How much do you do with your 3 yr olds?

I have now got a "cheap synthetic" saddle which I got fitted to her last night and she let me have a sit in it and didnt bat an eyelid :D
 
Mine is 3 next week, I got him in December and he has been living out but he ties up, leads ok but not great so this will be worked on has been brushed and feet done. I don't have any facilities in his winter home but I am moving him in 3 weeks so the plan is to get teeth done and get him bitted ( already had a roller on) and get him leading out and about around the village and a local show or two.
We will spend some time de spooking and long reining but won't be backed or lunged until spring next year and will spend the winter back out in the field.
 
Mine was 3 on the 3rd of May this year and I have owned him since he was 5 months old. He has shown in hand from a yearling, so is used to the general bathing and prep work, leading, standing up, loading etc etc. I started long reining him when he was 2.5 as he needed a job - just in walk and not regularly... He walks out on the road in hand, and now long reins in walk/trot and starting some lunge work (walk/trot) but on a very large circle.. sometimes over some poles on the ground to encourage him to think about where his feet are.. He has worn a saddle and led up and down the lane in it.

I have leant on him and had a sit - all very relaxed and quietly, but now he has 3 big shows to go to..and then in July he will have his wolf teeth out. I will then look to "start" him properly in August when he has recovered from the teeth removal. I plan to get him to the point where he is comfortable hacking around the block alone/company and then turn him away for the rest of winter... with the view of bringing him back in the spring/ once he is 4.

He is 16.1 and quite a strapping young man, both i and the vet reckon he still has a couple of inches at least left to grow so hopefully by Aug he'll have grown a little more and evened up :). He is very very ready mentally, and not far of physically. He wants a job now :)

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Mine was officially 3 in March, I bred her myself, so she's been handled, great with farrier , tie up, groom rugs etc etc. she's been to a few shows, and travels great. She's had a bridle on, and a roller once, which she was very relaxed about. She's now out the field with the other babies, and will stay there until she's ready. She's not ready mentally, and still looks quite awkward. I had planned to get her started at the end of the year, but could well end up being next year.
 
Aarh! All these grown-up looking 3 year olds are making me question whether mine will ever reach the height she is 'meant' to!
 
My Physio friend says recommends not doing anything until at least 4, the joints don't finish growing/fusing until they are at least 6. She says if you want a horse with longevity slow & steady is the best way.
 
I dont currently have a 3yr old, but I've had a few, and I dont do anything with them apart from basic manners. I want them to be good to brush, pick up feet, good for the farrier and dentist, able to rug up, lead politely and stand tied up, thats it. Preferably I like them to be living out 24/7 if possible, if not out all day, in at night, I feel they have all their lives to work, let them be young while they can, their bones are soft even when they look big and strong. I never feel it has damaged or held back any of my horses starting a bit later.
 
I will need to get a picture of Breagha with her saddle on, she is starting to look really grown up wearing her tack :D

I got Breagha just before her first birthday and I would have been her 4th home :( - She had to learn to wear a rug before I took her out of the van the day I brought her home as she wasnt in the best of condition. She took about a week to catch after being turned out and after quarantine I took her into my stable for a couple of days for day to day handling.

Breagha learnt quickly being tied up, feet picked out, farrier and all of the other basics really quickly and she is great with it all now. I took her showing quite a few times when she was a yearling and a few times last year and was never bothered by anything. Started long reining her at 2.5 to give her an idea with a lead (OH) at the front.

Last night we went on our longest walk, OH was riding his horse and we were pottering behing long reining seeing more than she has before and she took everything in her stride, even when OH horse wasnt wanting to stand, she stood etc. I managed to get her to take lead for a small portion of it but she still lack confidence on her own so we will work on that on our own and in company. :D Poor thing was so tired after her adventure :D
 
I got Dwynwen before her first birthday too she was lucky though and I was her second home, we had to move from the livery yard we were on to my mum and dads land though because a few months after she moved down a filly her age was put to sleep because of grass sickness. It was the second case they'd had at the farm in two years so my vet advised me to move her. My parents love having her at home so it worked out :)

Sounds like Breagha is a very intelligent filly :) your going to have lots of fun which her! It's so nice to be able to start them off right and for them to have confidence in you when it comes to new scary stuff :)

We went for a walk up my drive last night it comes out by a hotel gym and after making friends with a few families that have come to stroke her before we head back down the drive Dwynwen actually checks to see if anyones going to give her a fuss before she sets off home :D

Can't wait to see a pic in her saddle :)
 
This picture is from the first week that I had her

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This picture was taken last week

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And this was me sitting on her the other day but with no saddle :D

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She's beautiful I love her markings! What breed is she and how big? :)

This is Dwynwen when I first got her
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And her first time with a saddle on the other month :)
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She's wpb and just under 15hh at the moment hoping she'll make it to 15.2hh :)
 
Lovely!

Breagha is a bit of a heinz variety. Her mum was welsh x standing at 14'2 and her dad was like a cob x clyde standing about 17hh eek! She is now standing at 15hh but has recently got alot longer in the body. She was looking quite young and short last month but has stretched now. :D
 
Looks nice kind sort- i wouldnt over do it this year, as you mentioned she has changed shape alot recently and she still has a lot of growing and fusing to do.

Enjoy but dont over do it!
 
dianchi said:
Looks nice kind sort- i wouldnt over do it this year, as you mentioned she has changed shape alot recently and she still has a lot of growing and fusing to do.

Enjoy but dont over do it!
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She will probably do one or two things a week for about 10 to 20 mins. All different but taking it at her pace.
 
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