How are your 3 year olds looking?

[rachyblue]

Mine is still a bit ugly duckling - every time I think he has levelled up a bit another part of him grows - he looks a bit like a giraffe at the moment!

When can I expect him to look more like an adult - or will that come once he's in proper work?

 

[Thistle]

this is Wotsit Worth, my 3 year old Traditional Gypsy Cob. He is bum high but seems to grow slowly and evenly, much of his growth is outwards as he bulks out.
http://www.everybodysmile.biz/cgi-bin/public.cgi?form_status=order_image&event_id=181229&img=130616_2768{Championshipinhand.jpg&anc=p7_0034_es&ss=34&imgcat=Championshipinhand

 

[rachyblue]

I can't see it?

 

[Spring Feather]

I only have one 3 year old. She's a full TB and she's always been pretty even in her growth patterns. She has elegant legs and is nicely in proportion.

The rest of my youngsters are Oldenburgs or Hanoverians and apart from one (who has been hidden away for 2 years) they are all very nice looking and have also grown in proportion at every stage.

I suspect when you breed like to like with the lighter breeds you keep them growing fairly steadily, but when you have heavier breeds they tend to grow in fits and starts.

 

[Capriole]

fugly

 

[Magicmadge]

I also have an ugly duckling, think she is destined to stay one too. There is a hand difference wither to bum 13.2 -14.2 weak neck, big bottom, face like a yearling, attractive!!!!!!!!!!! She is an appaloosa x cob. My farrier has always said she'll be fine when shes six. Hope hes right.

 

[rachyblue]

This makes me feel better - so here is my giraffe!



I think he looked better last year;

 

[JanetGeorge]

Mine are variable. Some look like little grown-ups - some like lanky juveniles (aka giraffes!!)

 

[rachyblue]

It's when you see vids like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdJU94v9f_4 that you think yours is bad - and I am comparing like with like - mine is a hanoverian too and only 2 months younger that this horse.

 

[Spring Feather]

What do you feed your 3 year old and is it different to what you fed him as a 2 year old? The AHS horse in the video lives over here and we feed differently from a lot of you guys in the UK. Most breeders here with youngstock, feed only balancers, no chaff or bulkers. Also, the horse is in California so will likely live in a totally different environment to yours (small pen compared to large pasture field) and is most likely fed on top quality hay with a reasonably high alfalfa content. It is also in work, is yours? And bloodlines play a part too so I don't think you can (or should try to) compare really

 

[EstherYoung]

Giraffe, definitely:

He's no way ready to do any work yet and won't be till next year at the earliest.

 

[cloppy]

EY a very nice giraffe all the same.
Heres mine Hollen Sunrise was 3 on 31st May

 

[Holding]

Mine is four (Hanoverian too) and only just started looking like a horse. At three he looked like a particularly awkward two year old. I was hoping to do young horse classes on him, but I suspect I would have been laughed out of the ring. Even now he has a helluva lot of growing to do.

 

[EstherYoung]

Cloppy I think he's going to be quite a tall giraffe once he's finished. We realised today he's as tall as his full brother already which is a bit scary.

Hollen Sunrise is lovely

 

[rachyblue]

Thanks Holding - reassures me a bit!
Some beautiful babies on here - cloppy yours looks really mature, is he working?

Mine is backed but turned away as he is still so immature. He had a bit of a rough winter, and came back from boarding school a bit skinny, think I will need to feed up a bit going into winter.

In answer to earlier q - he eats a balancer with some Alfa a molasses free to make it more of a feed. He gets more chaff if he's in to line his tummy as he came back from backing with ulcery type symptoms but they have gone now he is getting plenty of grazing.

 

[Capriole]

I was hoping to do young horse classes on him, but I suspect I would have been laughed out of the ring. Even now he has a helluva lot of growing to do.

Ha yes, I would have liked to show our now 3 year old before now, but right now I wouldn't show him to my mum He looked ok as a yearling but it's been Camelitis since then. The Equine specialist vet likes him though, says he will come right, I'm just panicking a bit in case he doesn't.

 

[hobo]

Some lovely 3 year olds so far. Here is mine looking a lot better for 6 weeks at show camp though I think she will always be bum high like her mum.

 

[cloppy]

Thank you ey
Rachyblue, goodness no hes not even mouthed, think that pic makes him look more mature as he's loads of filling out to do, hes about 16.2 and all legs. Trakehners dont seem to mature until late on.

 

[tikino]

my 3 yr old is a tad fat with all the good grass. wee have started lungeing and long reining him he was a wee bit slow to get what i was asking him to do to start with but now doing great. starting the long reining etc to both educate him and help him loose some weight.
here is fergus

 

[Kallibear]

Mine is starting to look better, finally. He's grown into his legs a bit and his neck has lengthened and startes to thicken but he still looks very disproportionate, esp as his neck is far too short for his body. He's still very weedy and narrow too.
He's been lightly backed as he's bored bored bored but won't be ready for anything more until next year.

 

[GinnieRedwings]

Fat Max, 3 years 3 months. I won't start doing anything with him until the autumn. He's 16.2hh and growing in all sorts of directions. He won't be sat on till next year.

I've got to say he looked a lot better as a 2 year old... :-S

 

[ritajennings]

Three year old pure bred Irish Draught gelding standing at 16hh bred by Steve and Gail Payne, freinds of mine who are not on line

 

[Rollin]

In a word. FAT. Both Shagya and ShGxCB.

We do have the most wonderful grazing, lots of bone but need careful management!!

 

[2horsesnomoney]

Mine too is looking like a giraffe! weedy neck and narrow and still bum high but evening out slowly! I am proud of him I have backed mine this year and he only has a 2 or 3 weeks left and then will be turned away. Shame really as I love and really enjoy riding him but i want him to mature and grow. I will be keeping him ticking over through winter by long lineing and groundwork though as he will be stabled at night.
What are you all doing? turn away, keep going or 50/50 keep ticking over without ridden work?

 

[Meowy Catkin]

My 3 yr old wont be backed until he's 4 or possibly even 5. He's just not ready and keeps having growth spurts. The back end goes up, then the front end shoots up and then he gets longer. His spine is still much shorter than it will end up as - he looks like two year old still and one day he might get around to getting wider... or he'll be built like a razor blade! I will keep on with in-hand work though.