Opinion on 4yr old doing 10mi pleasure ride?

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cullord

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My youngster is backed and riding out 3 or 4 times a week, 3 or 4 miles max, mainly walk with a little trot. Someone at the yard mentioned a 10 mile pleasure ride in August sometime and asked if I wanted to accompany them on my youngster. They said they only intended walking and a bit of trotting but I am concerned it might be too much for him so soon. Would it be? And what sort of fittening scedule would I need to have him on before I could take him?
 
If you walk and trot the 10 miles then it is going to take you - assuming travelling at a gentle 3-4 mph - 2.5 to 3 hrs to complete it. It is up to you whether you feel you want to ride your horse for that long.

I took my youngster, aged 4, on a similar ride last year, it was the longest ride he had been on, but we took it steady and i think it was good for him, seeing the other riders passing him, travelling to the event etc was a good education on him, so if i was you, i would go and enjoy:)
 
My daughter did a similar distance last year on a 4 year-old NF, who had only been backed a few months. She took it easy and I agree with the previous poster, it's a great education. Most rides have a short-cut option so you can always do that if you feel it's too much on the day. Have fun and enjoy.
 
Oh I've done this - our filly was nine days shy of her 4th birthday when we did a pleasure ride, it was in out village so we hacked to it early, and actually did the route backwards so we met the first starters when we'd been on the go for an hour. We were very steady, few little trots, and after two hours we got off and walked the rest of the way home. It did her good, she got to see lots of horses which can freak her out, had to cross a stream (tiny - she jumped it!) go throug narrow tracks with overhanging trees etc.
 
I would want to be doing at least 8 miles or more hacking before a 10 mile fun ride with a young horse. It just isnt worth the risk of buggering up a youngsters legs for the sake of a fun ride. But there is plenty of time to build up to 10 miles. If your hacking is good then I wouldnt bother tbh until next year if you dont want to jump. I would just work on fittening at home.
 
Take it steady and if young'un feels tired cut it short! Plenty of youngsters hunt at 4, I don't think you'll have a problem, as Headpiece says great experience for him. I've just bought a 2yo and totally envisage us doing such stuff at 4. I'd go for it and have a ball :D
 
We are taking both of our 4 year olds on a 10 mile ride in August - They were both backed as 3 year olds to the point of walking around the farm and gentle trot in the school we then turned them away and brought them back into work around April this year.
They are now schooling twice a week and hacking 2-3 times a week, walk trot & canter.
They have both been to a local Dressage comp.

The ride near to us is following a route they often hack round so I think it will be a good education for them, we may even pop the teeny tiniest of logs!!

As said before, you know your horse.....
 
10 miles isn't that far for a horse. Wild horses can cover well over that in a day. If you go steady like the person you are going with suggested your horse will manage fine. Don't do a lot of trotting on the road or hard surfaces though.
 
10 miles is nothing and you should be cantering her by August.
When I first ride my youngsters away the first ride they do with a rider (I do not ride them in an arena to start with) is 7 miles with plenty of steep hills. I have never harmed one by doing this yet.
 
As others have said, 10 miles really isn't that far for a horse.

If she's a relatively mature 4yr old (rather than a very gangly baby still) then I don't see a problem at all - even to throw a few canters into the mix.

So long as you don't hammer her round, and do some longer hacks before you go so its not a complete shock to the system, then go and enjoy yourself!
 
Having brought on several youngsers I think it is a bit far. Yes I agree horses travel for miles in the wild but not carrying a rider and they have the choice to stop and rest when they feel tired. Saying all this you know your horse just be aware too much too soon gives you problems later on in life not so much the here and now. Good luck whatever you choose.
 
go and enjoy yourselves. 10 miles at walk and trot is nothing and can only do good. As someone else said, horses are hunting at 4 and in Ireland they are educated in the hunting field at 3. I did the sponsored ride (Lions or Lyons Club?) at Windsor Great Park with Tom when he had just turned 4. I intended to take it easy but ended up doing the distance and all of the 25 jumps-we got a certificate and a gold rossette.Tom was ready to do it all again and was none the worse for it.
 
We took one - but the rider was a featherweight (4st) and the pony a full up 14.3 Connie. Took it very steady and pony loved it - might have only been 8 miles though. Excellent advice from Evelyn - if a let up or two are needed.
 
as already said, 10miles is nothing especially if you take it easy. I might have something of a build up to it though, just to test saddle fit over a longer period.

*not aiming this at the op* but I sometimes wonder if this belief that something like 10miles being a 'long' way is the reason we see so many lammi cases these days. I know alot of people who think a decent hack is 45mins, I've hardly warmed up by then lol.
 
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