daffy44
Well-Known Member
Thanks Asha, the shine on my 3yr old comes from the same extensive regime that The Mule follows!!
Backing 3/4yr olds
- Thread starter TheMule
- Start date
Alibear
Well-Known Member
Hi, yes its the same mare she's proving to be really lovely. So far my first foray in to buying something unbacked is going well. Now its up to me to maintain her good foundation now she's home.
ahml100
Well-Known Member
Not sure what else to say but WOW WOW WOW ? you must have been over the moon with those
TheMule
Well-Known Member
daffy44
Well-Known Member
I think despooking was a success today!
TheMule
Well-Known Member
Love that!
daffy44
Well-Known Member
Thanks, he is teddy bear x labrador!
Cherryblossom
Well-Known Member
After our unplanned delay waiting for Poppy’s leg to heal, she went away over the weekend for breaking. Apparently she’s taking everything in her stride so far; long may that continue! Put a stick on her, and from the skinny, wormy wreck that arrived with me in May she’s grown by....absolutely nothing. Not an inch... and I’d really like two, ideally three! I want a horse sized pony, not a pony sized pony!
Asha
Well-Known Member
Asha
Well-Known Member
Frank is proving to be a bit of a dude. So far hacking out and loving it, the things he looked at on his first hack time dont phase him now. He was funny when we met a couple of walkers, and seemed to think he should walk up to them for a pat. There must be a touch of golden retriever breeding in him. He even put the big brave ID to shame by walking through all the puddles, while the ID ( Finn ) spooked at them .Hes been that good that we are turning him away now until next year. I hope he comes back as good.
lannerch
Well-Known Member
I’m sure he will and I hope the walkers appreciated him. I’ve just done the same with Layla , she’s so obliging it would be tempting to do too much, but I to have resisted lol .
Asha
Well-Known Member
its a hard call to make when they seem to enjoy the work, but definitely the right call. When do you plan to bring her back in ? we are aiming for Feb .. weather permitting !
lannerch
Well-Known Member
Maybe for a short spell December 4 weeks or so then probably late feb , March . Well that was the plan when I discussed it with my friend who backed her could well change, and as you say depends on the weather as you don’t want to be stuck in the school .
palo1
Well-Known Member
Well after just over 6 months gentle work 4 y/0 Alw is going to be turned away for the winter probably this week! I had hoped to introduce her to a gentle morning's local trail hunting but thanks to the new lock-down that is not likely to be available to us before mid December and really, she has done enough and deserves a break 
Personally, I will be sad to stop working her for a bit but she needs to rest and grow. Just to re-cap; I started her late last summer as a 3 year old and she was turned away in the Autumn having not put a foot wrong - hacking out alone and in company, good with traffic, dogs and various sights and sounds. We had got all 3 wtc quite happily and when I picked her up again this Spring she was completely straightforward to bring back into work. Since mid-late March we have consolidated all the basic handling - she now loads herself and is a cool customer to travel and visit new places as well as to clip, travel with other horses, rug, boot etc etc. She is working very nicely in w/t/c and has even had 1 baby go at gallop Slowest gallop ever but I guess she was busy trying to organise her legs bless her!! She has popped small hunt jumps on the local common (up to about 2'3''...) and is confident with ditches and water.
In late August we started some more regular school work and leg yield, circles, spirals, turn on the forehand etc are all quite nice. The last 3 weeks has seen Alw just stringing together a few little jumps of 60cm without any difficulties or excitement at all. She has an amazing willing nature and fabulous 'work ethic' She enjoys a puzzle. I had planned for her to have a go at visiting a decent size venue to have a go at an unaffiliated test but the timing of her jabs and Covid have made that sadly impossible. I am sad about that and about her not seeing hounds but we can get both those done next year.
She has gone bum high again - currently standing at 15'3 but I am hoping she won't grow much more tbh. She is already a tank, albeit a very sweet one! I just hope she doesn't get as bored as last year - taking her for walks was more alarming than riding her but if need be she can hack out or walk out very gently when the weather is nice. For now she can be fluffy and relaxed about life. To finish off, today she hacked out over the open hill in a gale with a rather dithery friend; I was so proud of how bold she is. Thank you my sweet Alw for a lovely, rewarding and fun summer I love her and can't wait to see where we go next year.
Personally, I will be sad to stop working her for a bit but she needs to rest and grow. Just to re-cap; I started her late last summer as a 3 year old and she was turned away in the Autumn having not put a foot wrong - hacking out alone and in company, good with traffic, dogs and various sights and sounds. We had got all 3 wtc quite happily and when I picked her up again this Spring she was completely straightforward to bring back into work. Since mid-late March we have consolidated all the basic handling - she now loads herself and is a cool customer to travel and visit new places as well as to clip, travel with other horses, rug, boot etc etc. She is working very nicely in w/t/c and has even had 1 baby go at gallop Slowest gallop ever but I guess she was busy trying to organise her legs bless her!! She has popped small hunt jumps on the local common (up to about 2'3''...) and is confident with ditches and water. In late August we started some more regular school work and leg yield, circles, spirals, turn on the forehand etc are all quite nice. The last 3 weeks has seen Alw just stringing together a few little jumps of 60cm without any difficulties or excitement at all. She has an amazing willing nature and fabulous 'work ethic'
She enjoys a puzzle. I had planned for her to have a go at visiting a decent size venue to have a go at an unaffiliated test but the timing of her jabs and Covid have made that sadly impossible. I am sad about that and about her not seeing hounds but we can get both those done next year.She has gone bum high again - currently standing at 15'3 but I am hoping she won't grow much more tbh. She is already a tank, albeit a very sweet one! I just hope she doesn't get as bored as last year - taking her for walks was more alarming than riding her but if need be she can hack out or walk out very gently when the weather is nice. For now she can be fluffy and relaxed about life. To finish off, today she hacked out over the open hill in a gale with a rather dithery friend; I was so proud of how bold she is.
Thank you my sweet Alw for a lovely, rewarding and fun summer I love her and can't wait to see where we go next year.
lannerch
Well-Known Member
Any piccys ?Well after just over 6 months gentle work 4 y/0 Alw is going to be turned away for the winter probably this week! I had hoped to introduce her to a gentle morning's local trail hunting but thanks to the new lock-down that is not likely to be available to us before mid December and really, she has done enough and deserves a break
In late August we started some more regular school work and leg yield, circles, spirals, turn on the forehand etc are all quite nice. The last 3 weeks has seen Alw just stringing together a few little jumps of 60cm without any difficulties or excitement at all. She has an amazing willing nature and fabulous 'work ethic'
She has gone bum high again - currently standing at 15'3 but I am hoping she won't grow much more tbh. She is already a tank, albeit a very sweet one! I just hope she doesn't get as bored as last year - taking her for walks was more alarming than riding her but if need be she can hack out or walk out very gently when the weather is nice. For now she can be fluffy and relaxed about life. To finish off, today she hacked out over the open hill in a gale with a rather dithery friend; I was so proud of how bold she is.
j1ffy
Well-Known Member
Well after just over 6 months gentle work 4 y/0 Alw is going to be turned away for the winter probably this week! I had hoped to introduce her to a gentle morning's local trail hunting but thanks to the new lock-down that is not likely to be available to us before mid December and really, she has done enough and deserves a break
In late August we started some more regular school work and leg yield, circles, spirals, turn on the forehand etc are all quite nice. The last 3 weeks has seen Alw just stringing together a few little jumps of 60cm without any difficulties or excitement at all. She has an amazing willing nature and fabulous 'work ethic'
She has gone bum high again - currently standing at 15'3 but I am hoping she won't grow much more tbh. She is already a tank, albeit a very sweet one! I just hope she doesn't get as bored as last year - taking her for walks was more alarming than riding her but if need be she can hack out or walk out very gently when the weather is nice. For now she can be fluffy and relaxed about life. To finish off, today she hacked out over the open hill in a gale with a rather dithery friend; I was so proud of how bold she is.
It sounds like you’ve done a fantastic job with her! Enjoy the break x
palo1
Well-Known Member
Any piccys ?
I will try to put some up; I find the re-sizing, downloading, uploading etc rather tiresome but she does deserve her piccy here so I will do my best!!
Palindrome
Well-Known Member
My 3 years old recently progressed to wearing a saddle and a bridle. After the initial kick, she healed but then got tangled in some fencing and had some nasty cuts to the pastern so we gave it a good while to make sure everything is healed. The ground has gone really muddy so I think that will be as far as we will be going this year. I am a bit worried she might get hurt again, she certainly doesn't have much self preservation instinct.
She has grown a fair bit, now getting slightly too tall for my liking but well, I can live with that if she will wisen up a bit.
She has grown a fair bit, now getting slightly too tall for my liking but well, I can live with that if she will wisen up a bit.
j1ffy
Well-Known Member
Chilli is heading home - hoorah! He's had a great few months in Spain, learning to be a human carrier and having plenty of downtime as well.
He'll have a week in the stable getting used to UK grass again, and I'll sit on him a couple of times, then I'll turn him away until Spring. My birthday is in early May and that feels like a good time to get going again with him as he deserves a good few months being a horse!
He'll have a week in the stable getting used to UK grass again, and I'll sit on him a couple of times, then I'll turn him away until Spring. My birthday is in early May and that feels like a good time to get going again with him as he deserves a good few months being a horse!
GinaGeo
Well-Known Member
it sounds like Alw is turning into a useful sort ?
Palindrome - my young horse went through a stage between 1-4yrs where it seemed like we had the vet on speed dial and when the vet wasn’t in attendance the bugger spent most of his time cast ? He seems to have grown out of it now - hopefully yours will too! ?
Jiffy - I bet you can’t wait!
My 4yr old Pod, is coming along quite sweetly. He’s been doing lots of hacking, has done an unaffiliated Dressage Test. And in the last couple of months has been going to a local trainer do some baby jumping and jumped round a small course at a spooky local venue.
Would have liked to get him out to a couple more unaff Dressage comps and to a small Unaff Jumping comp before Christmas but that is looking unlikely now.
He’ll probably have a holiday after Christmas and I’ll bring him back in at Easter.
Palindrome - my young horse went through a stage between 1-4yrs where it seemed like we had the vet on speed dial and when the vet wasn’t in attendance the bugger spent most of his time cast ? He seems to have grown out of it now - hopefully yours will too! ?
Jiffy - I bet you can’t wait!
My 4yr old Pod, is coming along quite sweetly. He’s been doing lots of hacking, has done an unaffiliated Dressage Test. And in the last couple of months has been going to a local trainer do some baby jumping and jumped round a small course at a spooky local venue.
Would have liked to get him out to a couple more unaff Dressage comps and to a small Unaff Jumping comp before Christmas but that is looking unlikely now.
He’ll probably have a holiday after Christmas and I’ll bring him back in at Easter.
shortstuff99
Well-Known Member
Any pics? What is his breeding?
j1ffy
Well-Known Member
I’ve been avoiding sharing pics as people have such strong views on youngsters! But I’ll add a couple below - one from just before he left (a week or so before lockdown) and one from last week when Antonio was getting him used to different riders before heading home.
He’s related to my now-retired Medium horse, Indio. They have a lot of Pallares (one of the Carthusian lines), from a stud called El Ancla that is focusing increasingly on dressage breeding. His full name is Enchilado Ancla III if you’d like to look him up ?
After an English winter:
With a new rider...!!
shortstuff99
Well-Known Member
He's lovely!
ETA is his brand a freeze mark? As one of mine is hot branded and I think it looks rubbish as it just looks like messy fur/an injury.
j1ffy
Well-Known Member
Yep - all the El Ancla horses are freeze-branded. It’s so much nicer, although you can barely see Indio’s now he’s greyed out!
rara007
Well-Known Member
Exciting 
daffy44
Well-Known Member
Well, I've been pottering about with my three yr old with the plan of sending him away to be backed in a couple of weeks, obviously that will have to wait now due to lockdown, but it wont hurt a horse of his age waiting a bit longer. But I'm delighted with him, saddle, bridle, lunging, long reining, poles, despooking stuff, general ground work, all done in a very stress free manner, I am just loving working with him, so I'm afraid I couldnt resist just having a little sit on him. I swore I wouldnt because I am alone on the yard, but I really trust him, and the feeling is mutual, so I got on and off a couple of times, no bother at all, so the next time we did a little walking and halting, and he was just perfect. Its frustrating as he is so ready now to go away and be done properly, but that'll wait, and I wont get on him again until after lockdown (sensible head on!)
daffy44
Well-Known Member
I would just add before anyone thinks I am hideously irresponsible, that I used to work as a backing rider, so I am very familiar with starting youngsters, I'm not just doing it randomly!
lannerch
Well-Known Member
Love him too
lannerch
Well-Known Member
How exciting and looks very chilled, well done you must have done your ground work very well .
I backed my now retired ex eventer by myself , had no choice only had a non horsey boyfriend around at the time, who was more hinderance than help ( a sign of things to come as now ex ) He too was as good as gold , until the next day when I jumped on him too quick and not slowly like he had been used to , I scared him so he bucked me off like a true rodeo lol, luckily only my pride was hurt and I never made that mistake again .
daffy44
Well-Known Member
I'm so glad you were ok! I have prepared him as throughly as possible, but he is also blessed with a fantastic temperament.