Importance of Turning A Youngster Away

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LittleSoph

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Just wondered what people's opinions were on the importance of turning a youngster away.

My pony was backed about August/Sept time and hacked out over winter, coming back into school in early spring. So he hasn't been 'turned away' since he was backed. I've not done masses with him this summer, but a little bit of schooling/hacking/lunging/long reining, one show (soon to be two shows) and put him over a handful of tiny fences.

Do you think it's important that a horse gets that time to be a horse after they've been backed? Or do think he'll be just fine to carry on being ridden over the winter?

I have a feeling he's going to do a lot of maturing this winter, both mentally and physically, and I'll probably mostly hack out with a lesson in the school once a week/fortnight.

Advice/opinions please.
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Thank you.
 
I would think that if he is not in hard work and still being turned out to relax then it is not essential to turn him away. However if you feel he is still maturing then he would probably gain from being turned away.
 
Depends on the horse tbh! My last boy was still growing coming into his 7yr old year, and was very weak and immature anyway, and started to struggle with his work towards the end of the season, so always had some time off in the field.
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It was more mental for him though tbh. My 4yr old now is a completely different kettle of fish and loves her work, and although has no muscle etc is alot more balanced and stronger than Goddy was. She will have a cycle of several weeks of hard work, then a couple of weeks in the field to digest what she has done, and chill, and then back to the hard work! But she seems to thrive on doing things.

So, it depends on the horse, but i do think they benefit from having some "quiet" time, even if its just for couple of weeks.
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It also stops developing muscles from getting too sore or them becoming stale
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He's in his 4yo year and seems to take everything in his stride that we've come across so far. I think he'd get naughty if he weren't kept occupied tbh. I'd like to keep him ticking through the winter, albeit quietly and slowly, but just wondered if anyone thought that horses had detremental effects from not being turned away after breaking.
 
Dont see the point in spending all that time working with them and chucking them out in a field to do nothing for several months, only to bring them back in and start again! better to break in and take things nice and easy and progress slowly.
 
My youngster is having some enforced time off (hurt himself) but the vet said looking at him she would've recommended it anyway. He's 5 but is very physically immature due to being a bit malnourished as a youngster and looks more like a 3yr old.

I think it depends on the horse, if he's physically mature and coping with the light work then I would keep going...
 
I have always turned the young horses I have had away for a time, I believe there is little to be gained from rushing things and more to be gained from giving a horse time to digest what its learnt and mature a little.
 
I have a 3yo who has been going since she was broken last november, and I'm going to turn her away in september until next spring. She is going fantastically, learns fast and is so easy. However, she can get quite tired and is still quite small so I feel that a long break is much needed and I will put her into proper work next spring. Plus - she hates the rain! lol
 
i think its more important when horses are broken in the summer of their 3 year old year- they often benefit from being left to mature over the winter...my guy was broken in february so was a bit older (4) and so won't be turned away this winter. he has, however, just had 4 weeks off while i was having a nervous breakdown at work/on holiday and he's come back very chilled out and eager in his work- so i would think you will be fine to just keep him "ticking over" in the winter. he will let you know if he's getting stale
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i spent about 4/5 months bringing my 4 yr old on but then seemed to hit a spate of little niggly problems so i gave him a month off and couldnt believe how much he grew and filled out. think all those problems were just his way of telling me he needed a break. i think it depends on the individual, and although it wasnt my plan to give himn the time off i think it was beneficial in the end
 
Only the British turn young horses away. People on the continent think we're odd.

I never do it and all my babies have turned out just fine.
 
I think you answered your own question when you said you think he will mature both mentally/physically over the winter this is exactly what turning away is all about giving horses time to absorb what you have taught them and allowing time to develop growing muscles and mature there are some things in life that cannot be rushed and this is one of them
 
yeeharider, but I also said that I think he gets bored and mischevious when he isn't worked. I do want to let him mature but I think it might be nice for him to have a winter hacking, so he's occupied and seeing things, etc. but not being asked anything strenuous....
He does enjoy his work, he's a people pleaser and he enjoys doing things, being with people, etc. and although I know he has a lot of maturing to do, I also don't know if he'd enjoy being bored... Argh, I'm in two minds. I think I'll just listen to what he tells me and see how he feels.
 
do you have something else you can focus on over the winter I am sure if you could just leave him out over the winter you will reap the rewards in abundance come spring I know I did
 
I think every horse is different. I would say that only you know him and know if he would benifit from a period of being turned away.

I backed my 4yr old in February, she had a couple of weeks of in May when i was on holiday but i could tell she was bored when i came back. So i have just kept her ticking over since then.

I will give her time of if i feel she needs it but otherwise i will just keep quietly going with her.

I think they tell you when they have had enough so just keep doing what you are doing and if / when he feels like he needs a break you can give him one.
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Tbh, dont turn him away completely, give him a couple of weeeks holiday in the field, and then just hack him a couple of times a week for 6wks or so? Means you dont loose eveyrthing you have done, but its more strengthening/occupying work
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