Bringing on a young horse??

[alana.1974]

I have just got back my 4 yr old coloured sports horse mare who has been away for 6 weeks for breaking. It has been a long time since I had a youngster and would like some advice as to bringing her on.
I have had her back since Sunday (10th) and have been out on her everyday hacking in company (with my TB). We always take the lead and she is a confident person, spooks at things but nothing bad, always goes forward (better then the TB).
I am not sure as to what work she needs? I do not have a school.
I want to take her on her own so she is not dependant on the other horse, do you think it a good idea to go alone/together?
Her walk and trot are very forward and balanced, but the canter needs work, without the school it is a little difficult, but verges and the wood will have to do.
How soon can I jump? I think her balance needs to improve, but pole work is good.
Any advice would be appreciated, as to how many days to ride etc. I thought for first few weeks I should keep on top and ride most days?
Thanks all

 

[zaminda]

How quiet is your hacking? If poss the first few times you go out alone, have someone either on foot, or meeting you at pre arranged spots on the route. If you can ride in the field, some pole work is great, I tend to introduce it early so they don't get bored. I tend to ride them most days, but play igt by ear, and in some ways don't be too religious, or I havefound you then have to keep riding them everyday!
Keep it fun for the pair of you.

 

[Luci07]

Canter is normally unbalanced in babies. I hacked mine a lot to start with just to build up basic fitness and mixed longer hacks with short solo ones. There is no prescriptive route as some can race on and others really need longer to consolidate. I have also stayed off my horses back in canter and let him find his own balance. Mine is a 5 year old so doing more than a 4 year old would but was very green when I bought him.

 

[Miss L Toe]

In a few months, you may be able to book her on a short course or take her somewhere, where you can use the facilities: arena, poles, etc, and get her properly schooled, at the moment you are at the "riding away" stage, I would not worry about formal education, just keep her moving forward and strengthening up all her muscles and her ligaments, try a leg yield and so on, do some in hand work, moving her quarters away, backing up, and introducing walking on boards, over poles, through labarynths, traffic cones and a few other scary things.
Always check for any tenderness, in mouth, on back and in legs, it is better to pre-empt any soreness with a few days off.
I used to have two horses at a similar stage, so each got taken out on a hack, on alternate days and had the next day off or with only a bit of long reining. Long reining by the way is an excellent way of producing a horse with a good mouth, it requires them to use their hind legs, improve the general shape of the outline, and listen for instructions!
Keep feeding minerals and vitamins, but stick to something quiet like Fast Fibre or Calm and Condition which are cereal free, [high fibre lo sugar diet].
Take the canter when appropriate, but don't force it.
You can "hack on your own" by leaving the yard a few minutes before the other, but be aware she might spook so you need a backup plan, ie another horse around. She sounds sane and sensible, I would not worry about it.

 

[chestnut cob]

I've got a new horse who has just turned 6 but hasn't done much (just hunted in Ireland really) and is more like a 4yo.

We are mainly hacking, sometimes in company but quite a lot alone as he's quite clingy to other horses so I want him to learn to do things by himself. I rarely take him in the arena, am doing nearly all of my schooling out hacking. He actually doesn't seem to like hacking much and will find things to do to amuse himself if I don't keep his attention and school. Started off teaching him to halt properly (ie, not just pulling his mouth) and then progressed to half halts. HHs in walk are pretty reliable now and he can slow his walk down, speed up, slow down and hold the slow walk etc... Also been teaching turn on the haunches and forehand when we turn down a road. We have a lot of off road hacking with bridleway gates so he's been learning about opening, going through sensibly, and closing those (so he's learning to go backwards...not quite rein back but moving backwards at least, and yielding to one side or the other). We also have quite a lot of tracks so have been starting to teach bits of leg yield and shoulder fore (again, the movements aren't correct ATM but he's getting the idea of moving different parts of his body and responding to weight/seat aids). Currently his default when asked for trot is to fling his head in the air and set off as fast as possible, which is also what he does when he's unsure of something. So, I've been working on W-T transitions.. getting a good quality round walk and up into a good trot, maintaining that with my seat for a couple of strides then back to walk before he has chance to do it incorrectly. We're getting there... he can now manage a good few "correct" trot strides. I'm not bothering with canter apart from in straight lines ATM and won't until the W and T are better.

He doesn't really understand lunging but he will long rein so I've been long reining over poles (just in walk ATM, trot is FAR too exciting). I took him on a fun ride so have jumped some natural fences but I haven't jumped poles in the arena. I have loose jumped him a couple of times though (we have a good sized indoor) and loose schooled over trot poles to let him find his own balance.

 

[Littlelegs]

To a certain extent it does depend on the horse how much you do. Even with access to a school, between 4 & 5 I prefer to just hack, & do my schooling whilst out. How long & often depends on the horse, but as a rule I would say I would start with 4/5 times a week for 20 to 30 mins, & if they are clearly enjoying it gradually increase it to 6 days & longer hacks. By the end of summer I would quite happily hack for 2 hrs if the horse likes the work.
And schooling on hacks is so much easier, especially in canter. Again, by winter I would ideally like 3 nice paces, a baby outline & baby steps of leg yield & shoulder in, but I wouldn't push it if it was an issue.
I prefer company at first, but as you have done, with the youngster up front if its confident enough to do that. As for going alone, depends on the horse. If its a nervy type then I prefer a sensible one to be around for first encounters with potential hazards. If not, I wait till horse hacking in front entire hack happily, then split up from other horse whilst out before going it alone. But whilst I don't push them, I also avoid them getting into a habit of following & expecting company.
For jumping, I will introduce trotting over branches on hacks & poles in a field when the paces are balanced, might do raised poles & tiny crosses by winter but no more, & then introduce small jumps, schooling in confined spaces etc the spring they are 5. But if not ready for poles till 5, I'm not too bothered.
I suppose my main aim with a youngster is to let them learn work is fun & have them wanting to do it. I'd rather have a green but willing 5/6 yr old over a schooled but miserable one anyday. Plus its easier to teach good basics straight away than have to go back later on when you hit a problem.

 

[alana.1974]

Thank you all for your advice.