local former eventer in May. She's going to be huge, already standing a good 16 2hh, chestnut, strong,moves like a dream with a temperament to match. We were gifted her straight from the stud as she was far to big to go into flat racing. She's by Garwsood as well, so nice breeding. 
ImmyS
Well-Known Member
Finn is officially now back in work. He is coming 4 now and has been out in the field since September. We have done a few short groundwork sessions this week and today we ventured out to the roads for the first time on the long reins and he was super.
Really excited to keep on with the ground work and long reining/in hand hacks. We currently don’t have any one to hack out with so building his confidence out solo is priority right now. Saddler is booked for April so we will continue the groundwork until then with a view to start ridden work once we have a saddle organised.
Really excited to keep on with the ground work and long reining/in hand hacks. We currently don’t have any one to hack out with so building his confidence out solo is priority right now. Saddler is booked for April so we will continue the groundwork until then with a view to start ridden work once we have a saddle organised.
SheriffTruman
Well-Known Member
Love to see all the great horses (and one beautiful mule) in this thread, interesting to see the progress you all made. Have been following with interest.
I have a rising four year old. Was planning to send him away for backing, as I want to ride him western-style. Since I'm relatively new to western myseld, I figured I needed a proper western trainer for that. However, I contacted my old instructor who trains both dressage, and western. She reckons I can back, and train him myself with her on the ground. Yikes! Also, really looking forward to this!
We have started with proper groundwork now, instead of playing around, probably will get on him this March or April. He is a ridiculously fast learner, it's me who's making the mistakes. When I tossed a saddle on him just for the heck of it, he didn't bat an eyelid, so that is promising. No recent pictures, I'll have to get on that!
I have a rising four year old. Was planning to send him away for backing, as I want to ride him western-style. Since I'm relatively new to western myseld, I figured I needed a proper western trainer for that. However, I contacted my old instructor who trains both dressage, and western. She reckons I can back, and train him myself with her on the ground. Yikes! Also, really looking forward to this!
We have started with proper groundwork now, instead of playing around, probably will get on him this March or April. He is a ridiculously fast learner, it's me who's making the mistakes. When I tossed a saddle on him just for the heck of it, he didn't bat an eyelid, so that is promising. No recent pictures, I'll have to get on that!
HufflyPuffly
Well-Known Member
Thought maybe I’d introduce baby pony to the thread. This is Rynys Jadore, half Arab with a dash of Welsh (not sure on the rest).
She’s three in May, 15.2hh at the withers and bum high ?? and pretty much a complete blank canvas.
I’ve had her home nearly three weeks, she’s learnt about being led with other horses, the hosepipe (had to get that one in early!), she’s had her mane tamed and once the dentist has been she will be lightly bitted so she can go do some shows this summer before she’s backed.
She’s pretty tricky to get pictures of as she’s so nosy lol.
She’s also learning about being patient tied up ??, she’s already a character!
She’s three in May, 15.2hh at the withers and bum high ?? and pretty much a complete blank canvas.
I’ve had her home nearly three weeks, she’s learnt about being led with other horses, the hosepipe (had to get that one in early!), she’s had her mane tamed and once the dentist has been she will be lightly bitted so she can go do some shows this summer before she’s backed.
She’s pretty tricky to get pictures of as she’s so nosy lol.
She’s also learning about being patient tied up ??, she’s already a character!
chaps89
Well-Known Member
I like her a lot, where did you find her?
HufflyPuffly
Well-Known Member
Local breeder, we have one that he bred on the yard already who is just mega. Stepped up to 90 in her first BE season with lots of placings, her full brother is also out with the same successes at BE. Huw gives them a great start, so they tend to be easy to handle with lovely temperaments.
He didn’t breed Jadore but bought her as a foal, Ive known her from a yearling and I trust his eye for a good horse, so fingers crossed! She’s bold, inquisitive and happy to learn
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j1ffy
Well-Known Member
She's lovely HP! How are your other two doing?
HufflyPuffly
Well-Known Member
Thanks, they are fat, hairy field potatoes ??. Skylla seems to have come sound, so hopefully they can both continue their light hacking duties!
Hopelessly horsey
Active Member
Madam has been taking things easy. However we have the saddler booked for the 23rd and I plan on starting some long lining at the end of next week ?
She's grown about an inch and I still think she'll struggle to hit much over 16.1/2 but she's got an absolutely cracking character and there's some nice moves in there too!
She's grown about an inch and I still think she'll struggle to hit much over 16.1/2 but she's got an absolutely cracking character and there's some nice moves in there too!
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Bernster
Well-Known Member
Ooh Arab x Welsh sounds like an interesting mix.
daffy44
Well-Known Member
Well, little Franny has been with me just over three weeks now, and so far she is being angelic, very easy to do, very settled, and incredible to ride, such a good girl, and we've been getting on very well.
I always feel its a significant moment the first time a new horse feels comfortable enough with me to let me come and sit with them while they are lying down, and yesterday evening she decided she would be very happy for me to join her during her nap time, so I sat with her, and we had a little moment and it felt like a very good step on our journey.
I always feel its a significant moment the first time a new horse feels comfortable enough with me to let me come and sit with them while they are lying down, and yesterday evening she decided she would be very happy for me to join her during her nap time, so I sat with her, and we had a little moment and it felt like a very good step on our journey.
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HufflyPuffly
Well-Known Member
I think it used to be a more common mix, especially for show hunter ponies from memory.
I think native crosses and definitely Arabs have fallen out of favour, with warmbloods being what most people seem to want theses days ??
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shortstuff99
Well-Known Member
There used to be a small stud next to where I kept my horses that bred Welsh B x Arab. Lovely show ponies, used to win loads.I think it used to be a more common mix, especially for show hunter ponies from memory.
I think native crosses and definitely Arabs have fallen out of favour, with warmbloods being what most people seem to want theses days ??
HufflyPuffly
Well-Known Member
Yeah I remember I used to see a lot of them on the show circuit.
Hopefully Baby Beryl will be a useful sort, she moves nicely enough ?.
HashRouge
Well-Known Member
Arabs so seem to be very unfashionable atm. When I was a kid (in the late 90s/ early 00s) it felt as though every other horse on my yard was an Arab or a part bred. Anyway, your new girl is lovely and I look forward to seeing how you get on with herI think it used to be a more common mix, especially for show hunter ponies from memory.
I think native crosses and definitely Arabs have fallen out of favour, with warmbloods being what most people seem to want theses days ??
Lyle
Well-Known Member
Thought I'd pop in, as my OH and I have just started 2x3.5yo Welsh D's. These boys have breezed through the Groundwork Prep, and have had 2 rides under saddle no problems- Walk, Trot, Canter in the roundyard. My OH hopped off the second one last night and said "They're both a bit boring" Good, it means I've done my job correctly!!
Good, it means I've done my job correctly!!maya2008
Well-Known Member
Our 3yo is now backed. My youngest child had a little sit on the lead rein on day 1, then we tacked up to go hacking on day 2 (3yo is normally led from my mare) and little 3yo was all… ‘Wait a minute, I know how to have a person on, I don’t need leading!’ She kept pulling free and being super cross (out of character for her) until I had to stick a child on as otherwise she was threatening to pull free one last time and run off. So on went my older child, and off we went - all the way home in walk with a little trot, off the lead through fields and woods, then down the lane to the yard. First trot under saddle fine, including rising - kid swinging his legs out of the stirrups up the drive, kids playing next to each other as they rode - all fine. Acted like she’d been doing this for years!
Roasted Chestnuts
Well-Known Member
I couldn’t find this thread not sure if I’ve ever posted on it but I posted a thread about Faran and I going in our first ever ridden hack on Saturday and ycbm pointed me in this direction.
So in three and half years almost we have gone from this
8months old bought at six months ?
To this ? properly 4 on 17th April ?
Just going to putter away building fitness in hand with sits until the saddle fitter comes at the beginning of April to professionally fit the saddle to him then we can crack on with enjoying a fun hacking summer ?
So in three and half years almost we have gone from this
8months old bought at six months ?
To this ? properly 4 on 17th April ?
Just going to putter away building fitness in hand with sits until the saddle fitter comes at the beginning of April to professionally fit the saddle to him then we can crack on with enjoying a fun hacking summer ?
j1ffy
Well-Known Member
Very handsome, and it looks like you're doing a great job with him! What's his breeding?
SheriffTruman
Well-Known Member
He's a very nice horse. You two looking great!
Roasted Chestnuts
Well-Known Member
Maesymor Amber Flash
Kylebeck Crespo (Crugybar Mabon Mai) x Maesymor Sunbeams Last (Cathedine Flying Express)
he’s quite well bred considering what I paid for him ? plenty of good bloodlines in his lineage
Roasted Chestnuts
Well-Known Member
Thank you
Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
Sometimes, this horse training is lonely business. The big triumphs often don't look like anything, and the methods I'm using aren't well followed around here, so when I explain my approach to people, or they vaguely watch me, they think I'm batsh1t. Tried to explain the concept to my friend of using a flag (say) to show the horse the difference between neutral/stuff to ignore, and stuff you want them to respond to. She looked at me like I was out of my mind and said, "How the hell do you do that?"
Out of my mind or not, that's what we worked on today. After weaning, Hermosa seriously regressed, so I've spent the last six weeks going back to basics. She decided she was scared of flappy things around her legs, and I bought a horsemanship flag for the purposes of working with her on this in a more controlled way. This week, she finally decided that the flag wasn't scary and accepted it touching her wherever. Today, I introduced her to the next concept -- the flag as a cue to do something (like walk around me in a circle), but also, the flag as a cue to do nothing. And she got it. Quickly. I could flick it behind her with energy in my body language, while using the hand on the live rope to direct her, and we got our circles. Then I would drop my energy and touch her with the flag, and she would stop.
Next, we worked on drive and draw. I would drive as described above, then after a few circles, change my position and draw her towards me. She was pretty good at this too.
Then we had a spa session in the byre because it started chucking it down.
First photo shows her chilling in the byre, second is me trying to get her out of bed.
Out of my mind or not, that's what we worked on today. After weaning, Hermosa seriously regressed, so I've spent the last six weeks going back to basics. She decided she was scared of flappy things around her legs, and I bought a horsemanship flag for the purposes of working with her on this in a more controlled way. This week, she finally decided that the flag wasn't scary and accepted it touching her wherever. Today, I introduced her to the next concept -- the flag as a cue to do something (like walk around me in a circle), but also, the flag as a cue to do nothing. And she got it. Quickly. I could flick it behind her with energy in my body language, while using the hand on the live rope to direct her, and we got our circles. Then I would drop my energy and touch her with the flag, and she would stop.
Next, we worked on drive and draw. I would drive as described above, then after a few circles, change my position and draw her towards me. She was pretty good at this too.
Then we had a spa session in the byre because it started chucking it down.
First photo shows her chilling in the byre, second is me trying to get her out of bed.
shortstuff99
Well-Known Member
She looks like she has grown a lot! You're doing a great job with her.
Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
I hadn't posted photos for a while because she went through a really fugly growth spurt, and the distortions of my phone camera made her look even weirder. I have photos for my records, but I didn't feel like humiliating her by posting them on the internet. I think she's starting to come out of the fuglies and look like a horse again.
Hopelessly horsey
Active Member
Freya had her first day of big girl school today! We had the saddler out yesterday to fit her first saddle and we took to the school for the first time.
There was plenty to look at between the fences set up, banners around the edge and wings on the floor in the corners. Overall she was an absolute star with just a few baby moments.
Very much looking forward to seeing how she turns out
There was plenty to look at between the fences set up, banners around the edge and wings on the floor in the corners. Overall she was an absolute star with just a few baby moments.
Very much looking forward to seeing how she turns out
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maya2008
Well-Known Member
I feel we have got away lightly on the saddle front - you can just stick a Thorn pad on an 11.2hh with a sheepskin pad underneath and off you go!
Good pony today - cantering steadily in an open field for the first time. The 3yo is now officially better behaved than our grizzled old Shetland!
Good pony today - cantering steadily in an open field for the first time. The 3yo is now officially better behaved than our grizzled old Shetland!
SheriffTruman
Well-Known Member
Totally relatable. I want to ride western in a mostly dressage yard. When I'm training the horse (or rather, my trainer is training me to train my horse), there is a lot of frowning, and sometimes even remarking.
This sounds like very good progress!
MarvelVillis
Well-Known Member
Oh my goodness she's gorgeous! The first horse I learnt to ride on was a chestnut ex racer with no white, just like your girl. I've always said the only second horse I'd buy would be my dream horse which would be a chestnut gelding with no white markings. I keep an eye out for time to time but I don't see many of them come up (in my budget!)