R2R
Well-Known Member
A reply on a post earlier in the week has been playing on my mind.
What do you think 4 year olds should be doing?
My 2 (1 tbx and 1 tb ex racer) do 45 mins work 5 times a week. They work hard - I would say medium work, and do a variety of schooling and hacking, but probably 3 days hacking and 2 schooling. When hacking, the majority is in trot and canter (where appropriate) and I trot them up and down hills, on hard ground (slowy) When schooling, they are not pushed into outlines, but are taught to work through from behind, circle, flex, and do basic lateral work (shoulder in, leg yield) . Both could happily go out and do a prelim test, and the tb is competing affiliated prelims.
They jump very occasionally, both have only jumped three or four times in the school, however when we hack out if something is safe they are put over it (logs, small ditches etc)
I am taking one hunting tomorrow and the other next week, believing it is good for their education. I plan to hunt them all winter, whilst gradually upping their schooling work as their strength improves. This will also include more technical jumping/gridwork.
Am I doing too much? I am worried now as someone said they wouldnt gallop/jump a 4 year old. I think they have the muscle/strength to cope with the work load I am doing and both seem like 'well rounded' individuals, save the odd teenage tantrum, but am I doing the right thing? I cant beleive I am having a confidence crisis over something written on a forum, but its really bugging me... that I am not doing it right.
What do you think 4 year olds should be doing?
My 2 (1 tbx and 1 tb ex racer) do 45 mins work 5 times a week. They work hard - I would say medium work, and do a variety of schooling and hacking, but probably 3 days hacking and 2 schooling. When hacking, the majority is in trot and canter (where appropriate) and I trot them up and down hills, on hard ground (slowy) When schooling, they are not pushed into outlines, but are taught to work through from behind, circle, flex, and do basic lateral work (shoulder in, leg yield) . Both could happily go out and do a prelim test, and the tb is competing affiliated prelims.
They jump very occasionally, both have only jumped three or four times in the school, however when we hack out if something is safe they are put over it (logs, small ditches etc)
I am taking one hunting tomorrow and the other next week, believing it is good for their education. I plan to hunt them all winter, whilst gradually upping their schooling work as their strength improves. This will also include more technical jumping/gridwork.
Am I doing too much? I am worried now as someone said they wouldnt gallop/jump a 4 year old. I think they have the muscle/strength to cope with the work load I am doing and both seem like 'well rounded' individuals, save the odd teenage tantrum, but am I doing the right thing? I cant beleive I am having a confidence crisis over something written on a forum, but its really bugging me... that I am not doing it right.
