Burghley Cross Country Day....

Exactly.
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Yes but even so - all that at 6yrs old? My horses would only be in their second year of proper serious work! Back at 3, turn away, re back and ride away at 4, start serious work at 5.
So to get a horse to AI level by 6 - how young would it have been started and how fast would it have been progressed? THAT is the issue.
 
An AI isnt an advanced event!
I'd take my 6 yr old round an intermediate if I felt it was ready. If it had good flatwork and was a talented sjer then why not an AI? You're not asking it to jump round an advanced track.
 
Well, it isn't that hard a task to get to intermediate, can be done without starting to early. Professional riders tend to visit more events and placings tend to be more consistent, meaning that the horses points build up quite quickly.
 
Phew, that took a while to read!
Thanks for all the posting guys, sounds like an eventful but exciting day!
Glad Nick is ok, hope he is feeling better!
Looking forward to tomorrow, good luck to them all
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totally with you on that one. some of these 4 yr olds look so slick that they must have had a hell of a lot of work, and i doubt many of them are still competing in their teens.
i thought Silbury Hill was 8, and in fact it says in the programme that he's 9, which isn't as bad, i'll admit.
 
Yes exactly, they build up quite quickly - too quickly for horses whose bones won't be fully mature until 6yrs old! (obviously depending on breed, TBs maturing a lot earlier).
I can tell i'm getting nowhere here - but 6yrs old for an AI is far too much mental and physical stress for a still immature horse - that is my opinion and it will not change.
 
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Yes but even so - all that at 6yrs old? My horses would only be in their second year of proper serious work! Back at 3, turn away, re back and ride away at 4, start serious work at 5.
So to get a horse to AI level by 6 - how young would it have been started and how fast would it have been progressed? THAT is the issue.

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What age did you start your horses at intermediate?
 
My horse is only 6 and won't get to intermediate. The 5yr old I have the ride on has only been jumping 3months and won't be at intermediate for at least another 4-5 years.
 
umm, about 8-9 years old for all of them, i think. i can't recall exactly, because it doesn't mean that much to me, as long as they're not too young. they get to the point when they tell you they're ready, they are just spinning round a Novice as if it's a walk in the park, not giving me an anxious moment, and incidentally racking up the points, and then i know they're ready. ditto when they're ready to go from Intermediate to Advanced.
 
Ah, sorry I misunderstood, it just sounded like you had produced horses to that level
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I personally don't mind a horse doing an intermediate at 6, but I wouldn't want it doing a full season of intermediates at that age, but then again some horses do appear to need the bigger tracks otherwise they are complete nut jobs to hold around the smaller tracks.
 
No not yet - like i said 4/5 yrs before 5yr old is at that stage. I have however over the last year brought on 4young horses (and various others of older age) to the point where they could be taken over by their owners, and produced Rocks from a 3yr old and Bria from a 4yr old.
I just think mentally and physically a horse cannot be mature enough to have that kind of strain on it. Just a year later and their bones and mind will be in the right state to take on harder more pressurised tracks. Just my opinion.
 
I agree young horses can be and are pushed too quickly, BUT personally dont think AN is guilty of this. They can only be considered as being pushed too quickly if they are mentally not ready for it. A rider sucj as AN produces a horse to be confident in every stage of its education, and as previously said it is not in his best interests to push a horse beyond his capabilities when lets face it he isnt really ever going to be begging for rides?! And remember he generaly starts his horses at novice, so the scopey/careful jumpers could potentially rack up decent amount of points very quickly.
 
I produced one of my 5 year old's to pre-novice, sold him and he went advanced in a year... it all depends on the horse imho, and this one was so laid back and found it all easy. Don't see why what the issue is, all horses are different and if my horse was ready for an AI at 6 - he would go!
 
MR FP has very personal reasons for his opinions on AN! Alot of the pro riders are similar to AN in how quickly they move young horses up,, but not as talented or has such a good connection with the horse. SO if a young horse was pushed up quickly, personally I would prefer someone like AN to be the one doing it!
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Bearing in mind the CCI** seven year old class at Le Lion D'Angers is what most pros aim for with their youngsters. Most will also do an advanced in preparation on their seven year olds.

Yogi expects really good horses to do at least one novice when they are five, and then the novice champs aged six (over an int course.) A lot of horses will tackle an intermediate aged six, and when ridden tactfully seem to have no problems at all.

I guess its all down to the horse really, but by eight many are at 3* - eg Westwood Joker, runner up at Braham this year. Murphy Himself won Burghley aged 7, many moons ago! Shocking thought nowadays.
 
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Have to say it - I hate how fast he pushes his young horses! This horse is v young and his ride in the highclere AI was only 6 and already had 57 points! It's a topic close to my heart I must admit but i just cannot stand young horses being rushed

whos horse are you on about been a youngster at highclere
 
Rhi's brother is only 7 and competing Int.

Re. Silbury Hill I don't see the issue, if Andrew waited until Badminton 08 and SH was a 10y.o then what is he going to learn on his winter break? Nothing more than he knows now.
 
Severnmiles i've said repeatedly now that if SH is 9 then fine - i'm talking about a 6yr old doing an AI would you please listen!!
And nobody will change my mind. I've seen the effects of young horses being pushed too fast too soon. My coloured was completely brain fried when it came to me as an 8 yr old having been jumping at high level since a 5yr old - it wouldn't go near a jump. Bria was booked into be shot because the person who tried to back her took things way too fast and that resulted in her going mad whenever a person tried to get on. I've even been guilty of it jumping Rock too much over last winter at a 5/6yr old and that was just british novice but by february he had gone completely stale on me.
So from my experience and point of view - there is nothing to be gained from pushing a young horse - why do it? To get up the rankings faster? A horses bones aren't mature until 6yrs old so doing a novice at 5yrs old shouldn't be a regular occurence - yes some horses can handle it but seeing young horses of 6yrs old at the top of their game, whether that be eventing or showjumping, is becoming far too common.

Here endeth the service lol what a good note to end on eh as i'm off on holiday now! Enjoy!
 
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