Competing a 4 year old

[IcarusGirl]

Hi All - I havent posted on here for YEARS! But after losing my lovely boy Icarus, I'm looking at buying a 3 year old. He's currently being backed and will be vetted at the end of that. All being well, he'll come home to me.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, he's not 4 until April 2021. I cant remember the rules around dressage for 4 years olds - is it that they have to have reached their 4th birthday, or is it their 4th year?

Basically, i'm wondering if I can attempt some of the later winter walk trot tests in February/March (when he's 3yrs and 10/11mths), or if I have to wait until after he actually turns 4...?

My plan is to spend most of winter just having short hacks and the odd 20mins in a school, so he's not going to be overly schooled until he's older anyway, but it's more that I want him to experience the other parts of life as a young horse (traveling/warm up/indoor school etc).

Thanks!

 

[IcarusGirl]

I've just answered my own question by looking at the BD rules.

For anyone wondering, the official line is this:

"Age of horses and ponies The age of a horse/pony is taken from 1 January in the year in which it was born. The minimum age from which a horse may compete is four years old. Horses competing at PSG level and above must be at least seven years old. Horses competing at Grand Prix must be at least eight years old."

 

[Michen]

Tbh I’d be wanting him to be backed now, turned away and then be bought back next spring anyway rather than being ready for a dressage test for spring. But appreciate that’s just the slow route!

 

[IcarusGirl]

Tbh I’d be wanting him to be backed now, turned away and then be bought back next spring anyway rather than being ready for a dressage test for spring. But appreciate that’s just the slow route!

Oh don't worry, It's just the travel/warm up/indoor school that i'm interested in. The test itself i don't care about. He can wobble all over the place and come last and go wrong and I wouldn't care. He wont be overworked in the slightest. I dont really like turning them away, I just reduce work to a couple of sits a week as winter sets in. Obviously if he needs a break, he'll get one. But I'm planning on spending the rest of the summer/autumn/winter long reining and having short sits, with the odd 20mins steering/stopping/manners practice in the school. I like taking things slow too - my last horse couldn't canter a circle until he was 10 - but that was a little TOO slow for me!

I realise you probably dont know much about me - i'm an amateur rider who works full time, so when the clocks change and it's too dark (no lit school), he'll practically be turned away anyway!

 

[Wheels]

Yes, as you've found out you can show them from 1st Jan in the year they will turn 4.

However, I wouldn't be planning anything particularly, they are ready when they are ready and I wouldn't be rushing to get a young horse out too quickly. My current horse was 5 before we went to a show although had done clinics and arena hires to get him out and about.

 

[IrishMilo]

Horses grow whether they're turned away or not. As long as they're not hammered and things are taken sensibly I don't have any issue with them being worked through. That being said I wouldn't back anything until it was at least four anyway, though.

 

[IcarusGirl]

Yes, as you've found out you can show them from 1st Jan in the year they will turn 4.

However, I wouldn't be planning anything particularly, they are ready when they are ready and I wouldn't be rushing to get a young horse out too quickly. My current horse was 5 before we went to a show although had done clinics and arena hires to get him out and about.

Yes good point. I'm just looking forward to having a horse, and it's nice to know what options are out there. This is my next horse-of-a-lifetime hopefully, so will be treated well and with respect. If not ready, it wont happen! I could always just enter so that I can walk around a warm up and come home again.

My last horse was a welsh D (D stands for Drama!), so i'm used to keep an eye out for signs of an unsettled or unhappy horse.

It wouldn't enter until I was certain I was doing the right thing - dont worry about that.

 

[IcarusGirl]

Horses grow whether they're turned away or not. As long as they're not hammered and things are taken sensibly I don't have any issue with them being worked through. That being said I wouldn't back anything until it was at least four anyway, though.

Yes, He's a welsh D, and they continue going up and outwards until at least 8. The backing is happening now, and I don't have a choice in the matter because he wont be mine until it's completed and vetted.

Saying that, my last horse was backed and came to me at 3, and just spent the first year pootling around the hills. He died suddenly of colic a couple of months ago aged 19, but showed no signs of arthritis or poor musculature because we had always taken everything gently.

My horses are pets before competition animals, so I will always adapt to whatever suits the animal. I like competing, but it's not about winning. As long as we come away healthy and happy, it's a good day.

 

[Xmasha]

Theres a great thread on here about backing 3/4 yeard olds. You should go on there, theres a few of us in the same boat.

 

[IrishMilo]

Yes, He's a welsh D, and they continue going up and outwards until at least 8. The backing is happening now, and I don't have a choice in the matter because he wont be mine until it's completed and vetted.

Saying that, my last horse was backed and came to me at 3, and just spent the first year pootling around the hills. He died suddenly of colic a couple of months ago aged 19, but showed no signs of arthritis or poor musculature because we had always taken everything gently.

My horses are pets before competition animals, so I will always adapt to whatever suits the animal. I like competing, but it's not about winning. As long as we come away healthy and happy, it's a good day.

Ds are hard as nails. Sure he'll be fine with what you have planned!

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

Yes good point. I'm just looking forward to having a horse, and it's nice to know what options are out there. This is my next horse-of-a-lifetime hopefully, so will be treated well and with respect. If not ready, it wont happen! I could always just enter so that I can walk around a warm up and come home again.

My last horse was a welsh D (D stands for Drama!), so i'm used to keep an eye out for signs of an unsettled or unhappy horse.

It wouldn't enter until I was certain I was doing the right thing - dont worry about that.

Whilst mine isn't a youngster technically she was as wobbly and unschooled as one and I wanted the same out of the experience as you, we went for the experience of boxing up, leaving friends in the warm up, riding somewhere new, waiting between classes etc. She went (and still does) around the test like a giraffe on ice but she loaded perfectly, traveled perfectly, happily waited with a hay net and the worrying about other horses is still a work in progress. You will know what is best for your horse so go with your gut.

 

[IcarusGirl]

Whilst mine isn't a youngster technically she was as wobbly and unschooled as one and I wanted the same out of the experience as you, we went for the experience of boxing up, leaving friends in the warm up, riding somewhere new, waiting between classes etc. She went (and still does) around the test like a giraffe on ice but she loaded perfectly, traveled perfectly, happily waited with a hay net and the worrying about other horses is still a work in progress. You will know what is best for your horse so go with your gut.

Thank you

 

[IcarusGirl]

Theres a great thread on here about backing 3/4 yeard olds. You should go on there, theres a few of us in the same boat.

As soon as mine is MINE officially and I can start the fun I'll be getting involved in that thread - no doubt!

I love having babies - I love the "ooh! he can now trot a circle!" and "ooh! he walked past that bush!" - simple pleasures.

My last horse was perfect (thanks to lots of blood sweat and tears over the years), but in the end what was wonderful (the fact he did as he was told and was fairly successful), became predictable (oh look - another red rosette for the pile!). It's lovely to be successful, but I love the journey there too.

 

[Xmasha]

i know what you mean, ive just had a video from the people backing my 3yo. He was walking in a straight line with a rider on board, and being very relaxed about it. Im still over the moon. Its an exciting time .

 

[ihatework]

The baby ‘firsts’ never stop being exciting ?

 

[IcarusGirl]

The baby ‘firsts’ never stop being exciting ?

I'm not looking to my first fall from him though! It's bound to happen at some point!

 

[ihatework]

True!!