Discussion: What do you expect from your rising 3 year olds?

depends on horse. My 3 yr old Crabbet arab I expect nothing other than leading in-hand & usual manners, learning tying up at the mo. She wont stop growing until she is 7 if she is like her mum, very late maturing line, needs plenty of time.

the 7/8 tb is much more advanced, going to be backed this year. physically much more mature & ready to start gentle work. only 2 months older than my arab.
 
I agree with Pip - I have a Welsh A who will be 3 in May - he has had a saddle, bridle, child on him (4yo and only leading around the yard block) - he has been lunged a couple of times (again litterally only 2/3 times). I would call this pretty gentle work - well not even work really - more desensitising stuff really. I will not be putting any larger children on him until the Easter holidays.

However, if he was a warmblood or similar slower developing horse there is no way I would be doing anything too serious until the Spring of 2012.
 
Being halter broken and good to handle generally and if possible used to being boxed, but that is it. A saddle wouldn't touch then until at least three but more likely 4.
 
I expect a rising 3yo to be well mannered to handle and lead. They should tie up (supervised). They should be happy to pick up their feet for farrier to trim. Other than that I expect them to be out in the field being a baby.
 
My boy when he was rising 3 was handled daily, ie in at night out in the day and vice vera in the summer.

He went to the BEF futurity as a 3yo eventer and showjumper so was taught to loose jump just as he turned 3.

He was used to being shown in a bridle so walking/trotting up in hand etc. Travelled in the trailer for little journeys etc.

He was backed when he reached 4 (Late May foal)
 
Mine is expected to (and does)

lead nicely (including trotting up)
ties up supervised
picks up feet for the farrier
goes in the lorry and on the trailer
wears a bridle and roller

This year she will be shown in hand and learn to long rein and eventually lunge. I expect at some point she'll wear a light saddle and go for a walk in that. Depending on how she is looking by the end of the summer I may jump up on her and have a sit.

She is a TB and turns 3 next month.
 
All basic handling stuff (leading, loading, tying up, being groomed, trimmed, rugged etc) plus I have just started introducing basic working tack - bit, bridle & roller and have started in-hand walking out to see traffic, given her the concept of working at a distance on a 12ft line prior to lunge work and done a few very short close inhand sessions to get her to think about her feet & weight placement and basic aids without a rider.

She's a June foal and won't be backed for another year as she's physically immature, but mentally ready to do a bit more.
 
all ground manners such as tieing up, grooming, trimming, feet picked out, backing up when you go into the stable/ask, used to vets, also used to men and women (i've known some that are scared of men as it's mainly women that handle them.

they also have to lead well, think for themselves rather than dependant on us/other horse. mine will walk confidently at the end of a 6' rope, when i stop he stands and moves when i ask him to.

mine have also seen traffic, they are on a busy livery yard with machinery going constantly and they don't care, they are also quite happy to walk through/past cows and sheep, another problem that seems to arise when ridden.
 
Umm... what a lot of you are expecting of your 3 year olds, my boy does and he just turned 2 in January.

He ties up quietly
Will walk/trot happily in hand
Yields,
Lifts feet
Wears rugs Has his feet hosed
Stays in quietly at night
Comes to the call from the field (I hate fetching horses from a muddy field so I'm glad he does this)
Has been bridled/takes a bit quietly

But physically he's immature so not ready for anything more than this and basic grooming. He's just a very quiet 2 yr old, acts like an old man most the time :)
 
Ok - I may have got this all wrong but many of you are just teaching tying up and don't seem to be 100% sure on manners in and around the yard, feet etc from a rising 3yr old ? - by 1 month I expect foal to stand while being touched all over/ groomed and have feet raised and stand to a degree still and patient. By six mts I expect them to lead from both sides, feet to be no issue whatso ever, be able to stand in a stable and back up when door is opened. Be able to lead past the car/ tractor and down the field alongside the road without having a hissy fit.
At a year old I expect certainly to stand to be tied up but never left alone (obviously) and be tied for farrier etc. By three I expect them to lead like a normal horse will have a soft rubber in hand bit and bridle on and expect to load without issues and go to in hand parties. They are big and beautiful by three and good manners are imperative not just for safety but to make sure that they have the best chance of good homes for the rest of their lives.
 
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MosMum, think you'll find most peoples youngsters also did all this aged 1 or 2 (except for tying up in my case), just that's what they keep working on aged 3. Everything can be improved on. tb has been bitted etc, arab no, she just isn't ready for it. Both load first time & travel exeptionally well (including on own).
 
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abina said:
Ok - I may have got this all wrong but many of you are just teaching tying up and don't seem to be 100% sure on manners in and around the yard, feet etc from a rising 3yr old ? - by 1 month I expect foal to stand while being touched all over/ groomed and have feet raised and stand to a degree still and patient. By six mts I expect them to lead from both sides, feet to be no issue whatso ever, be able to stand in a stable and back up when door is opened. Be able to lead past the car/ tractor and down the field alongside the road without having a hissy fit.
At a year old I expect certainly to stand to be tied up but never left alone (obviously) and be tied for farrier etc. By three I expect them to lead like a normal horse will have a soft rubber in hand bit and bridle on and expect to load without issues and go to in hand parties. They are big and beautiful by three and good manners are imperative not just for safety but to make sure that they have the best chance of good homes for the rest of their lives.
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well yes. She went to in hand parties as a yearling. It's not that she just learned it. Just what I expect of her now as well.

They don't exactly learn new stuff as 2 year old, just refine what they can already do. I don't think people are just teaching this stuff. Just listing what they've already taught.
 
My rising 3yr old (3 on 1st may), has been out to shows with and without other horses, stands on the lorry on his own, will happily be tied up and bathed, ties up outside or in a stable, leads well in bridle and headcollar, has been loose jumped, lightly lunged, had saddle on, i've lent over him, hes been through water, loose schooled, walked out round the farm, goes in the arena with or without other horses and happily has other horses cantering around him in the arena, happy with rugs being taken on and off, has feet done etc. Those were all things we played with last summer, hes not had anything done apart from coming in once a week and groomed since beginning of October last year. I plan to start long reining him beginnng of April and getting on with backing him over the summer. He will then be turned away again from September to February next year.

I might add he lives out 24/7, always has and will do for as long as possible. Hes destined for a dressage career but i am hoping to compete him from the field if all goes to plan as i prefer my horses to live out.
 
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my rising 3 minature filly is handled daily,will walk nicely from either side.is good to handle generally ie rug up ,groom,do feet and behave for farrier to trim . she comes to call in the field ,will walk nicely through the village and generally has good manners. i handle her regularly every day and often have to lead 2 so she has been taught to behave from word go .she does have her moments but being out with another mare has had a good effect on her.
 
I think I must of been the luckiest person with my youngster. My Alfie will be 2 in April and he is fine being tied up always has been, picks his feet up with no bother. Absolutely loves the farrier and thinks its a game haha. Walks out with my other horse with bella with me riding bell. Just loves being groomed and fussed with. Follow me around everywhere! He won't leave me alone in the field.

Took him to a show last summer and he was fantastic took it all in his stride. His fav thing is water! He loves its. We find him stood in the water bath and in his buckets on a daily basis haha. Loves hose pipes and when we are filling the water up he trys to pick them up and run off down the field with it haha.

All I can say is every horse and youngster is different. I don't expect anything too much out of alfie but he keeps exceeding my expectations.

:) x
 
Nothing bar basics. Lead, turn, step back when I go in stable, tie up and have his feet picked up.

Mine will be 3 in June and is very immature, so will be at the very least 4yrs before he does anything more.
 
Britestar said:
Nothing bar basics. Lead, turn, step back when I go in stable, tie up and have his feet picked up.

Mine will be 3 in June and is very immature, so will be at the very least 4yrs before he does anything more.
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Same here. As long as they're nice people to be around, can be handled for vet and farrier without any problems (and mine are from birth) anything else can be left until later, school starts early enough for them.
 
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