How much work is too much?

J

JenTaz

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Just curious here, after the thread on how much peoples' 4 and 5 year olds do at the moment.

Taz has only just turned five and i've had him since he was broken as a three year old. At the moment and since i got him really he's been working every day either hacking or schooling, before anyone says about he shouldnt be working hard as a three year old, i only found out a few months after i bought him what his real age actually was and then got it confirmed by the dentist, as i never got a passport with him, it wasnt untill i got a hold of his breeder and got a foaling slip that i knew that he really was only three as the person i bought him off told me who bred him as he bought him straight from the breeder.

So anyway, at the moment taz is being worked every morning either in the school doing just basic flatwork or he is getting loose schooled in the pen, he then goes out to the field for a few hours and then comes in and i either have a lesson with my fabulous instructor :) or i take him for a hack which can last up to three hours, but if i have a lesson he goes for a small hack after words mainly just to cool him off. And then on a sunday we have a jumping lesson shall we say, with my mum so it ends up being anything up to 2"9.

I dont particularly want to cut his work down as he has lots of energy and loves his work, so just wanted to see what you guys thought, he's and Irish Draft so is fairly chunky anyway and we have so much grass that he needs the work even with wearing a muzzle during the day and living in at night to keep the weight off.

Sorry its so long have something chocolaty :-)
 
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Imo I think your doing to much. I think you should stick to one session per day a couple of times a week. I have a 5 year old who hacks 3 times a week and one short schooling session. ( he is'nt really keen on schooling). I think 5 is still pretty young and would'nt want to rush them as I want to keep him for a long time, however all horses are different.
 
He only gets a few hours turnout a day? You may find him more chilled if he is able to relax in the field longer! Why not chuck him out at night with the muzzle?
 
I think if he's happy, progressing and full of energy than you've got it just right. With horses we don't need to stick to rules because they're all different - we just need to listen to them and hear when they're telling us it's all too much.

I'd much rather see a horse being kept fit and active than only being ridden a few times a week.
 
i think its a bit too much, IDs are slow to finish growing all their bones etc and I wouldnt feel comfy doing quite that much at that age.

I would make the jumping occasional and lower and only exercise once a day for at least another year. def good do do something every day tho and have variety but I think you are pushing it too far.

Chunkiness doesnt mean hes physically mature. he may be happy to work but his joints can suffer for it later on. My ID was bought at 6 and grew another inch or more. He didnt stop growing til he was 8.
 
When i say he's out for a few hours, he's out for about six, and then he is more than happy to come in and go for a wee play as he loves his work and has so much fun doing it unless he just cant be bothered or decides to nap which isnt often. Our hacks are mostly walking round the country park taking him a different way every day and he loves it, with a wee trot and a canter (usually a gallop as he gets so excited) round some of the softer tracks.
 
QR

I'd say you are doing a bit much, if he's ridden twice a day and turned ou. I say this because when Lace was kept in her stable (due to ground) I'd work her twice a day, but when I say work I mean a short session in the school in the morning and then a very light hack in the evening, with my YM on her 25yo who is stiff and cannot trot on roads so we just plodded everywhere :p

Whilst your horse may be able to cope with the work physically are you sure he can cope with it mentally? Schooling and jumping can be quite mentally tiring on a young horse, especially if you are having lots of lessons.

But at the end of the day, that's my opion, feel free to disagree!
 
i would say that is a tad to much maybey give him longer out in the feild (fence a smaller area off for night?) give him a couple of days of a week, casual schooling, jump a tad smaller for a while? basically to ensire that no damage is done that could affect him later on, his bones etc need to develop :)

but.... if he seems to enjoy it then dont let him get bored! x
 
Another one for working too much. You say you bought him freshly backed and have worked him since, so has he not been turned away for a bit? I think turning away after backing is important mentally and to allow them to mature a bit more. I would be a bit worried that all that work may result in complications further down the line...early arthritis etc.

The only time I have ridden more than once a day is when I was loaned a horse so obese that the vet scanned her thinking she was due to foal any day.

He obviously enjoys his work but IMO I would not be doing so much. My 5 year old is only hacking about 4 times a week and a schooling session in the field 1/2 times a week. With 1 or 2 days of a week depending. But that's mainly because I don't have the facilities or the time :(
 
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I get told that I work our 4 yr old too much. At the mo she is getting hacked twice a week and jumped once a week by me. Then schooled twice a week and on the lunge for the other 2 days a week. She lives out now and is thriving on the work. That said, our ID x TB did mature late and at 7 was doing what this 4yr old is. They all take it in their own time and will let you know when there is too much going on - although it is best to realise and not push them to this limit. It does sound like an intensive regieme and you may have queries about it yourself because you posted for advice. So maybe just ride once a day and keep it fresh and interesting? The last thing you want youngster to do is get bored. I am also a believer of 'horses should be out in the field'; maybe you could leave him out with the muzzle on in a small section of field and see he likes that.

Just my opinion!
 
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