Strengthening Excercises for the 4 year old.

[Annie&Lilly]

Hello,

I backed my warmblood x ardennes over summer and turned her away to mature (which she has to a healthy and HUGE) 16.2 hands!

Before I start introducing her to ridden work, I was wanting some advice on strengtheing excercises all over really, but especially her back.

I do not want to ride until I feel that she is ready and strong enough.

I am aware she will continue growing and that bones do not fuse untill 6-8 years, so I want to give her the best start possible!

So any avice on excercises that I can do from the ground to help her develop would be great!

 

[BeckyMason97]

I've been told to work my rising 4yo in a pessoa training aid for ten/fifteen minutes a day for a week or so to strengthen her back end. Only very light work though, ten minutes trot and three canters on each rein, she's strengthened tons, but she's also been put on baileys no 4 with her regular feed too.

 

[Clodagh]

I am very old fashioned but would never use a pessoa or any artifical aid on a baby. I would say its more important to get them going forwards in a relaxed way. As regards strengthening I would long rein with tack on and strapping may be old fashioned (and hard work!) but it does build muscle.

 

[Spyda]

I'm bringing my 4 year old (5 in May) back into work after backing her last year and turning her away as I was abroad for a while. I am lunging her off a canvesson, fully tacked up and wearing loose Vienna reins attached to the D's at the front of the saddle. We started at 5 minutes (2.5 mins at walk & trot on each rein) and have built up to 15-20 min sessions - mainly active walking and halting, with some controlled trotting. Lots of transition to encourage her to listen and work through her back. We're working about 3 or 4 times a week ATM as the weather has been hit and miss, but she's improving steadily and is looking really well. She's got a good top line for an out of work youngster

 

[AmyMay]

OP, you're better off riding the horse quietly round the lanes for 40 mins a day, than using a pessoa or lunging. It won't do any harm, staying in walk with the occasional trot.

 

[Spyda]

OP, you're better off riding the horse quietly round the lanes for 40 mins a day, than using a pessoa or lunging. It won't do any harm, staying in walk with the occasional trot.

Granted it wouldn't do any harm but on the other hand I find it doesn't do any harm to instill a little discipline via the ground before hopping back up onto a turned away youngster and hitting the roads/lanes again. Some light lunging to confirm vocal aids and obedience and encourage stretching is helpful, as is long reining out if you can. Although I appreciate this isn't always safe or possible for everyone. I suppose it also depends upon the horse, but in my case I have a very large, boisterous, lacking-concentration yongster who needs a little reminder of what's what before being sat on and trusted back out on the roads under saddle to commence her fittening work.

 

[AmyMay]

Granted it wouldn't do any harm but on the other hand I find it doesn't do any harm to instill a little discipline via the ground before hopping back up onto a turned away youngster and hitting the roads/lanes again. Some light lunging to confirm vocal aids and obedience and encourage stretching is helpful, as is long reining out if you can.

I absolutely agree with you.

 

[Honey08]

While I wouldn't go down the gadget route, and I certainly wouldn't be lunging every day for a week, I agree that lunging is a good part of the horse's training as a youngster. I prefer to let a big 4yr old find it's own balance.

With our 16.3h 4yr old I basically hacked out and did lots of hill work to build up the back end. He was a real baby and slow to develop - he was seven before he really got there - and then his outline came naturally without any assistance, as did his balance and ability to canter properly in the school. I took him to BE events as a spectator when I was competing my other horse and rode him round the collecting rings etc when I'd finished on my other horse. At five we started doing local shows - not doing that well, but OK. By six he was getting ready to go.

I know lots of people who have gone much faster and had good results, but I wonder how sound those horses will be in later life or what issues will come later on. Personally I'm not after something to win Badminton or Young Event Horse etc, I just want a good general allrounder, so there is no rush.