Sending Away for Schooling Advise and Thoughts Please

Mizzbecx

Mizzbecx

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I've just bought my three year old and he's has already been broken to hack (not by me) and I was just starting to think of options for next year when he's four....

Has anyone had experience of sending their horses away to learn schooling? I bought him as a project but now I want to keep him for me, I can school and have lessons but is it better to send him away to I don't teach him any bad habits and then have lessons on him?

Or if I want to keep hi for me is it best I do it myself and then just have lessons on him? I have broken before - some time ago, and I have previously had schooling lessons

Also any ideas on prices?

Also I'm in the Swansea area, any recommendations???
 
I see a lot of 4 years old as my YO specialises in backing babies and bringing onto event. Some 4 year olds seem to be so chilled they can step upto hacking out and starting to do low level stuff easily and others can be really sharp at that stage. What breeding is your horse? Could you long rein to start off with? The babies on our yard do a lot of hacking ( not long time out, just quite regularly) to start off with and it's a big turning point when they reach the stage they will go out on their own. They will start small fences as well but how much further they will go depends entirely in each horse. As an eg, YO has a 4 year old out of Stanhope Diddicoy. Mare is bold and utterly chilled out, even made it upto BYEH this year. She is so mature it's easy to forget she is only a baby but YO has effectively "finished" with her this year and mar will shortly be turned away again.
 
He's a Welsh Section D currently 15hh - not typey though (not traditional) - he's very leggy and upright pasterns.

He's hacking out atm, I'm only doing two days a week and lightly, juist to keep him going over the winter. I've just started with lunging and he's starting to understand what the circle thing is all about :P

I'm off to long rein him tonight too, he does seem very mature for his age but I was thinking of waiting until he's 4 before schooling.

I just can't decide whether to send him to a professional to be schooled next year, I think it meant be wise to start his lateral educational as he has only been hacked he's pretty much a blank canvas....
 
From my in experience of having a horse ruined while being broken/schooled, I've always done it myself since with weekly lessons from an instructor I value abduction trust. I also feel it makes the bond between me and the horse stronger as Im the one who gave him confidence, courage and explored new things with the horse.
 
keep on with the light hacking,making him go forwards and track up and light to the hand. add in some lunging with side reins, introduce to poles on the floor and insist on good manners at all times! then next spring when he is 4 and bulked up a bit/matured have 2 lessons/week with a good instructor for 2 or 3 weeks then continue this work for a month then another 2 lessons a week for 2 weeks and continue. Remember always be consistant, and always be firm when it comes to manners.. and you are nearly there!!
 
I have my four year old at a yard where they will either ride her daily or give me a lesson or come out with me. I can also ride her on my own any time i want. Bloody expensive though - but what's the point of having a horse if you don't ride it? Even with this arrangement I am in the situation where I'm a bit jealous of the guy that rides her, but I don't have the skill to be her only rider at this stage.

Paula
 
Thanks for all the comments guys

He's getting the hang of lunging now and I long reined him last night - he was like a pro!!!!! I just popped on him after in the school and he followed the OH around once on each rein, then we did a lap on our own if a little trot to test the water - fair do's he was an angel...

.....so I'm thinking next year I will try myself with having good lessons once a week :) see how we get on

Plus I'll keep up the hacking too, he loves it, he figits slightly when I tack him up as he gets excited to go love him, plus he naturally holds he head in a nice low position :)

I do always insist on good ground manners and think I'll be doing loads of in hand work with him and may take him to some local shows in the spring in get him seeing things
 
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