Producing 3 and a half yo. Need some advice and opinions!

[vic07]

I have this 3 and 1/2 yo who we bred. He is 17hh, probably with 2 inches to go. I have done a little long reining and on professional advice taking him out hacking without lunging or any school work due to his size. He is now walk, trotting and cantering on the stubble fields after 5 hacks. He is little explosive but is managing to turn, start and stop. This is a picture of him on his second hack.

Now the question is where to go now. Do we carry on hacking him once a week or forget him til the new year, he is properly 4yo on 16th April 2008. I have never sat on such a strong 3yo, he is easily managing to do a 45 minute hack and isn't tired and at 17hh I don't want him to get away from me. But I also don't want to push him mentally as he is so mature, I could easily have him ready to go dressaging in the new year. Any advice or opinions. Thanks.

 

[nicholls07]

cor !!!! hes well nice, beautiful size big and strong, can i just ask you, at 16 mths old how big was he, only my shire yearling looks so simular, id carry on light hacking if hes happy, xxxxx

 

[henryhorn]

I used to help an event rider who always backed her youngsters as three and a half, then carried on with them without a break. it worked fine for her, and he looks a hell of a big youngster, so I would keep hacking with perhaps 15 mins in the school on your return each day.
The occasional long reining will help your brakes too!
I wouldn't do loads in the school but big circles and lots of transitions will be fine.
Once the New Year arrives you could do a little more.
Well done by the way, you seem to have done a very good job!

 

[rara007]

Was he broken before you had him? I would continue the hacking, and probably start so menage work now he is fine out hacking.

 

[claire1976]

Well, he is more than capable of doing a job at this age and quite honestly he probably needs it. I would carry on as you are. As much exposure as possible in the right hands at this age will only benefit him. I see no benefit in turning him away until next year. You may find he questions you more then whereas now you seem to have him responding quite well to you and enjoying the challenge.He looks keen and alert, I'd say carry on, with care.

 

[carmenlucy123]

keep hacking hacking hacking... and if you've got a kid handy send them to pony club rallies on it in the summer lol thats what we used to do!

oh but loosen you neck strap! its there to grab hold of! (lets hope you dont need it)

lovely looking horse whats his name?

 

[vic07]

I think he was about 15.3hh. He looked awful as we sent him away to stud as he was a colt and wasn't fed sufficiently. He is actually proper hannoverian breeding and he seems to be maturing finer than we expected as the top picture was taken a few months ago. Thanks i'm hoping light hacking will keep him ticking along but don't want to pressurise him.

 

[vic07]

Thanks for that. He is big with the same attitude as his mum, which was very, very onward bound so we are trying to be careful!

 

[vic07]

Thanks. I think I needed to hear we aren't pushing him to fast as he is only just 3 and a half and I want him to be a star - as what I am not quite sure yet!

 

[vic07]

Thanks. He would be seriously scary with a kid - he is all power, 17hh with massive movement and no manners currently! If he jumps like his 1/2 brother and mum I might be in for some fun! The neck strap is definately for grabbing and I like them not to move when you do grab them or they don't do the job!

 

[nicholls07]

id have more than a neck strap , maybe velcrow pants too, lol, xx

 

[Bossanova]

I would definitely carry on- come Spring he will be bigger and stronger again so if you've installed the basics before then you should have the upper hand!!

 

[carmenlucy123]

hmmm never thought of it that way maybe mine are too loose!! lol

we had a 17.2 hh irish draught big stupid and loved to buck when i was 12 and weighed as much as a stray weed..i ended up taking him on full time.
All the adults were petrified of him and he was an angel with me still bucked but i had so much room to stay on!

so i went to pony club on him lol ah he was great a few people were shocked to say the least.

theres a story for you... dont ever meet me in person i can talk faster than type and i love to talk about horses and being as im stuck in salford its normally some poor person who wouldnt know what one was

 

[vic07]

Thats what we are thinking but I have seen so many youngsters wrecked physically and mentally by being rushed. I usually put the horses right after being wrecked so he is only the 2nd horse I have done from scratch. I feel I have done everything non-text book with him due to his size!

 

[siennamum]

What a fab youngster. I would keep him ticking over myself, would generally turn them away, but would make an exception in his case....

 

[alicedove]

I think the only reason to stop and turn away would be possible muscle/ligament/bone damage due to rider weight etc and to let them "think" or "get over" the whole surprise of it all.

Dead right most people on here, and you vic, he is so big and not noticing you on top, that you may as well carry on or he may think TOO much. Sure you don't want a big b****r like him having any opportunities at all for that!

 

[Ferdinase514]

You really sound as though you kn ow what you're up to and are on the right track.

As others have said, no harm in keeping things going. Perhaps give him a break later on