Giving 4 year old a break?

[Michen]

Was suggested to me yesterday that it’s a good idea to give a 4yr old the odd two weeks or so off here or there once they are consistently under saddle. He was backed last autumn, under saddle again late winter and then came to me from Ireland where he’s done 3 months ground work and now 6 weeks under saddle. I had intended for him to have some time off over winter, and do think that a couple of weeks off shortly (once he’s done a little more- arena hire, boxing out for a hack etc) in August perhaps would in theory be a nice idea.

However I’m worried about his weight, he came in yesterday having got his muzzle off with hot feet (not a good indicator I know!) and a strong ish pulse. It could be completely grass un related as he was shod the day before and farrier potentially took a bit too much off. Totally sound but I kept him in on soaked hay as a precaution and will do so until I receive his new muzzle headcollar which will hopefully help keep it on. He’s also being strip grazed.

Hopefully we will get some dry weather and the grass will settle down, but would be good to hear any thoughts from those who have given theirs a short break and whether they truly benefitted from it mentally. He’s shot up behind and has been under saddle again for about 6 weeks (having spent most of lockdown long reining out hacking). Just starting to do short intervals of regular schooling. No jumping yet but probably intro some poles soon. I feel like we are getting some momentum but do appreciate that perhaps there are pros to them having some time to consolidate!

I guess I need to way up the benefits of a break vs the potential for him to put on more weight (already stabled 13/14 hours on soaked hay).

Photo of the tubby thing.

 

[sharni]

I've always found that giving them "holidays" does them the world of good. They don't forget anything and seem to develop quicker and better for it both mentally and physically in my experience/.

 

[Michen]

I've always found that giving them "holidays" does them the world of good. They don't forget anything and seem to develop quicker and better for it both mentally and physically in my experience/.

Yes I think it would be an easy decision if I wasn't (perhaps unnecessarily) worrying about his weight... Tricky to decide whether the benefits are worth the risk of him ballooning further

 

[paddi22]

I'm another one that give lots of little mini holidays for young horses. I find they all come back a bit more mature and relaxed after it and the new concepts have 'bedded in' more.

I have one pony that always struggled to understand some stuff mentally, she would hit a wall with it but then would just seem to click in to it. as soon as she clicked in I'd do a bit more work with her and then give her a holiday. every single time without fail, she picks up back where she left off and is more relaxed about the work. I honestly think she just absorbs it when she's on holiday and it sinks in! it amazes me that just just clicks back each time to where we left off, but with more relaxation and maturity.

 

[alexomahony]

I wonder if you can give him a break from riding and long reining, but not from exercise. I don't mean lunging him endlessly, but going out on a lunge rope walking with you, running, playing over natural terrain - he won't see it as work, but spending time with you, plus it still offers exercise for you both

 

[ihatework]

You will get a lot of different opinions, but I always give the young ones short breaks. Generally after a period of concentrated work and almost always they come back better for it.

Many roads to Rome and all that.

Mine has just had an easy 3 weeks and is now just starting to gear back up. He also had 4 weeks of April off.

 

[sherry90]

Whilst I’d agree to some extent a holiday is good. I wouldn’t pick a time when grass is rife to do this (learnt from experience!)
My boy had winter 2018/19 off and got obese and came down with a bout of lami last spring. Early caught and no lasting damage but if I had my time again I’d 1. Not give him ad lib hay as there was enough grass! And 2. Keep him ticking over even if just hacking 1/2 a week.

I definitely wouldn’t be giving a break Mid summer to something prone to be porky.

 

[Polos Mum]

If that is a level ish bit of concrete he has shot up behind !

It's a tough dilemma - any option of a barer paddock to reduce food intake while on holiday?

Could you do a half way house with maybe a week's full holiday then a holiday from hard thinking by riding and leading or just walking in hand so burning a few calories without carrying weight / using brain too much?
He doesn't look massively tubby - but photo's could be deceptive.

Option to swap some hay for straw while on holiday ?

 

[Michen]

Hmmm- what about the weight thing? Am I being overly concerned..?

 

[Michen]

If that is a level ish bit of concrete he has shot up behind !

It's a tough dilemma - any option of a barer paddock to reduce food intake while on holiday?

Could you do a half way house with maybe a week's full holiday then a holiday from hard thinking by riding and leading or just walking in hand so burning a few calories without carrying weight / using brain too much?
He doesn't look massively tubby - but photo's could be deceptive.

Option to swap some hay for straw while on holiday ?

He gets very little hay tbf- mostly he can just munch on his barley straw bed

No option for another paddock they are all much the same and he’s keeping my broken horse company.

 

[DirectorFury]

Mine had 6 weeks off in the summer of her 4yo year due to a splint that took ages to settle (ground in field was rock hard). She came back better than before and it seemed to do her the world of good.

I feel your pain about his weight but I don't know if he's currently doing enough exercise to really be cancelling out his grass intake. Stick it out with the muzzle and straw when he's in. If he balloons you can easily end the break and bring him back into work, he doesn't have a calendar and won't threaten to get ACAS on you for disrupting his holiday .

 

[Michen]

Mine had 6 weeks off in the summer of her 4yo year due to a splint that took ages to settle (ground in field was rock hard). She came back better than before and it seemed to do her the world of good.

I feel your pain about his weight but I don't know if he's currently doing enough exercise to really be cancelling out his grass intake. Stick it out with the muzzle and straw when he's in. If he balloons you can easily end the break and bring him back into work, he doesn't have a calendar and won't threaten to get ACAS on you for disrupting his holiday .

I would think that the hacking and hill work (we have so many hills around here!), is probably doing something to keep a lid on it tbh, I've upped his trot work and canter in the last two weeks and his weight has remained steady, so not sure what it would have been like if I hadn't.

I was thinking 4-6 weeks off mid winter... perhaps a better option but that's obviously a long way off. Or autumn depending on grass I guess.

 

[Bellaboo18]

I like them to have some time off but personally I'd hold off till autumn. We're having perfect grass growing weather so I'd share your concerns regarding weight. He looks great at the moment so would be a shame for him to pile on the pounds.

 

[daffy44]

I tend to give lots of mini breaks when they are young, rather than turning away for a big break, but both can work well. Given the grass I would worry a bit with something prone to weight gain, is it possible give him a break from any school work and just hack for a couple of weeks?

 

[Michen]

I tend to give lots of mini breaks when they are young, rather than turning away for a big break, but both can work well. Given the grass I would worry a bit with something prone to weight gain, is it possible give him a break from any school work and just hack for a couple of weeks?

He’s only just gone in the school tbh- in the last couple of weeks. Had about 5 schooling sessions in total maybe? No longer than 20 mins.

 

[sherry90]

I’d just adjust the weekly programme maybe?
Swap one hack for long reining instead so a non weight carrying activity and then introduce poles and swap a schooling session for that (and poss do them in hand?)
And then ridden hack once a week and one schooling session on the very basics - walk trot canter, limited circles and shapes just thinking transitions and rhythm?
He then has 3 days furlough a week ? and 4 work sessions but of relatively low intensity. Coupled with the other weight management techniques he shouldn’t pile the pounds on but also won’t knacker the joints?

 

[Michen]

Ok thanks everyone! I think I'll hold off for now and see if we get a super dry parched August which would be ideal. I think you guys don't think he's as tubby as I do- I have a skewed view because my other connemara keeps himself pretty trim just being "him".. and I'm a bit paranoid as I've never had to worry about weight management to this extent on any of my previous horses!

 

[Scotsbadboy]

Some great advise but not sure anyone has commented to tell you what a beauty he is

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I would wait and see if we get a drought if not aim for a Autumn winter break much safer for his weight I think, not that I think his too fat but you don't want him putting on too much.

 

[palo1]

Hmmm- what about the weight thing? Am I being overly concerned..?

Mmm, I am in a similar position with a tubby young native. Mine is having regular short breaks of a week or 2 here and there. I do continue once or twice a week with some ground work, carrot stretches, loading practice etc but if she is having a 'break' it's a break from ridden work. No problems at all so far. I am anticipating a bit of a slow down/longer break too as I need to sort out a new saddle and that process may take weeks before I am really happy to crack on in any real way In my experience, it's frustrating for us, just as we think we are getting somewhere but it's good for the horses, all the little breaks give them time to do more thinking, physical consolidation etc and prevent horse and rider from unwittingly bowling on a bit too much.

I massively sympathise about the weight query though. It's quite a new problem for me, not really having had a fat native before. I am relying on very restricted grazing and the hope that at 4yo, without stupid amounts of very rich grazing, the growing and development process will compensate slightly for the lack of work. I don't, in all honesty think that we should be giving 4 y/o horses the amount of work that would really make a difference to their weight over the course of 1 summer. It is a bit nerve-wracking and I can't organise a track system so I am giving tiny amounts of grass early morning, then bringing on to a bare patch of weeds and hedgerow with a bit of soaked hay, then back on to a tiny patch of grass at night. So far my mare has not put on weight this summer - she is still worryingly round but no more so than she was at 3. By next summer she will be able to do enough to keep the weight off so this year I am just looking at it as needing whatever I can do week by week to prevent her getting fatter!! Thankfully we are now in the part of summer where the grass is not so crazy but still needing vigilance and to be particularly aware of the Autumn flush. I would think it is possible that pulses in Bear's feet may be more to do with shoeing if you have been really careful about the grass. No real answers but sympathy from us!!

 

[scats]

I think little breaks are great, but if I were you, given his possible reaction to the grass and a concern of weight gain, I would be tempted to keep him ticking over during the summer and then aim for a couple of weeks holiday in the autumn.

 

[splashgirl45]

i dont think he looks huge, just a little well!!! he is a handsome chap and if you are worried about the grass and ballooning why not continue hacking him and finding all of the hills and dont do any school work for a while, and maybe a proper break autumn or winter. i have only had one youngster that i backed myself and after each break she seemed to have absorbed what she had been taught and seemed to be better than i remembered each time.

 

[Michen]

To be honest he’s only just started doing the school work in the last two weeks! Before that he was literally just hacking in walk with the odd trot, and the same before that on the long reins. He had his first “proper” canter out hacking on Sunday. I think we will continue with that and intro him to some poles, a little jump, do some arena hire and then hopefully august will be dry and he can have a couple of weeks off. If not we will certainly have a couple of weeks off anything in the school to keep him sweet.

He’s had it very easy in terms of carrying a rider or doing anything more than walk. Did a tiny bit of lunging more for ground work/manners but that’s it.

 

[be positive]

He has had it fairly easy since he arrived so I would keep going, give the odd day or two off and if he needs a break then let the weather dictate when he gets one, he did loads of long reining, has done next to nothing in the school so to me he should be ready to up the work load, start using his brain more and have plenty of variety not be getting a holiday he has 23 hours a day to chill.

 

[splashgirl45]

michen, it sounds like you are doing a good job by bringing him on slowly, and you seem to be on the right lines IMO

 

[Boulty]

Tbh given how slowly & carefully you've brought him on I'd continue as is for now & play it by ear as to when would be a good time for him to have a break from ridden work ie when the grass isn't going mad.

 

[windand rain]

If he has only done 6 weeks under saddle I would keep his work load as close to keeping his weight off as possible trouble is they can get so fit it makes it harder to get weight to shift. Exercise is the only thing that keeps weight off well so he either needs a track system that makes him get fewer calories in than out or needs to keep working both will do the job of keeping his weight under control but may not be possible. Any breaks I would be inclined to give in late autumn winter into early spring but you will need to harden your heart and not feed him and let him scrub around for forage so he dramatically loses weight and you can reset his metabolism. Ad lib hay will likely kill more native breeds than any other management system

 

[taraj]

watching with interest as have a 4yr old ISH, my plans are to carry on keeping things fun for the summer/autumn and turn him away for a few moths over the winter when the weather turns. We done this last year with a little welsh stallion and he has come back this year so much more mature.

 

[Michen]

Thanks all. Have decided no break for him at the moment. In fact I'm going to ask a bit more of him now and get him out to some arena hire, box out for a hack etc this month. He has had it really very easy and slow and I think a few weeks of new "things" will be quite good for him, followed by some quieter weeks. Proper break for 4-6 weeks over winter but hopefully the odd week or two before then at some point.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

I would think that the hacking and hill work (we have so many hills around here!), is probably doing something to keep a lid on it tbh, I've upped his trot work and canter in the last two weeks and his weight has remained steady, so not sure what it would have been like if I hadn't.

I was thinking 4-6 weeks off mid winter... perhaps a better option but that's obviously a long way off. Or autumn depending on grass I guess.

I would wait till December /Jan time for time off.

Sisters 4 year old had time off then apart from going to in hand walks with the dogs in the woods at the weekend. Her yard is next to it.

She drives trucks, December is one of the busy times so she wi continue to give him that time off each year. Plus he lives out and no school so it works.

Having lost a few horses to laminitis I wouldn't give him time off now. Not with the rain shine weather we re having.