Talk to me about rushing youngsters/picking the correct speed for them?

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I.Camilla

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What's the end result? Can you fix a youngster that has been rushed? Also, what do people class as rushed? Just looking for opinions in general and what people expect when it comes to youngsters...
 
I backed mine and was jumping when he was 3. at 4 he did his first ode and were now doing novice at 5. I dont think he has been rushed, he enjoys his work and acheives well? people dont go fast enough its going too slow that causes most the probs in my opinion
 
Depends what you mean as 'jumping'. I see no harm in popping the one very odd fence to just solely get them used to it and doing groundpole work as 'youngsters', but as far as 'proper' jumping goes, I wouldn't till at least 4 1/2 if it's a horse you want to remain sound and happy for as many years as you can. I think at 3/nearer 4, they cannot possibly have the schooling established to start jumping.

Riding them young at 3/4, isn't so much leg stress as such [though obviously hammering them is not good on any horses legs], but their backs. They don't finish fusing till they're 6, so you risk more back damage than anything else.

There's an interesting article somewhere, a racing one I think.
 
No I never jumped the three year olds .
But I would do some pole work .
Before i turned them away I did loose jump them a couple of times so I could either get very excited or bury my head in my hands.
At that sort of age their birthdate is important there is a difference between one foaled March and one foaled August as they get older that evens out.
 
When I got my 5yo Connemara, there was several for less money that had done more, but I was put off for varying reasons? I guess its different when the horse is in a home for life or there to be sold on. But I won't be jumping my mums youngster till she is 5 either.
 
Goldenstar said:
No I never jumped the three year olds .
But I would do some pole work .
Before i turned them away I did loose jump them a couple of times so I could either get very excited or bury my head in my hands.
At that sort of age their birthdate is important there is a difference between one foaled March and one foaled August as they get older that evens out.
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I don't really even like riding 3 yr olds....let alone jump them!
Back at 3 and a half and turn away until 4.
A year to school and THEN jump.
 
My 2 year old cob is being quietly longreined around the farm tracks. 20 mins or so twice a week. Gets him out and about getting used to things. Prefer to longrein rather than lead him so he learns to walk forward confidently alone. Once he is happy with this he will have the winter off, just with normal daily handling.

Next year when he is 3 the aim is for him to be backed and hack round the farm, seeing daily life. He will again have the winter off (I don't like getting cold and wet unnecessarily)

He will then start his ridden carrer aged 4. By the end of the year I would hope to have him out and about at a few dressage and very small unaff jumping comps. At % he will continue with a normal life.
 
It is essential to remember that every horse is different although the way they physically mature is similar throughout the species, their mental maturity is vastly different between each individual. I have a 3 yr old who I am currently long reining and teaching to lunge. I will hopefully be backing him in a few weeks if all is still going well but he will only be sat on a few times a week for a month or so and taken for short hacks, no real schooling until next yr and I will continue with groundwork on the days he isn't ridden. He will be given the winter off and brought back into work in the early spring.

Maybe I'll jump him next year, maybe it will be when he is 5. Nothing is set in stone, we are taking things as they come and he finds something too difficult we take a step back and then try again.
 
It does vary from horse to horse, my general thoughts are that they should be happy & willing at every stage & not pushed. Never had a problem with one that's been taken too slow, only those that have gone too fast. I prefer to back at 4 & start proper schooling & jumping at 5 after a year of schooling on hacks. Nothing wrong with backing lightly at 3 & turning away though. Some light jumping/polework at 4 is no doubt physically ok. But I personally prefer a decent, consistent level of flatwork before jumping. Will do small amounts of polework before then, but not much or regularly. That said, my experience is nice allrounders, so assessing jumping ability at 3 isn't vital, if I produced top level jumpers, I no doubt would do a small amount of loose jumping before 5 to assess them. Can't say I see a need to jump them under saddle at 3 though. Tbf though, while not my choice, at 4 I'd rather see a horse doing a small simple course in a casual manner twice a week than doing endless flatwork in an arena most days.
 
It depends on the horse.
My new mare is 3 but she still looks like a 1/2 year old. All legs with next to no bum or muscle. I have decided to just do ground work with her now- just long reining and lunging, and then will start backing her next year.

With my appy, I backed him at 3 (walk, trot and canter) then gave him the whole summer and winter off and slowly brought him back into work in the spring, I kinda wish I had left him till late 3/ 4 years until i backed him though but you live and learn. Only jumped him a handful of times as a 4 year old and barely jumped him at all this year as I think he is still too disorganised and clumsy to jump. I am planning to do more jumping over the winter with him.
 
lollydollyrocks said:
I backed mine and was jumping when he was 3. at 4 he did his first ode and were now doing novice at 5. I dont think he has been rushed, he enjoys his work and acheives well? people dont go fast enough its going too slow that causes most the probs in my opinion
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lollydollyrocks said:
splints and damage from rushing is due to sloppy riding not rushing also
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LDR, I completely disagree with the sections of your posts that are in bold.

Anyone who has backed an ex-broodie knows that problems are not caused by going too slow. You could back a 20 yo if you wanted (if he/she was sound etc...) and a skilful trainer could turn them into a well schooled riding horse.

How many unbacked youngsters get splints? Quite a few and it's certainly nothing to do with sloppy riding.

A ODE with a 4 year old is too much IMO as the horse's skeleton is still growing.
 
I do totally agree with every horse is different but do also agree that too slow does become an issue also, if by the age of 5/6 they dont have ground work established and what id class as manners!! I do think they are much much harder to break in and work with not all cases but certainly the ones i have experienced the horse developes too much attitude and his/her strengthcan be used against you much much more i certainly. I have a 4 year old WB X TB who at 3 looked horrendus skinny long legs and no neck but with the correct flatwork, feed and balance of work at 4 is a totally different horse, she was broke back end of last year and then thrown away for winter and got brought back in after xmas.. she hadnt done any jumping until the last couple of weeks where ive just started to introduce some small jumps. but certainly would never have jumped at 3!! imo

each horse is different and so the pace in which they mature and learn will also differ, but i also think a huge part of how quick they develop is down to the rider or owner expectations aswell obviously if your wanting an event horse you may start to introduce new things more quickly and gage progression on how they accept things rather than a set timeline of when is or isnt deemed correct to introduce new stuff.
 
depend on the youngster. some take it on slower than others others grow at different rates. the horse will let you know if you overload it. normally by throughing a tantrum of some description!!!!!
 
I backed mine at 3 and turned him away, he is 4 years 3 months now and back in work just hacking and some light schooling. We play with trotting poles sometimes but i dont think we will be jumping until he is 5 as he is a slow developer and quite a chunky monkey.
 
Depends on the individual and if it's home for life or to sell on but I always think they av enough of their life to work and should have a childhood so long as they have manners etc
 
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