Breeders/producers: what age do you teach flexion of the poll?

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tigers_eye

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I am curious as to what age people think it is acceptable to teach a horse flexion of the poll, and, if different, from what age/maturity you expect them to be able to work in such a manner all the time (apart from stretching breaks on a loose - as opposed to long - rein)? Is itactually hard work for them in the same way that sitting on their hocks is?

By flexion of the poll I mean when the horse is totally straight and just flexes the last three vertebrae so that you can see the eyelashes but no more, and so that you can see the muscle in the top of their neck twitch from left to right as you swop the direction of flexion. The horse has to be "through/connected" (whichever not quite right word you prefer) to perform this.

The reason I ask is because I have expected William (nearly 6) to accept this since he was broken as a 4 yo pretty much, and I wonder if it has caused more problems than it may have solved if I did this before he was strong enough. We still have arguments over it. Liberty (nearly 7) on the otherhand is just perplexed beyond belief by what I am asking, and that is after having him for 5 months!

So, what's the consensus out there?
 
I start getting young horses accepting the contact from the word go. The degree of flexion and how long you ask is what changes with age and strength. Self carriage is an important aspect and i would always aim to have my youngsters working in a 'natural' outline seeking the connection straight away. so from the age of three i would be developing contact and flexion.Some horses due to their conformation find this a difficult ask and it may be some thing you will have to work on daily if you stick to your guns then the submission will come as strenth and confidence develope. Good luck and dont worry im sure your doing fine!!
 
Thank you. Liberty is not built brilliantly for it, he has a long neck and he tends to make a "triangle" with it as opposed to a uniform curve, but I think it comes down to education really as you say. Just wanted to check I hadn't been unreasonable with the other one either!
 
When I brought my boy, he was 3.3 and had been sat on a handful of times. The guy brought him from, who is very well respected, asked flexion from him in order for him to find where he was comfortable in carrying himself, but making sure there was that degree of softness there. IMO, aslog as it isnt "forced" and kept sof, right from the word go....
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4 years old is the age I properly break my horses so at 4 and a half - 5 years old is when I ask for a degree of flexion.
 
I believe it completely depends on the horse. One of my lads, an IDx, has just been diagnosed with problemd through his poll that are believed to having been forced to work to hard before he was physicaly ready - he was broken and started schooling at a deallers in Ireland - and now at rising 6 I have spent the last year fixing the issues with his sacroileac problems from jumping too much and too high too young to now having more rehab to do - and all because someone probably wanted to make a quick buck.

My other 2 are rising 4 and 5 respectively, both ex-racers. the 5 year old has only started being asked for any degree of flexion or self carrriage - but has picked it up brilliantly - and the 4 year old wont be asked for anything until I think she is ready, prob 6 months to a year.....
 
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