Is this unreasonable?

Leo Walker

Leo Walker

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My rising 4yr old (4yr old very beginning of next year) has been backed, as in long reined and sat on. He hacks out in walk with another horse or a foot solider happily. He enjoys being ridden and is pretty much bombproof, hacks out along side very busy roads, goes past road works etc. However, his education has been very hit and miss due to having absolutely no facilities! Hes never done any real trotting under saddle nor been in a school etc. Hes been very well handled, takes everything in his stride and is generally a pleasure to have around though.

I've just moved him to a decent livery yard, quite busy, 2 indoors and an outdoor, lunge pen, horse walker and a part time riding school to boot, so a bit of a change! So far hes taken it all very well, genuinely unfussed. Anyway, my question is, there is an on site dressage competition on the 22nd of December. Very low key, but still a competition. Would it be unreasonable to expect to have him ready to do a very basic walk and trot test by then? I know what I think, but would be interested in others opinions :)
 
Personally I'd say its hard without knowing the horse - some would take it on fine and benefit, others might take longer and get frustrated etc etc.

You know the horse and can gauge it so I'd say go with what you think and listen to him. If he's not ready he'll tell you :)
 
Not sure from your post, it seems to say you have not yet troted the horse when ridden or been in a school. If this is correct, personally I would work with an instructor on getting good outline , balance and transitions before thinking of going into a test.
 
I would expect any newly started youngster to be capable of doing a walk trot test at home within 3 weeks of being backed, so I dont think it would be unreasonable as he has settled in well.
 
Adopter said:
Not sure from your post, it seems to say you have not yet troted the horse when ridden or been in a school. If this is correct, personally I would work with an instructor on getting good outline , balance and transitions before thinking of going into a test.
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Hes done a few trot steps but no, no proper trotting. Hes also never been in a school to my knowledge. I'm on the fence over it, however I dont expect him to be in a good outline, in proper balance etc by then. I'm not in a rush, but someone mentioned it to me and I thought it might be worth making it a casual aim. I wasnt sure if I was asking too much though.

Hes a 14hh HW cob who was hand picked by me due to his really good upbringing and very good attitude. Hes been exposed to an awful lot of traffic and spooky things, but I've not had the opportunity to work him with more than one horse etc. His default evasion is to plant, so nothing dramatic, but I dont want to push him too hard because I'm all over excited about schools and shows etc! I also know him very well, so would know straight away of he was overfaced, although I dont want to get to that point! This horse is going to be a keeper and hopefully see me through to middle age as my hacking/hunting/showing/dressage horse and I'm being a bit precious about him!
 
I think if you are easy going and are only entering for the experience then no problem. At the end of the day you could speak to the judge and just do it on walk if it all gets too much or just do a couple of movements.

However if this is going to be a stressful event with lots of horses about and you are not good at competitions and want to enter competitively then i would say no. Its too much pressure. Just take everything easy going as you have done already and you will be fine. If you then do them frequently you can use it to help document progress. I am just backing my youngster now at rising 4 and we will be doing some low key stuff next year but we go with the attitude of it doesn't matter and its all good experience.

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Adopter said:
Not sure from your post, it seems to say you have not yet troted the horse when ridden or been in a school. If this is correct, personally I would work with an instructor on getting good outline , balance and transitions before thinking of going into a test.
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Just read what you have said and wondered if you read it through. The horse is 4 he should be no where near going in a correct outline yet, balanced yes but not just going forward is good at that age. Its only a walk and trot test and i always think they are fairly chilled. I don't mean to be rude if that's how it sounds i just think its a bit unreasonable to expect a 4 year old to be in an outline.
 
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Hes not even 4 yet, hes 3 and 8 months, a proper baby and a cob to boot! So no, we arent even in my wildest dreams fantasing about being competitive :P I'm just loving having him there and wanting to get on with things I havent yet had the opportunity to do. Realistically its a money making venture for the yard so I'm sure walking it all would be fine. Wont stop me putting my posh kit on and tarting him up. It will be lovely to have a test sheet from his baby days :D I'd have no issue telling someone else in my shoes to crack on and give it a go, I just adore the very bones of this horse and have got a bit silly about not rushing him. Thanks HHO!
 
If I have read what the op has written correctly the show is in December and the horse is not 4 until next year. Nearly all shows restrict ridden competitions to horses 4 and over so no you couldn't enter.
 
magicgirl said:
If I have read what the op has written correctly the show is in December and the horse is not 4 until next year. Nearly all shows restrict ridden competitions to horses 4 and over so no you couldn't enter.
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Its a in house yard show so no restrictions. I absolutely wouldnt box him out anywhere, that would be too much for him mentally as hes not used to travelling etc, but this is just a very low key thing for riding school clients and liveries, no outsiders at all :)
 
magicgirl said:
If I have read what the op has written correctly the show is in December and the horse is not 4 until next year. Nearly all shows restrict ridden competitions to horses 4 and over so no you couldn't enter.
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Yes but if you know the people running the event and you are entering non competitively then you can often enter just for experience.
 
You both have years ahead so why the rush?

I would personally save a debut for when you are both ready and then nail it.
 
He's not even four, take it easy and as someone else has said he'll need to be four to compete under saddle.
Also although you say he is bombproof and will take it all in his stride, there is a big difference between going on ploddy hacks and a walk and trot test, however low key. Judge will be expecting a balanced trot, trotting 20m circles with the right flexion, free walk showing lengthening of neck etc. I dont think you can expect to do this when you haven't trotted yet.
 
I would say don't enter the comp but as it's at home ask if you can just take him in the warm up for a few minutes, walk him round the lorry park etc. letting him get used to the atmosphere. IMO that's more important for him at this age & something that a lot of people don't think about with a youngster & then wonder why it gets too worked up.
I was lucky I use to take Jason to lessons at Keysoe on a Saturday & I used to get there an hour early & get a bacon butty from the café for lunch so he could get used to all the comings & goings, tannoy etc. Sometimes I would leave him on the trailer, sometimes take him out & let him have a while tied up beside it. Sometimes I would put him back on the lorry & go for tea & cake so he could get used to not going straight back home after doing something. He may be a little git sometimes but he never causes a problem in the car park.
 
IBH I might do this I might not but I would enter him so I could have him out and about on the day to see the other horse working in and see the sights .
Then I might go I to the arena trot round and see what's what .
If the horse was unsettled or unset in any way I would just give the judge a wave and go .
Or I might ask if I could ride the horse in the arena in a break.
However it can seem a very very long time when you are doing a test on such a green horse .
So you need to have trotting as much a the test demands in the run up to the comp.
And working on the test you are doing and others at that level so the horse knows what to expect .
If in training in the school he's in any way struggling to run Through the test I would leave it and have an out and about at the show day and perhaps go in the arenas at the end .
I am suprised he would be allowed to take part until shows in 2014 they would not allow that round here.
 
The walk/trot tests are actually quite hard, with some tight turns in trot. Personally I'd wait till the pone was a lot less wobbly - you want to set them up for success after all. That's without taking into account that he isn't old enough to compete under rules yet.

As the others have said, mosey round the lorry park, do a few large circles in the arena during breaks. No pressure.
 
Personally I wouldn't add the extra pressure, especially as he has only done a few trot strides at any one time :)

What I would do is ask if I could go in and use the arena with boards and markers still in place and use it as a practice spook busting / schooling session
 
Adopter said:
Not sure from your post, it seems to say you have not yet troted the horse when ridden or been in a school. If this is correct, personally I would work with an instructor on getting good outline , balance and transitions before thinking of going into a test.
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Outline would certainly not be first on my list with a youngster!

OP I'd forget about entering comps yet. Just work on getting him going forward in a happy and balanced manner.
Hacking is so much better for youngsters than schooling - can I ask hey you haven't trotted and cantered on hacks yet?

Also - remember that cobs take much longer to mature. Don't ask too much of him, schooling wise. Most I'd be doing with a cob nearly 4 year old in winter is hacking once or twice a week, if that.

But, conversly, beware if you do keep riding him of going too slowly. Bringing a horse on too slowly can be as bad as bringing them on too fast. If you don't keep his mind busy he'll start thinking of his own ways to amuse himself.
I'd be hacking out in walk trot and canter now and then and leave him to chill the rest of the time.
 
I think with it being a low key yard show it really wouldn't hurt. With him being young it isn't expected of them to go in an outline and to be consistent. If you speak to the judge beforehand you can always walk it if you find he is struggling a little.
It's only going to take you 2 or 3 mins to do the test and you can practice a bit running up to it.

I've broken my youngster recently (he is 5 but acts much younger :P ) and although his trot is pretty well established, it only took him 2 half hour sessions to get it. If I were in your position I would enter x
 
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