Backing 3/4yr olds

[MarvelVillis]

Lovely updates from everyone.

I gave my 4 year old a mini break over winter (kept him ticking over with 1/2 small hacks a week but dropped the school work). I took him back in the school a couple of weeks ago and have booked in for some lessons to start schooling again regularly. There is a huge indoor school hacking distance from us which I'd like to get him in soon. I need to start doing some loading practice with him as I've entered him into our first fun ride at the end of May...! Am I mad or am I mad...? We're going with a friend who has a sane, sensible older pony which will hopefully keep Marvel calm. He's fairly level headed and we've been enjoying some lovely canters on Dartmoor so hoping it won't blow his mind. He's loaded into a box a handful of times but point blank refused when we moved yards last year, and after 2 hours of trying I had to hack him by himself to the new yard (which was about 2 1/2 hours!). So definitely need to practice before May. Really pleased with how well he's looking. Put a stick on him recently and he's now 15.1hh - gone up from 14.3hh since last May when we went off to be backed. Starting to look like a lovely little horse.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

First canter under saddle. Not pretty and I wasn’t sitting nor standing I had sort of two pointing ? he has good breaks and steering now so let the hacking commence lol ?

 

[ihatework]

3 year old pre-school ?

 

[Hopelessly horsey]

It happened ? little girlie has had two days of being sat on and led around the lunge pen.
A slight brain fart when asked to change direction and move off however once she has sussed something she just cracks on. Very happy with her

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

First big boy riding hack in the forest and first canter. Unasked for but he gave me the sweetest transition and such a lovely rhythmic canter that I passengered it and let him have at. Felt amazing

 

[SpotsandBays]

Really proud of this one!
Had the saddle fitter out yesterday to get him fitted ready for spring.
Pulled him out of the field, scraped off all the mud and hopped straight on. He was very well behaved having a plod around the yard - considering he’s been turned away for 4 months, and has only be sat on a handful of times last year!

 

[ImmyS]

Really proud of this one!
Had the saddle fitter out yesterday to get him fitted ready for spring.
Pulled him out of the field, scraped off all the mud and hopped straight on. He was very well behaved having a plod around the yard - considering he’s been turned away for 4 months, and has only be sat on a handful of times last year!

That’s amazing! Also rather jealous you’ve got a saddle fitted! I’m desperate to get a saddle fitted so I can crack on with Finn! Had the saddler out last weekend, 10 saddles later and nothing even close! ?? Have had to order one in especially so really hoping it doesn’t take too long!

 

[maya2008]

Lovely to read everyone’s updates! Our 3yo has now progressed to open fields with both of my kids (youngest is 7yo) and has cantered in the school for the first time. She is ridden 3x a week for little trips out and has remained eager to work and reliably sweet. She is now being handled, tacked up etc completely by the kids, 3 weeks after first being sat on. Her attitude is so good that she is now officially better behaved than two of the older ones (and my daughter picked her as the easiest option when we rode in the big field yesterday?)!

Meanwhile, her yearling filly is a right little madam so she definitely didn’t take after her dam - life will be interesting in a few years when that one is ready to be backed!

 

[windand rain]

Kittens first walk solo around the school was an a* pupil
has been out to mature for 6 months this was her second time out of the field since being turned away.

 

[alsxx]

How lovely to see all these updates! My 4 year old Fly has just started to do some work again, love this time of year!

He was backed at a pro yard and came home early November, and has been chilling in the field over winter. He seems very ready and eager to be doing something so we've just started doing some baby lunging. He's mostly remembered this lunging business and we've done a couple of short and sweet sessions where he's made good progress each time. I love how just 5 minutes can be enough to see them figuring things out and ending on a good note. Planning on doing a couple of walks down the lane/bridleway over weekend as its rained today and we only have grass to lunge on, and then hopefully picking it back up next week and progressing on to long lining again all being well ?.

 

[Hopelessly horsey]

I'm pretty sure youngsters aren't meant to be this easy (probably just jinxed myself there )
We have gone from lunging to riding away in a month! I was not expecting to have made this much progress but this little lady has taken each and every step in her stride.
I'm going to do light work with her for a few more weeks then she will have a little holiday to digest all she has learned

 

[ImmyS]

Finn is now back in work with a mixture of in hand hacks and long reining. Looking forward to getting back in the saddle however we had saddler out a couple of weeks ago and about 10 saddles later with still no joy!! One of the Black Country trees fitted him perfectly so have one on order and looking out for second hands but they seem like good dust! So just going to keep plodding away at the groundwork!

Have been having a lean over and started having a little mooch up and down the yard driveway bareback and he hasn’t batted an eye.

He is also looking absolutely huge! ? he’s only 16/16.1hh but looks and feels bigger. Would have liked him leaner coming into spring but I think he looks well grown and a solid leg in each corner type!
Roll on getting a saddle and then he will hopefully be going away to my trainers for some schooling again.

 

[milliepops]

Young Frank definitely needs to find his new person because it's nearly a month since i was able to do anything with him. It's hopeless! But he doesn't forget his lessons, today we found third gear on the lunge. I probably ought to lunge him in proper tack really now, but we're in a weird limbo now as he's not staying, so i'm drifting. Anyway at least now he can wtc we can do a fair stab at viewings.

 

[windand rain]

After being an ass about having the saddle on the other day when the trainer was here Kitten got squared up by me and stood quietly and had the saddle dumped on her back girthed up and walked round a dozen or more times as good as gold Don't know what got into her but she was certainly voicing her opinion on it. Unrotunately I wasn't there to see what she did but think it might have been a case of they are too nice to her and she can be very opinionated she often thinks she knows better
Know its a bit far forward but hadn't finished doing her tack up but took advantage of someone holding her.

 

[Caol Ila]

This weekend, Hermosa did her first in hand hack without another horse buddy. She could not have cared less.

Hermosa met Mr. Lunge Line today. I flopped and snaked him about to make sure she was not alarmed by that, then clipped it to the cavesson and asked for a couple circles in walk, just a bit further out than we’d do with a lead rope. Obviously not going to go nuts with lunging at her age, but I can introduce the concept. She did good. Still want a lot more physical development before I think of riding but I’m just pottering along, introducing the odd thing.

 

[shortstuff99]

She has such a lovely kind face.

 

[Lyle]

My little 3.5yos welsh Ds are being ridden every second day, for about 15 to 20 minutes. It's a lot of hacking around the property, walking up and down banks and over ditches and trotting and cantering in the open. They do a little flat schooling, they are both pretty established at walk/trot/canter and following the arena fence on a loose rein. They are such babies though, just slow and steady for now. Looking forward to seeing them strengthen up and mature as the year progresses. Now to start the other 3.5yo

 

[shortstuff99]

I keep meaning to get videos and then don't have anyone to film for me! I have been leaning over baby Bean and we have walked up and down the arena, she has given zero cares about it so I couldn't be more pleased. I am also introducing lunging, but she doesn't quite see why she has to walk around when she could just stand next to me ?.

I have also been getting my Dad to do the legerete in-hand contact work worh her as he is much better than me at it. I also think it helps for her to be trained by other people then just me.

As no video here is Bean being a goof.

 

[Caol Ila]

She has such a lovely kind face.

At least she has that! Her body looks weirdly cobbled together but the foal seriously slowed her growth (feel so sorry for her younger sister, but my vet says Hermosa will catch up and be okay in the long run). Hopefully she’ll mature over the spring and summer into something nice.

I keep meaning to get videos and then don't have anyone to film for me! I have been leaning over baby Bean and we have walked up and down the arena, she has given zero cares about it so I couldn't be more pleased. I am also introducing lunging, but she doesn't quite see why she has to walk around when she could just stand next to me ?.

I have also been getting my Dad to do the legerete in-hand contact work worh her as he is much better than me at it. I also think it helps for her to be trained by other people then just me.

As no video here is Bean being a goof.

View attachment 89416

I wish my dad knew legerete. Fin decided he was a worthy lead horse on a hack but he actually knows nothing about horses!

 

[shortstuff99]

At least she has that! Her body looks weirdly cobbled together but the foal seriously slowed her growth (feel so sorry for her younger sister, but my vet says Hermosa will catch up and be okay in the long run). Hopefully she’ll mature over the spring and summer into something nice.



I wish my dad knew legerete. Fin decided he was a worthy lead horse on a hack but he actually knows nothing about horses!

She looks very similar to how Bean looked last year, and now she has suddenly just changed overnight and looks like a real horse so I think your vet will be right .

Have to say it is very useful having a dad that also knows horses, although whenever I groom for him at shows everyone assumes he is there helping me instead of the other way around ?

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Lovely to see everyone getting on well with their youngsters and what they're getting up too!

@Cheeky Chestnut I'd be happy with that as a first canter.. love his white fact. PS, totally not jealous of that lovely arena!
@Rosietaz You look the perfect size for him
@shortstuff99 Love 'Baby Bean' what a innocent sweet face

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I haven't posted in ages! My mare is 4 in a couple of months to be exact. I ended up getting a saddle (eventually!) fitted in February after struggling to find one and the months of ground work helped as she was totally unphased by me being onboard!

Started just being lead around the yard, progressed within a few days to walking down the track with someone walking behind and then around the wood. We then went around the wood with a friend on their bombproof cob, she was a little joggy even in front at first.

Fast forward a few weeks from then.. we have been doing all the (private) farm routes on our own and in company! Some times shes a little backwards on her own, but with encouragement walks out nicely. Last week we had our first canter (which was in company in a open field) but she was super, only one brief buck. We haven't been in the arena yet since being onboard, mainly as our arena is 60x40 and prefer to get them hacking out first. We will progress to crossing the main road soon (sadly have to cross a busy 3 lane main road) and hacking off the private land, she's quite brave so don't think it will be a problem.

All the backing hasn't gone to bad so far.. and majority of it has been done on my own bar someone walking with me/behind for the first couple of weeks I was first on her.

So far I've been doing 3 times a week short hacks, say 20-30 minutes and mainly in walk still. I read on the forum frequent breaks are good for youngsters so am going to start 3 weeks work followed by 1 week off until winter and then probably give her winter off! What are everyone elses plans in terms of 'holiday' or breaks?

 

[Caol Ila]

She looks very similar to how Bean looked last year, and now she has suddenly just changed overnight and looks like a real horse so I think your vet will be right .

Have to say it is very useful having a dad that also knows horses, although whenever I groom for him at shows everyone assumes he is there helping me instead of the other way around ?

That's reassuring! She seems athletic when she bounces her front end off the ground, and she has nice gaits. Doesn't do that choppy PRE thing. She's got a reasonable amount of natural elasticity in her stride. Really hoping we can do something a little more exciting than Novice/Elem. Gypsum maxed out at US Second Level (which is sort of Elementary/Medium-ish). I was fighting for every point, just to break 60%. She wasn't built for collection. With a youngster, you just don't know how anything will pan out, but I am cautiously hopeful that Hermosa will find it easier than Gypsum did.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

So happy with this guy ? rode him on Sunday no lunging just straight on, nice walk and some trot and figures of eight and serpentines in walk then opened the gate and closed it whilst on board.

Then again same no lunging straight on and there was another horse being lunged at the same time and the light was fading, I had left money for the meter with a girl in the stables but she forgot to put it in ?, so we were riding round in the near dark at back of seven ? but he never batted an eyelid at anything and was fine with the horse on the lunge cantering past and near him ?

My new stirrups came today as well and I have to say I’m in love ?

 

[shortstuff99]

I haven't posted in ages! My mare is 4 in a couple of months to be exact. I ended up getting a saddle (eventually!) fitted in February after struggling to find one and the months of ground work helped as she was totally unphased by me being onboard!

Started just being lead around the yard, progressed within a few days to walking down the track with someone walking behind and then around the wood. We then went around the wood with a friend on their bombproof cob, she was a little joggy even in front at first.

Fast forward a few weeks from then.. we have been doing all the (private) farm routes on our own and in company! Some times shes a little backwards on her own, but with encouragement walks out nicely. Last week we had our first canter (which was in company in a open field) but she was super, only one brief buck. We haven't been in the arena yet since being onboard, mainly as our arena is 60x40 and prefer to get them hacking out first. We will progress to crossing the main road soon (sadly have to cross a busy 3 lane main road) and hacking off the private land, she's quite brave so don't think it will be a problem.

All the backing hasn't gone to bad so far.. and majority of it has been done on my own bar someone walking with me/behind for the first couple of weeks I was first on her.

So far I've been doing 3 times a week short hacks, say 20-30 minutes and mainly in walk still. I read on the forum frequent breaks are good for youngsters so am going to start 3 weeks work followed by 1 week off until winter and then probably give her winter off! What are everyone elses plans in terms of 'holiday' or breaks?

Sounds like it is all going well!

I just give breaks as and when I feel they need them. Normally that's just a week off here and there.

 

[Caol Ila]

Sounds like it is all going well!

I just give breaks as and when I feel they need them. Normally that's just a week off here and there.

I’ve been doing the same. Usually around foal faff. When he was young, she went feral, so merely catching was an epic. We then got into a routine where we could do a few more things with them, but when he was around six months old, he became very full of himself, like any young boy, and required your undivided attention, so you couldn’t do anything with her. If he wasn’t firmly restrained, he would jump on top of her. Not ideal. Then after weaning, she became very scatty and stressed, so there was no point in training anything new (the foal was way more chilled). I just brushed her. She’s settled now, but my parents are visiting after not seeing me for three years, so I’m dealing with them and not training the horse. Bring on April.

 

[ihatework]

Millie had her STD screening today, a scan to check all well and will be off to stud in a fortnight for a hot date with a vets arm ? She has just done basic bitting/rollers/leading stuff and will resume skool lessons once she is a lady with a baby and has had some spring grass in her belly.

Turnip is awesome and unflappable.
I got myself a spare pair of hands today and got on! She literally could not have cared less (and she was very comfy)

 

[Caol Ila]

Ooft. Not so good report today. She was apparently wild for the farrier. Rearing, leaping sideways, the works. I thought I had fixed this, as she's been pretty good about getting her feet trimmed since late June. She's never been 100% sold on the farrier, who's one of these large, intimidating Glaswegian guys (he's a good farrier, but quite brusque in his manner), but she was tolerating him. Not today. I wasn't there, but Caso's owner was, and she's usually the one to hold her for her feet, so no change there.

She lets me bang around on her feet nae bother. I will play more with my rasp, but my gut feeling is that she's scared of a large, intimidating bloke. Unfortunately, I don't know any large intimidating blokes who are horsey enough to help. All the horsey men I know are very quiet and gentle, like OH, and my louder, more intimidating male friends are all terrified of horses, so they will not be volunteering to hold one's foot.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Ooft. Not so good report today. She was apparently wild for the farrier. Rearing, leaping sideways, the works. I thought I had fixed this, as she's been pretty good about getting her feet trimmed since late June. She's never been 100% sold on the farrier, who's one of these large, intimidating Glaswegian guys (he's a good farrier, but quite brusque in his manner), but she was tolerating him. Not today. I wasn't there, but Caso's owner was, and she's usually the one to hold her for her feet, so no change there.

She lets me bang around on her feet nae bother. I will play more with my rasp, but my gut feeling is that she's scared of a large, intimidating bloke. Unfortunately, I don't know any large intimidating blokes who are horsey enough to help. All the horsey men I know are very quiet and gentle, like OH, and my louder, more intimidating male friends are all terrified of horses, so they will not be volunteering to hold one's foot.

Oh no, sorry to hear she wasn’t great with the farrier. It’s all a learning curve! One of my previous youngsters was really nervous of the farrier, behaviour was worse with rearing. It took about a year but lots of treats (those licks helped, just while the farrier is there!) and in the end he could be shod without even being tied up.

If I’m honest it’s why I’ve been so keen to keep mine barefoot, but depends how she goes!

 

[Caol Ila]

Fin’s farrier is very quiet and soft but I’m not sure his beat goes to her yard. I’ll ask when I see him. I’m thinking of learning to trim myself.