Easy at 4 and just as easy at 5/6?

[FestiveBoomBoom]

I've read quite a few posts from people whos horses have been angels at 4 and then gone on to be demons at 5/6! Has anyone had a very even tempered 4 yr old that didn't start testing at 5/6 and stayed on an even keel!?

 

[Kenzo]

Mine's a demon , he's 5 going on 6 (mentally ....god knows), I'm sure there will be some horses that have not gone through too much of a Kevin the teenager phase, suppose it depends on the breed and individual horse etc.

 

[eggs]

Yes, I have. However at 8 he decided to start taking the mickey!

Have had quite a few youngsters, most home bred, and by and large they have been angels at 3 and 4 and then start seriously testing at 5 or 6. With consistent, fair handling they get through it.

I think part of the problem is that at first I am just happy to have basic steering and brakes and they get praised for just trotting round the school. One of my fillies was an absolute doddle to back but then at 5 decided that she was quite happy doing it her way and didn't see the point of trotting a straight line when it was easier to wobble about. After a few tantrums she went back to being an angel but will still have a tantrum whenever anything new is introduced.

 

[GinaGem]

Prince seems this way (fingers crossed). Bought him as a 4 year old and he turned 6 in May and as yet i haven't had any tantrum stages. It may be because i don't push him out of his confort zone very often though?

 

[diggerbez]

my 5 year old is definitely in a teenage phase atm! he was difficult to break- but because he's cold backed rather than naughty. once he was backed he was a little angel. now he's a brat quite a lot of the time...especially when we do pure flatwork. he likes jumping more so he's usually well behaved when we do that. with flatwork when i ask him to do things which he finds hard he will have a strop and try evasion tactics. i just try to stay calm and keep asking until he does what he's supposed to be doing- which he usually does...eventually i'm really hoping that he grows out of this phase soon

 

[MissTyc]

I had to turn my 5 yo away as he had turned into a monster. Brought him back into work 6 months later and he was a dude and has stayed a dude ever since