Ideas of what to do with my 3yo?

RubysGold

RubysGold

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At the start of the month I bought my first young horse (Ive got an older horse already)
Hes 3, a cob and has done nothing before coming to me except basic handling/picking feet up and walking through their quiet village seeing some traffic.

When I got him vetted, I was told that he needs his wolf teeth removing before I put a bit in (his previous owner walked him out in a chifney, so he is used to having one already)
I wont get on him till around easter I think.

So far I have walked him down the quiet road, groomed and handled him, and the other day I put him on a lunge line and got him just moving to the side/backwards/turn on the forehand and a circle in walk on the lunge.

I will get some 'scary' things out, umbrellas and the likes to show him, and Ill put a numnah on his back (dont have a saddle yet)

I do plan on doing a bit of long reining, but am worried about lunging as Ive heard that can put too much stress on a young horse? so maybe do that in January ? As I dont really want to get on a horse that doesnt understand "whoa" and "walk/trot/canter on"

Anything else I can do, he kind of needs a 'job' I think

This is my boy :)
2011-10-14175521.jpg
 
He looks lovely! Maybe you could get him used to tacking up, until its totally normal to have things on him, and have the stirrups hanging loose as you walk him round so he gets used to the feeling of things moving over his sides? I'm trying to think of what I did with my boy this summer, he's rising 3 now and came to me in March halter broken and thats about it. We did a lot of 'trotting up' practice, as I wanted to show him over the summer, and he soon picked it up (we had a lovely summers showing, culminating in us winning in-hand coloured champion at the final show of the season we attended - so proud! lol). I bought 'From Birth to Backing' by Richard Maxwell, as although we weren't strating at 'birth' as such, he was very inexperienced and we were starting from scratch, and it was a huge help. I'd recommend it to anyone with their first youngster.
I gradually built up to long reining, and he happily walks, trots, turns on the long rein with the reins running through loose stirrups flapping on his sides. I wanted to have sat on him before we wound down for the winter (yes, I know - rising 3! how dare I sit on him at only rising 3?! I'm bound to be shot down in flames!) and I built up from standing on the mounting block next to him, running my hands over his back and down his side, to leaning over him for a second, to leaning over and patting him down his sides at the same time, to fiiiinally, sloooowly easing my leg over and sitting on him for 5 seconds before sliding off, until he wasn't at all bothered about me sitting there for 20 secs then jumping off with a thud. The whole process was split up over about 3 weeks. He didn't bat an eyelid, such a good boy!
You'll have so much fun; I was worried about if I'd be able to cope with a 16hh unhandled colt, but he has been a dream and I couldn't be without him now. He's taught me so much (*goes doe eyed and dreamy*) lol
 
Awww he's really cute! I'd agree with getting him used to trotting up, long-reining...

Have you thought of doing some horse-agility? I know someone in the village that does it with her youngster and at first I was rather pessimistic. Sounded a bit parelli. It's brilliant though! What a great idea, just like dog agility but with a bigger 'dog'! I plan to do this with my youngster next year..

http://www.thehorseagilityclub.com/worldwide-events.html

But check your local riding club is holding events first.

This horse just loves it... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqVLY8YfbEo
 
Agree with the long reining. Its been one of the things I've really enjoyed doing with my youngster :p Can I ask why he was led in a chifney though :confused: Seems a bit harsh for a baby to me :confused: Get him used to a normal bit and responding to it as it has a different action to the chifney

Don't think small amounts of lunging will do him any harm and will help with teaching him the voice aids :)



Oh and yeah lose the pink before you give him a complex :p :D


But most of all have fun with him, he looks gorgeous :D
 
Th eother thing you can do is practice standing him next to the mounting block standing still and you stepping on the block so your height is above him then step down praise etc

walking over trotting poles and tarps tie plastic bags to the fence on a windy day and get him to walk close by
 
Im in love with your horse!!
My three year old welsh cob, had an in hand jumping lesson, he has been over poles on the ground before but not a proper jump, he seemed to enjoy it. We got some of those plastic covers that go on a bale of hay for him to see. I also take him for walks on his own and in company, he will follow me over anything on the ground, he wears tack and different rugs, i havnt lunged him yet we dont do alot of that with any of them. He is also quite happy with cows/sheep/ducks and dogs. I dont know of any pigs he could meet.
 
samstar said:
Get those pink bands off his legs for a start :p:D
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Oh dear, poor boy, I am psml :eek:
Long reining is the thing, you get him going forward without him relying on you to lead him.
He looks like a ride and drive, so get him used to voice commands and make sure he halts square, it is imperative that you are consistent. You can do loose jumping and things in the arena without straining the joints, I don't think he will be much stronger in January than in December!
Looks like a real honest type, and you will need an assistant when you back him, but get him used to the saddle, it takes ages to tack up a youngster as you have to proceed slowly. Make sure he is used to being handled all over his body, I always get mine used to hands round his hind legs, so that he won't kick if kiddies grab him.
I use a straight bar happy mouth for the first few months then move on to a Neu Schule starter, but make sure he has plenty of room in his mouth as they sometimes have fleshy tongues which require a thinner bit.
Have the teeth done now, and have a good look inside, it is unusual to have the wolf teeth out unless they are big, most are usually tiny things with no roots and fall out like kiddies milk teeth.
I always back bareback as I feel the saddle might frighten them, just have a roller and a numnah or hessian sack and slip your body over without drama.
 
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Have a look at Kelly Marks Perfect Manners book - loads of good in hand excercises to do with him and get him behaving and leading nicely. He will go thorugh a phase at some point of not realising his own strength and you will get dragged around/will try and walk over you/through you!:eek: so much easier to deal with if you have done lots of basic handling with him so he understands back up etc :) I suspect him charging off is the reason for a chifney:rolleyes: better to have in Dually - my cob has one as her headcollar and never use anything else - is always there for back up in case she has a 'moment':D She is 15 now so SHOULD know better but there is always the occaisional moment:rolleyes::D

You could always have a session with him and one of Kelly's local RA's to give you some ideas and make sure you are doing things well.:)
 
Ellies_mum2 said:
I know :D But on a boy? :eek: he will be confused :p
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Hee hee!! Give the girl a break! My horse is a boy and has plenty of pink in his wardrobe!!! I'm sure pony won't hold a grudge...

Don't you listen to the anti-pink brigade OP, I'm a fan :) I even have a pink wheelbarrow!!

:D
 
Thanks for all comments
4.gif
to everyone wanting me to get rid of the pink Lol (Those bands are my mares, and I like them :) Wont take him on road with no hi viz and Im not buying more just because of colour LOL )

Thanks for all the ideas, will have a go at all of them :) And will look at the books, (Ill see if they have the Kelly Marks one at YHL :D )

Previous owner used a chifney because she felt safer using that then a headcollar. :)
 
RubysGold said:
Ha ha, think i scared everyone off with that pic :D
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Everyone was temporarily blinded with the pink-ness :D

Both your horses are gorgeous by the way! Oh and I recommend perfect manners too, I'd give you mine, but its signed by Kelly and she is one of my idols! :o :D
 
i lunge my boy, hes only just 3 (end july)...lots of walking out, long reining, spook busting...still need to work on the jolly ball lol he is petrified..but he works fb in the wind/rain xx
 
There are two schools of thought with regard to the wolf teeth; some people remove them others leave them. Depending on how they are sitting they may be affected by the bit and as the vet advised their removal I presume he/she feels this may be the case. I tend to have them removed prior to backing as that way I know they are not causing any discomfort when work begins as I want the horse to be a settled and comfortable in his mouth as possible. Although they only have short roots I have not found they fall out as a previous poster suggested.
 
My friend has a 3 year old. She has had her wolf teeth removed.

She walks her out in hand. Long reins. Lunges. She has been taught to walk back as you enter the stable. Walk properly on lead rope. Responds to "halt". She has been taught to load into trailer and lorry. She will stand tied up with no hay net to occupy her, for an hour. She is currently being lunged in a harness, just in case they decide to drive her when she is older. She has been tacked up. She has been sat on a couple of times. She is left with no company at times.

Hope this list helps! Frankly I think she's doing amazingly well with her, she has had her since weaning which helps.
 
^^ I didn't think of practicing loading - that's a good idea juliette. We made it into a game for our youngster and he practically loads himself now!
 
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