Feed for speed! 4yo - Advice needed

A

atitagain

Active Member
Joined
22 June 2013
Messages
32
Visit site
I have a 4/5yro LW Cob who wasn't really built for speed
However she is capable of popping a jump and doing a dressage test
The only problem is she has no 'beans'
Which can be great as she is fab to do anything with and take anywhere, but, when it comes to XC & hacking it takes FOREVER.
We have weekly lessons & she is becoming much more forward but after 20mins she seems tired (I do keep going but it's hard work)
What would you feed?
She's ridden most days which is a mix of jumping(small jumps) hacking and schooling. she's out 24/7 but has a net of hay when she's being tacked up & has a scoop of Topspec lite balancer once a day.
Weight wise she's spot on.
Thanks :)
 
she is a baby-still growing, she will tire easily, I would not be riding something of that age 'most days', I would back her and turn her away till next year and then start again
 
As a 4/5 year old she is still physically maturing to a certain extent, so I wouldn't be expecting too much of her fitness and work wise yet. I wouldn't feed her anything more than she is on already tbh, and just continue to build her fitness up slowly.
 
Totally agree with above. She's putting her energy in to growth. Schooling for 20 mins will be as much as she can manage in one stint, likewise a lesson will be tiring. I found 45 mins was too long for mine at that age yet it can be difficult to find an instructor who appreciates this. Remember mentally as well as physically she's got months of developing to do. Listen to her and she'll tell you when she's had enough. Keep her work varied and sessions short and sweet. Better shorter 'quality' hacks than long and discouraging for her at this stage and I'd go easy on the jumping too.
In a couple of years time when she's fully muscled up and finished developing you could well have a speed demon, never underestimate a cob. What you have now is very different to the cob you'll likely end up with as a 7/8 year old. Most can jump like a stag and have the stamina to go all day, and love nothing more than a good gallop!
 
Thanks for the advice!
It sounds like she does more than she does.. Schooling is 30mins max, hacking no more than 1 hour and jumping less than 50cm.
Going to stick with the current feed regime and more days off thrown in 😊
 
twiggy2 said:
she is a baby-still growing, she will tire easily, I would not be riding something of that age 'most days', I would back her and turn her away till next year and then start again
Click to expand...

Total agreement!
Far too young to do so much work so soon.

Being so young she will also be quite insecure out riding too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top