For those of you producing youngsters..

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MissMillie

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What would your plan be for a four year old just broken (Sat on and walked down the road quietly).

How long would you spend hacking before starting schooling if the pony was mature and sensible?

Also bearing in mind its been to lots of shows and is well handled.

Would be greatful for any advice
 
If horse is walking out quite happily then I would go for a short hack and follow it up with maybe 10 minutes in the school each time. Is the horse just walking or is he now happy trotting etc with a rider?
 
If the horse is just has just been broken, I would spend some time in the school, keeping it very short and sweet (obviously this depends how much work has been put into the breaking process and how mature your youngster is), I'd rather ensure my breaks and steering etc was fully up to scratch before thinking about hacking out unless you had someone with you, no matter how quiet and relaxed the horse seems to be (they can act very differently when your on board,rather than you being at the side of them leading them), if something un settles them your going to need full control and your horse is going to need to understand exactly what your expecting of them in such a situation, pottering around the yard and down a few tracks however and keeping close by as well as little bits in the school will act combine both, in a safe environment and will keep things interesting for your youngster, this way you won't fall into the trap that many people do, expecting too much just because they appear to be ok with things.
 
Completely agree with Kenzo. Would want complete control before hacking, I found long reining my youngster in the school very quickly established my brakes and steering.
I would want to be able to walk to halt, walk trot walk and be able to change rein comfortably before venturing out.
Bear in mind that when you do start work, they find it very tiring, especially hacking, so probably wouldn't want to hack and then go into the school.
 
School work first, just establishing basics like steering and moving off and away from the leg before hacking. Then lots of hacking to stregthen up, but interspersed with school work. TBH I treat my 4 yr old like a "diluted" real horse
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So she gets schooled 2 times a week, pole work, lunging and hacking the rest of the time. However, school sessions dont exceed 20mins, lunging is about 10mins work, and pole work/grid work sessions is kept more about foot work than the fences. Hacking is a bit longer and goes upto about an hour
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He has breaks and steering (so far) will up and down gears ( walk trott halt) very reasonably, he's aware of my leg and very responsive to hand aids.. the only "issue" is halt to be honest as he stresses but he picks things up extremely easy so shouldnt be too much of a problem to sort out. I think because he's been shown in hand he's got the basics down to a tee.

We don't have a school, just a small paddock. He's worse being long-reined than ridden and very much enjoys his hacking.

The problem is, its not my pony im just the jockey and in my opinion, to them he is just an investment and they want a very quick turnover, especially as he's progressing so quickly, they have suggested canter and im against it, he's been hacked out twice....
 
Just a week.
He'd been long-reined with tack on and lunged with side reins on before coming to us.

I started by leaning then sitting on him in the stable, and walking him round it..then went to walking round our big yard, then the two times down the road. He's already used to traffic and normally spooky things because the old owner used to lead him off her horse.

He's naturally self carriaged and extremely well balanced.
Would it be worth boxing up and taking him to a school rather than the field? At least to start with anyway for 20mins or so once a week?
 
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