keeping a young inexperienced horse busy

[princestar]

My 6 year old is just being brought on professionally now, he's had 3 weeks with another 3+ to go. Hes been hacking on quiet roads with other horses and alone, is learning the trot, still a bit wobbly at the moment but doing well.

But I'd like to be able to keep his mind active when he comes home, he's going to be coming back to a yard of 5 other horses (6 including him). We have quiet roads, a field to ride in and a local saddlery within hacking distance with miles of country hacking and xc jumps. They also have local shows there and 2 schools I will be using. My friend keeps her pony in same yard so we will be able to go out together and my other friend is a riding instructor so can give us lesson.

What can I do to keep him busy? He's already getting bored by the school and I would like to get him out seeing the world.

Any advice (got my hi-viz) plans or things to do with him?

Thank You

 

[Dukey]

With my 6 yo I'm trying to take him out as much as I can. Last week I took him to some woods he had a brilliant time choosing logs to pop, having lots of canters, stepping over and under bits of tree and doing hill work. I wish I did it sooner, so much fun! He enjoys competing, oh and lots of clinics

 

[princestar]

Yes I didn't think of clinics, the local saddlery has clinics too - polework and dressage looking forward to bringing him home but also worried as I need to keep the hard work up. Weve got lots of fields and woods too so hopefully we can have lots of fun out. Thanks

 

[princestar]

Ideally need somethings do do in the school with him when riddennor on the ground... any ideas?

 

[Cello_song]

My 6 year old has done lots of clinics this winter and it's done us both the world of good

One exercise I do with her in the school is to make a corridor if poles, just a little wider than her. Riding through them is a good straightness activity, then you can spice it up a bit by including transitions - my girl finds it hard to remain straight during a transition, particularly upwards so it's been a good way to practise.

Just one suggestion but hope it helps! X

 

[chestnut cob]

My 6yo has been hacking loads - working on our schooling out hacking. We have lots of steep hills so making sure he works correctly up and down them. Doing some baby lateral work out hacking too, working out straightness, transitions, half halts. He schools once or twice a week in the arena; my YO or her groom rides him for one of those, working on the same sort f stuff as me. He's doing trot and canter poles, grid work, been out SJ and DR a few times. Also been hunting a few times (he did a season or two of that in Ireland before I got him). I long rein/ double lunge him, work him in hand. Been having a few issues getting him to use his inside hind leg (ie, the inside hind on whichever rein he's working on) so in hand work is ideal to get him using it and stepping through. The nice thing about in hand work is that if it's late, in the time it takes for me to tack up I can work on just a few circles on each rein and achieve something small each day

That makes it sound like he's worked loads which he isn't at all! ATM with the rubbish weather and not enough light, he is worked both weekend days and twice in the week, three times if I can manage it. Keeps him ticking over and he's happy and coming on nicely.

I like the idea above of making a corridor of poles to walk straight through, am going to try that as his walk can still be a bit wiggly.

 

[princestar]

Like the sound of all these ideas - hopefully be able to keep him entertained whilst learning lots of hacking as we have massive saddlery up the road hope I can keep up with the good work hisbtrainers are doing

 

[mirage]

We've got a rising 7 little pony on loan and are showing him the ropes.He was previously driven and was only broken to ride last year,so very green,but absolutely lovely.We are hacking him out on the road and across fields,doing polework and small jumps,bending,the cup race,stepping stone race and other gymkhana games,to boost his confidence.He is currently living on our farm to get him used to tractors and livestock and hopefully will be going to Pony Club,Shows and eventually,hunting.

Could you do some in hand work? I have found it invaluable for getting the horse or pony to have confidence in themselves and their handler.We've done handy pony stuff like reversing around an L shape of poles,walking over tarps,past cuddly toys/flapping flags and anything else we can think of.Today we took him over the fields and he jumped his first log.