Help needed with assignment - training youngsters

[JosieSmith]

Can anyone give me some advice on training youngters? I have to write an outline for a training programme for the first two years after backing (so say 3-5 years old) for an endurance horse, a dressage horse and a showjumper.

I have never trained a youngster so could someone tell me what I'm aiming for please, and what sort of levels each of these horses should be competing at after 2 years of training.

Thanks in advance

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

I haven't trained any horses from that age but you could do some research on the german scales of training (rhythm, relaxation, contact, implusion, straightness and collection.) It would be most specific to dressage but would also be important for showjumping. Endurance I guess would be a lot of riding, increasing distance on rides, improving fitness, stamina, balance, muscle tone ect. Work at the beginning of the training will be a lot of the same for dressage and showjumping horses in regards to basic flatwork and lateral work.

Hope that helps a bit, sorry I couldn't be more specific.

 

[JosieSmith]

That really helps actually as that's pretty much what I'm starting to write so I'm on the right track.

Thanks

 

[MagicMelon]

Hmm... quite a lot to answer with. Ive only backed in a few horses to show jump - basically I back them (usually a week from first bitting/putting tack on to getting on their back and walking around). From then on, I start working on the basics (walk,trot,canter) and introduce some polework. Then once that's in place I'd begin fine tuning the walk/trot/canter and doing some small jumps and beginning to take the horse out to local dressage / SJ competitions or lessons. From there, its just a case of progressing up the levels. Its hard to say what level a horse should be competing at after 2 years as it depends on the horse and what the rider is aiming for. ie. a professional showjumper would likely be jumping age classes etc. (not sure what height they are - 1.20m +?). For my current horse, after 2 years I had him doing 1.10m SJ and eventing. But its really down to the rider, I'm an amateur so I didn't need to rush him and had no huge ambition to push him up the levels (even now, he's 11 and I'm doing 1.20m's but never plan to go higher).