Slow developing youngsters - support needed!!!

S

Switchthehorse

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 June 2009
Messages
516
Location
Nottingham
darcyandme.wordpress.com
Hi

I am reasonably new to this but wondered if anyone else as a slow developing youngster to share my woes!!!?

i have a 5yo IDx - have had her for 18 months and we just dont seem to be making any progress!! i am surrounded by people with 7/8/12 yo's all competing and being successful and it is so disheartening when you still cant canter a proper circle shaped 20m circle, cant go on the bit and go round the arena looking like a giraffe, wont go forward no matter what you try, refuse to jump and then cat leap so mum falls off etc etc

Dont get me wrong I love her dearly and would never sell her - so sorry if i sound like i am moaning!!! We just seem to be going nowhere despite regular schooling and lessons!!

It gets tiring being the 'crap one' all the time!!!

Anyone else in a similar position? Or does EVERYONE out there have 5 year olds who are already competing elementary/jumping 3ft plus!!??
laugh.gif
- we are at walk trot dressage and trotting poles!!

Would love to hear your experiences - will no doubt perk me up and help me realise i am not alone
tongue.gif
 
My instructor can get her going a bit better and says we are making quite a bit of progress - i guess i just dont see it!

She tells me to stop moaning as she is a big girl (17hh+) and still growing so all its going to take her a while to mature!
 
Well if your instructor is quite happy and she is a decent instructor then I wouldn't worry. She is a big girl 17hh! So the others on the yard ride what? smaller? different breed?
 
yep smaller and less solid(!) and older!!

I am not complaining really - cant fault her for temperament and have been told she has 'potential' i think i sort of expected it to improve a bit more quickly!!!

i am still a very proud mum!

it was just someone who saw i was getting frustrated suggested i try and find some other people in a similar position to share experiences with..

Bless her i feel terribly guilty about this post now, going to have to rush to yard after work and make it up with carrots :-)

looking at pics below made me realise she does have it in her some days - its just its only once in a blue moon!!

Darcybanner.jpg
 
She looks very nice, she covers the ground very well too. I would say try to relax a little and it will all come right in the end. Are you going to show her? from what I can see she would make a lovely working hunter. She looks a tad long in the back, but very nice. I hope you get some good comments on here, I'm sure you will get some great advise and comments. Keep us posted please and just enjoy. Have you taken her to any shows or has your instructor said not to yet? xx
 
I have an IDx Mare and have owned her for 16 years now (she was 20months) when i got her. I was told that ID mares don’t fully stop growing (changing shape etc) till they are about 8.

I would stop putting pressure on yourself and look at the positives, i bet she is nice and safe and doesn’t spook at silly things etc.

Tell us the things she is good at?????? and i bet some people on here would be jealous of you.
 
My WB mare did not really get herself going until 8 - all legs everywhere as a 5 year old - most clumsy horse I have ever ridden.

I currently have a 16.3 clydesdale and a going on 15.1 traditional cob. Farra the clydie is 2 months older - they are both 5.

Chancer the cob, is balanced, doing very well showing and schooling, though still green and bum up again. His jumping has started and he is proving a lovely little horse that will be a good all rounder.

Farra, well in fairness she has done more hacking than schooling, is a big rather unbalanced lump. Her legs are starting to go in the right direction but she is going to take far more time and work. She loves doing her little jumps but you can see finds keeping herself together far more difficult than the compact cob. She can just canter a 20 m circle and works in an outline for a few paces with a lot of effort.

I think the bigger animals do take longer to get the hang of being co-ordinated and have found that loose schooling, loose jumping and hacking out letting them think for themselves and learning to balance themselves does wonders. Farra will get there, but not for another year or two as she is a very slow growing, late maturing breed.

The difference between her and the WB is that the WB not only took a long time for the body to mature, but her brain was very babyish until 8. Farra at 5, mentally is very mature, just the body is more like a 3 year old in terms of keeping things together.

All I can suggest is trying to get her to think for herself, do things like loose schooling, loose jumping and hacking. Keep on with the lessons and let time sort things out.
 
I really understand where your coming from, but from looking at your pic's your doing really well. My just 5 year old as taken 9 months to trot around our arena.
blush.gif
Well he can manage about twice with out breaking into walk, and as for canter, ha forget it. That is far too much like hard work. Hes a bit more forward going when hacking. All said and done, when i bought him 9 months ago i was lucky if i could even get him to walk two steps in the arena without him objecting. When I had him vetted my friend ll lined him while i chased him with a plasic bag just to get him moving so the sould check his heart rate.
blush.gif
So all in all ive come a little further.
grin.gif
I'd never sell him. Well not today.
tongue.gif
 
I have a big baby boy with a similar problem except he is 6 not 5, however he is a year on from the description you give of your girl.

He is out competing but he struggles in less than perfect conditions as his canter is not strong enough to cope yet. So our results have reflected this Again my instructor is not worried he says it is because he is so big he is the equivalent in maturty to a compact 4yo 15.1, and as he strengthens it will all fall into place

So we still go out and compete at intro level as he loves it however I have had to stem any thoughts of upgrading to pn this year as I do not want to put him under more pressure until he is stronger. ( brain wise he is very mature )

Next year we will be competitive but this year is another story, but there is no rush and he is certainly worth the wait, all the joys of a larger baby.
 
[ QUOTE ]
My instructor can get her going a bit better and says we are making quite a bit of progress - i guess i just dont see it!

She tells me to stop moaning as she is a big girl (17hh+) and still growing so all its going to take her a while to mature!

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't loose heart - she's young and still growing in stature and strength. And you're probably looking at her being around 7 if in 8 until she's fully mature.
 
thanks so much everyone for your replies, and really great to hear from some of you with similar challenges! i think i do need to try and enjoy things a bit more again and stop stressing about it - its supposed to be fun isnt it!!

CurlyWurly123 totally feeling your pain - it took over 6 months to get a step of canter with my mare - she only walked! and to get trot we needed someone chasing us with a lunge whip (with a plastic bag on the end!)

to be fair the pics are real posery ones - she doesnt look like that normally it was an especially good day :-) the jump is only a 10cm x pole!!

i think more hacking less schooling could definitely be the way forward - i think maybe she is just bored???

i wouldnt swap her for the world and yes she is an angel in terms of personality and attitude on the ground so i am very lucky - interesting to hear it might be until 8 that she fully matures - she is IDxWB so sounds like this will def be the case - this is great to know as i can set myself a new goal now!! She has 3 years (well 20 months!!) to perfect cantering a 20m circle!! Surely she will manage that!

Got a couple of prelim tests this weekend so that should be interesting!

As for showing i have only done local ones, thought i might try some inhand as the individual show in the ridden classes is always a bit embarrassing when i cant get canter!!

thanks everyone again and keep those stories coming its good to hear i am not alone!! :-)
 
Youngsters are always not going to be as well developed as older horses. You wouldn't expect a 12year old kid to be able to play in premiership football would you?

If you buy a youngster the it comes as agiven that it's going to be a fair few years until they're fully fledged riding horses. A woman at my yard has just given her 4 year old arthritis in both hocks leaving it completely crippled because she rode it the same as she did her 12 year old.

Horse is lovely looking
smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
How about a seasons hunting???? That will certainly help with getting her to think 'forward'....

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto. Invaluable in every way. All the best with her, you will get there, but please dont succomb to comparing her to other horses, she will get there, and will be super, but to rush anything and to put undue pressure on you or her would be a mistake. You'll both be fab!
 
Thanks - would love to take her hunting, x-country is the only time she really goes forward - but bimbo question (i have never hunted before) can you hunt and not jump?? i wouldnt trust her over solids yet - she gets her legs in a tangle over the smallest x pole!
 
Yes, I'm definately a non jumper (unless I really, really have to).

Best thing to do is contact the hunt you'd like to go out with - get the hunt card when it's ready, then contact the secretary. Ask her which would be the best days to introduce a youngster and go from there.

How exciting!!!!!
 
i have a 5 year old
smile.gif
shes a 17hh ISH and were doing our first show next weekend. its only small unaff to see how she is but at home she jumps 1m tracks and goes nicely. however shes jus thad 6 months off and has a very laid back attitude. every horse is different.

bit of a difference but we had a 5 year old 148cm pony and it took him till her was 7 before he was ready to affiliate but he was well worth the wait. you just have to keep pushing through and it will all come together as the horse matures
smile.gif
 
From looking at your pictures I would be very happy with that, there is no rush, your horses time will come, certainly nothing to do with 'being the crap one' good things come to those who wait and put the work in, obviously its clear to see that you are.

Good luck, your youngster is lovely.
smile.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top