My just broken youngster! A bit of advice needed?

[PonyFeet10]

Hey all!

This (for those that don't know) is my 3yo Welsh Sec D Stallion. I backed him earlier this year, gave him a few months off but he needs something to keep his mind busy so I've decided to break him now rather than next Spring

Here are a couple of pics of him from yesterday:

That was the first time he's been ridden in quite a while. I did hop on him once a couple of weeks ago just to keep him ticking.

He can walk trot and canter on both reins, although he is quite unbalanced so I was going to mark out a school sized area to work him in. Is there anything else I can do to help this at this stage?

Also when he canters, when he takes a stride he's on his hind quarters but when he brings his back legs up and underneath him he ends up rather on his forehand. Is this just a baby thing that he will learn to correct as he gets more balanced?

He is my first baby and I've broken him in with pretty much no help at all.. Any advice on what I could do next would be great as I don't want to bore him too much by doing the same thing all the time?

 

[Aces_High]

I think you have done a great job so far! Do you have him hacking out quietly? I think this is invaluable for a young horse. You can educate them whilst they are being hacked without boring them going round and around a school. I personally feel, by all means mark out a school but I would keep time spent in there to no longer than once a week. You have the horse going forward and listening to you and your aids. You cannot really ask for too much more. He appears to be working correctly. You will find espec in a heavy breed that they take a while to mature and he will keep changing physically but gaining in balance and self carriage as he strengthens. So I would continue what you are doing now, get him out on the lanes and stubble fields and ride him for a couple of months and then throw him out for the winter. The other thing you could add in is a little bit of pole work. Just trotting quietly over a few poles gives them something else to think about. You will have a stronger horse physically and mentally to start having some fun with next year.

 

[be positive]

He looks as if he is going very sweetly.

He will be unbalanced to some degree, he is having to adapt to carrying you as well as balancing himself ,it will take time and he will gradually get better.

If that is the field you are riding him in I would not put an arena sized area in as it will be hard for him to be balanced in such a small space on that ground.If they dont feel confident on the ground they tend to shorten their stride or rush which wont help.

It would be a good idea to use some markers as a guide,poles on the ground for him to walk and trot over or round.Do lots of transitions which will help get him using his quarters.

Ride him little and often take him for hacks ,up and down hills will help with his balance and fitness.

Dont be in a rush ,keep him interested and having new experiences,and enjoy him .

 

[smiffyimp]

He looks lovely Dont worry too much about balance - that takes time. Babies are inclined to go on their forhand, its the way they are made. You have to gently teach him to sit back on his quarters but it takes time, dont rush
As others have send, teach him to move FORWARDS, best way to do this is hacking and its a great learner of all things scary If schooling on grass, i'd tend not to do too tighter corners, it may get a little slippey with the wet weather and you dont want him losing confidence. Cant emphasise (spp) enough, Dont Rush, Dont be tempted to do more that he's capable of as a 3yo. You'll be glad you took your time in the long run

 

[PonyFeet10]

Thanks for your advice and suggestions! I'm VERY, VERY pleased with him, he's my dream come true !

Trust me 100% I'm gonna take it slow with him, I'm not going to do much now before winter with him, just keep him ticking as he has quite an active mind and does enjoy being ridden.

I have taken him out on the roads and he is ok in traffic, although when they come past him quickly he half freezes and moves his ass out to them as to warn them lol. So can only do this when the roads are quiet

What is great though is a have use of two stubble fields which have a good (but not too steep) hill in either one. They meet like this /\ obviously not that steep though lol. I used these to ride him in just after he was walking out around the yard happily with me on his back and he loved it!

Hopefully he is going to be with me for many, many years and will never be sold, no matter how much I'm offered I would like him to last lol!