Opinions on 4yo classes

[kate.jessop]

I can't help but feel that it seems too much too young for these horses. As they are still developing, does it effect them in later life? Just something to think about really and was interested in other peoples opinions for example, would you buy a horse with the intention of a long career that had done 4yo classes?

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

I know loads that have jumped 4 year old classes with no issues to date. I dont mind jumping one that is ready and fit enough. I would never jump a weak 4 year old round

 

[TarrSteps]

As I say every time this subject comes up, they are not and were never intended to be classes for "every" horse or even the average horse and they are not necessarily a benchmark for what a horse "should" be doing at that age. They were designed as part of the larger Young Horse scheme to be "material" classes designed for potential top class horses, both as identifiers and shop windows for breeders and studbooks. Good producers, the sort of breeders and trainers who use these classes for what they are designed for and look at the big picture - and who tend to do well in them - do not consider them to be the right fit for every horse and the horses that are destined for them take relatively little preparation. These are also horses ridden by skilled jockeys, who can minimise the number of jumps the horse needs to do in training, and prepared within a good management plan with attention paid to footing, hoof care, work load etc.

The situations that worry me more are single horse owners who figure they will "have a go" because they think the class is designed to be within the scope of every 4 year old. Then the horse gets scared or even hurt, even if it gets around the course, and is never the same again.

The best breakdown I've seen about YH classes was actually in an interview with a man who produces for the top Reining futurities. He figures for every ten horses he gets offered he will take in one to prep, and for every ten in his barn, one will be ready and competitive on the day. So for every horse that benefits there will be 99 that he considers won't be sufficient quality, suitably mature, the right type, adequately prepared etc. Doesn't mean they aren't and won't be good horses, they just are the horses for those courses.

 

[Ferdinase514]

As TarrSteps says these classes are supposed to be for the top class animals to show off their potential. They don't need to be perfection at this age - I've seen some wild and wobbly examples do very well in the 4 yr old classes as the showed their natural talent and paces.

In fact these classes are a great way to take babies out to see the world without the pressure of a normal class/test.

 

[dianchi]

I am planning on taking my girl in 2015 to 4yo classes- both showing and the Event potential ones.

I think its great that these classes are run and you are competing against same aged animals and have judges looking at horses in this way.
Its great experience as well!

Obviously however if she is not ready when she is 4 then she will not go!

 

[montanna]

Fully agree with TarrSteps above.

I for example, have a 3.5yr old (4 in July 2014) dutch warmblood who is now obviously classed as a 4yo.
I am very much an amateur rider, she is the first I have broken myself.
I will be taking my time with her, she is still so babyish physically I can't imagine her ever being ready to jump 1.10m at a stay away show in 6 months time! She has a really good brain - really keen to learn, and I no way want to push her. The max she would be jumping this year will be British Novice - and that would be towards the end of the year, if at all!

 

[ihatework]

I think if you have to specifically prepare your horse for months to do these age classes then they are not suitable for the horse. If however they are well within the horses natural capability with just basic good age-appropriate training then I have no problem with these classes.

 

[measles]

I think if you have to specifically prepare your horse for months to do these age classes then they are not suitable for the horse. If however they are well within the horses natural capability with just basic good age-appropriate training then I have no problem with these classes.

I am in agreement with ihatework. If mentally and physically a horse is ready without undue amounts of preparation then the classes can be educational and a level playing field for a young horse. One 4yo that we sold last year did one BYEH, one BE4yo and one BE80 going clear and being placed in all and his owner felt and he demonstrated that he was ready. I have a rising 6yo just now who wouldn't be ready to do a BYEH 4yo class, so it really involves judgement and honest assessment.

 

[kassieg]

I was going to do the byeh & be 4 year old classes last year but decided she wasn't strong enough & didnt want to push her,
was def the right thing to do, shes much stronger now as a 5 year old & depending on how things go I might give the byeh 5 year olds ago but im not willing to push her unnecessarily, if she can't do it then so be it

 

[ElleJS]

I had a bunch of 4yos both this year & last year. The one that did the finals (show jumping) was one that actually had done the least amount of prep. She never jumped green or ballooned anything and although she was sharp thinking ,she was never silly or spooky so going into the main ring and having to jump the bright coloured Olympic fences that were 1m15 in the final round even though she'd only jumped a few British novices before didn't phase her and she just rolled the last pole. It's not a class I would say for one horse owners or one to put pressure on a young horse. The eventing 4yo classes however I think are more accessible for any kind of young horses as only ever a max 90cm/1m and more educational. The dressage and SJ is simple and small and there is no time limit XC so you can take it very steady. The pure show jumping classes at any age group are trying to catch you out. The 5yos goes to 1m30 and 6yos had to jump 1.47cm!

 

[kate.jessop]

Yes I completely agree, my doubtful attitude towards them has stemmed from seeing a 4yo class locally where half of the class seemed to be made up of gangly, unbalanced 4yo's. I couldn't help but hope lots of them were going to be eliminated SJ purely so they wouldn't be able to go XC! I think professionals would be more sensible about which youngsters they would take as they have more opportunity whereas someone on a homebred, for example, may be more tempted to rush into it.

 

[HBM1]

I think I am actually much more protective of my homebred. He was four last June and only backed in July. He is a big lad and as of now has only done British Novice and two Discoveries. He is now on holiday for a month. He is being professionally produced but even so, I would not have wanted him doing the age classes. Having seen the size of some of the uprights and oxers I was frankly horrified. My stallion is showing huge potential and there is no way I am pushing him to jump those at this age.

 

[Kick On]

I think you have to take on balance each 4yrs old?. I have 4yrs and he has grown 3inches in last 6months, so I have keep readjusting what my plans are, as his brain is better developed than his body.
In saying this we have just started hopping (training technique not height) and my trainer is impressed with how balanced his is esp in canter But I reckon he's still wobbly and green. So I have to listen to my horse, even tho I am very keen to compete and horses don't know what rossies are really - only human do