Engagement of hindquarters- the fine line... any ideas

[Queenbee]

I wouldn't worry too much about the dragging feet thing if he were mine. If he is on the forehand he is unable to step confidently through with his hind legs. Mine had the problem that his hind end used to overtake the front which was entertaining! A youngster we are starting to school currently has completely uneven hind leg action working on three tracks in walk and trot, which is exasperating and will take ages to fix. He;s recently broken so not ruined by people, maybe a slip in the field I am thinking.
In your place I would stick to the scales of training and worry about him dragging his toes when he is 5. I bet its a developmental phase. The only thing I would do to sharpen him up if he is being a bit sloppy is a bit of forward and back, all with just seat and legs, and in a light seat. tbh I wouldn't do much of that with a 3 year old, but would with a 4 year old.

thank you... I suppose for me its just the worry that he could strain something by dragging his toes if you get what I mean

I have read this thread and there's lots of interesting thoughts for you here here FWTAW are mine.
Pay with the work pattern every other day , one day in three , lunge hack school two days off etc etc until you find the best one.
Transitions are your friend if you lose energy walk rest start again and and this what I probally do from what you have described turn away for a least twelve weeks I would turn away until March or even a bit longer .

Thank you GS, I like the idea of playing with the work pattern, and tbh, after today Im really thinking of ensuring one schooling session a week (unless he tells me otherwise) he really listened and I think he enjoyed doing something different. I do worry about laying him off, as I said he recently had about a month off (perhaps more) and within a week he became positively crabby and ill mannered, and this really wasn't for the wont of consistent firm handling. He detests not working, work is his new favourite toy although on the other hand I get what you mean, the break from the school (even though he'd only been in there about three times before today really seems to have done him some good. I think Im just going to keep doing what I have been but play with transitions and shorter bursts of trot... he is coming on so well and is so happy, I want to nurture that, I will play it by ear obviously and any indication from him that he needs a break... he will get it

 

[Goldenstar]

If its possible consider teaching him to lead from another horse I love to let three YO's see the world this way non ridden exercise is fabulous mental downtime for them , seeing the world in walk not carrying a rider .

 

[Queenbee]

If its possible consider teaching him to lead from another horse I love to let three YO's see the world this way non ridden exercise is fabulous mental downtime for them , seeing the world in walk not carrying a rider .

Oh thats a good idea... I would love to do that... used to do it with my pony and my friends horse... we would take it in turns to do the duty... would have to see if theres anyone up there who would be happy to lead him out for me though...

 

[JennyNZ]

Queenbee I don't think that dragging his toes for a few steps will cause him any damage. The gelding in my avatar is a life long toe-dragger and is still hale and hearty at 14.

 

[TickyTavey]

Play with some trot poles? Non ridden? Nothing too demanding, just enough to engage interest (and back end!)?

 

[BeesKnees]

Yes pole work is great for supplying and getting them to think about what they need to do with their feet!

Play with asymmetry, high on the inside so that side has to left and shorten, then a wide fan on the outside, so that side has to stretch more and bingo, you get supplying and bend! It's active physio as taught to me by a horsy physio. You don't need to worry too much about stride lengths, the idea is to make them have to think about where to put their feet, so go for irregularity of distance.. As long as you do it in walk or trot, a few little taps on the poles won't matter.

 

[Queenbee]

excellent, thank you guys yes pole work is a must... we did a wee bit on the lunge the other day and he was such a slug over the pole to begin with... tripping like a drunk didn't take him long to pick his tootsies up though... I shall do more of this JennyNZ thank you... Im just being a worry wart... I know this

 

[only_me]

QR
Try trotting only on uphills and encourage him to stretch his neck out and lower his head, this will allow the correct muscles to develop so when asked to hold himself later on in his schooling and step up and through to the contact.
Another good way I have been told is to do rein back up a hill, can be done ridden or in hand

 

[Queenbee]

QR
Try trotting only on uphills and encourage him to stretch his neck out and lower his head, this will allow the correct muscles to develop so when asked to hold himself later on in his schooling and step up and through to the contact.
Another good way I have been told is to do rein back up a hill, can be done ridden or in hand

thank you, I will, we did stop trotting uphill because he was really scuffing his toes... don't know why I keep saying 'we' lol! anyway, Im sure he is a bit improved and his bum is certainly more muscley than it was... were going out for a nice hack today as tomorrow we are being knocked out for our first attack of the buzzy clippers... can't wait to see how he feels on friday with the wind around his bits... well he's a gelding but you get what I mean

 

[kirstykate]

thank you, I will, we did stop trotting uphill because he was really scuffing his toes... don't know why I keep saying 'we' lol! anyway, Im sure he is a bit improved and his bum is certainly more muscley than it was... were going out for a nice hack today as tomorrow we are being knocked out for our first attack of the buzzy clippers... can't wait to see how he feels on friday with the wind around his bits... well he's a gelding but you get what I mean

Make sure you clean out your super glue secretion glands properly before you ride

 

[Queenbee]

Make sure you clean out your super glue secretion glands properly before you ride

lol! Im stupidly excited about seeing it all come off... he is being fully clipped out... should be quite something... I will be posting pics tomorrow Yes, I think we will have a precautionary lunge before we ride on friday

 

[cundlegreen]

I think exactly the opposite. Young horses these days are being asked to work in an outline and work in arenas when they are not ready to do so. We used to ride young horses away, that meant no worrying about their head carriage, just ensuring they worked forwards into a sensible - light contact, were obedient and straight and maybe had seen a bit of the world. That is all that would be done with a 3 year old.

If the young horse is still bum high, if he is growing - he will be physically incapable of carrying himself. That is why he is dragging his hinds. He cannot start to elevate his shoulders as a 3 year old IMO, he will outgrow his lazy attitude and slow way of going about stuff if you leave him alone and let him grow up.

Absolutely agree. A 3 year old just needs to know the basics. He certainly shouldn't be schooling, you can do that out on a hack where it doesn't appear to be work. But a youngster like this really only needs riding about half an hour a day until he grows into himself. Most important is that he goes off the leg immediately and straightness comes with impulsion. What is this obsession with schooling??!!

 

[Queenbee]

Absolutely agree. A 3 year old just needs to know the basics. He certainly shouldn't be schooling, you can do that out on a hack where it doesn't appear to be work. But a youngster like this really only needs riding about half an hour a day until he grows into himself. Most important is that he goes off the leg immediately and straightness comes with impulsion. What is this obsession with schooling??!!

there is absolutely no obsession with schooling *shakes head in dispair* My baby has been in the school a total of 4 times for no more than 20 mins once and less the other times since backing 6 months ago! he does walk and trot, large circles and changes of rein... and halt... sheesh, he has only just worked out how to walk into the corners Im not a schooling geek, and as I have already said, i do most of my schooling hacking... I want him to get used to the school, but that is not the issue... i was merely asking how to encourage him to get his bum working a bit better!