The 'teenager phase'

[sollimum]

Lovely 4.5 year old cob/connie after 6 months of living here has become a teenager overnight. In all fairness he was on his best behaviour thinking he might be moved on (he has done a lot of moving on poor boy) and now he has started throwing tantrums as he has relaxed and come out of his shell. How long does the tantrum phase last?

 

[maya2008]

In mares, it predictably lasts from midwinter of their 4 year old year until the same time a year later! In geldings I have found it to be a shorter, testing you stage. A few months at most.

 

[sollimum]

In mares, it predictably lasts from midwinter of their 4 year old year until the same time a year later! In geldings I have found it to be a shorter, testing you stage. A few months at most.

Thanks Maya. The look on his face! Half toddler/ half teenager.

 

[SEL]

Mine will be 6 next May and right now we are having a proper teenager phase.

If he could stay out late, get drunk, not get out of bed in the morning, crash the car, never tidy his room and leave pizza boxes to fester then he'd be doing exactly that. When I took him out the other morning my OH said my mares (both in their teens) looked at each other, sighed with relief and settled down for a nap.

He needs more work - I need the weather to clear up and daylight to return.

My instructor said she thought the year they were 7 is the worst which fills me with joy (not!)

 

[doodle]

Hhhmmm. Still waiting and he is 16. I get the toddler tantrums then the teenager huffs. Not helpful sorry

 

[Boughtabay]

Mine will be 6 next May and right now we are having a proper teenager phase.

If he could stay out late, get drunk, not get out of bed in the morning, crash the car, never tidy his room and leave pizza boxes to fester then he'd be doing exactly that. When I took him out the other morning my OH said my mares (both in their teens) looked at each other, sighed with relief and settled down for a nap.

He needs more work - I need the weather to clear up and daylight to return.

My instructor said she thought the year they were 7 is the worst which fills me with joy (not!)

Oh Lordy … mine is rising 7, on his winter hols & takes a good few weeks of getting going again to return to sanity after a break but usually comes very good then

 

[Boulty]

My Highland is 7 (8 next year) and started behaving like a teenager when he was about 4. There is still no clear end in sight but tbf his base personality is basically thuggish bulldozer!

Got on him today after he’s had 2 months off ridden work due to injuring himself titting about in the field (started groundwork again a few weeks ago, the first session of which involved bucking, farting & him trying to tow me around whilst sodding off in canter because apparently this was exciting… he wasn’t impressed when this didn’t work). Immediately remembered why I don’t like riding him in the arena at home. Having an audience to show off to / nap towards makes him rather hard work if I don’t want him to go around like a camel & would like him to work sort of correctly! There was some growling involved from me when he expressed a desire to buck on the spot if he couldn’t have his own way (that being exiting the arena & going back to stuffing his face & partaking in the world bitey face championships like he does the other 23 hrs of the day!)

 

[Highmileagecob]

Depends whether you have more cob or connie coming through! Connie will most likely settle down once he has plenty to do, cob, on the other hand, will come up with all sorts of inventive ways to avoid work and challenge you, all the while with ears pricked and a cheeky expression. My retired rising 29yo cob was allowed to wander round the gated yard whilst daughter mucked out. He opened the gate and took himself off down the drive. She said trying to catch him and tempt him back with carrot pieces was like trying to grab a giraffe. Good luck!

 

[First Frost]

My pure Connie didn't really go through the teenage stage. He is a sensitive soul but has never had a tantrum. I had him at 3, he is 20 next year. My Connie X TB who I also had at 3 definitely had lots of opinions as a 5/6 year old. He has an angel at 4. At 8 he is generally very good but he needs keeping busy. He is too clever for his own good and needs new challenges.