Thoughts on my new 4yo (videos)?

Starbucks

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Ok so i would really appreciate some thoughts on my new baby horse. I haven't formed any strong attachments to her yet so I think i can take honest opinions! Also I know i look a bit crap, i always am but my slight excuse is that I've barely ridden in the last 18 months (had a baby) so I'm just feeling quite brave to get on her at all at the mo!

So her background is I bought her from a dealer who got her from Goresbridge sales. We've had a few expensive horses with major problems in the last couple of years so we decided to get an unbroken 3yo so we could create all our own problems. The main (only) reason we got her really is because she's by the same stallion as my super horse Badger (if anyone remembers him from way back when i used to come on here.. he died last week :( )

Anyway, she seems to have a super temp and although she's a bit of a plain jane i think she's a nice stamp? She was broken professionally in October and has been sat on literally a handful of times since coming back into work.

So 2 questions really:
1 - what do you think of her? We want to just mess around doing lower level stuff. I think. Unless she turns out to be a super star but we just want her to be a fun easy horse really.
2 - what can i be doing better to help her? She's not that forward at the mo hence the leg niggling. The guy who broke her suggested spurs but I'm not sure about that yet. Having seen the vids just now in full size am i messing with my hands too much?

TIA

Walking
[video=youtube;scoopeihYA8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scoopeihYA8[/video]

Trotting
[video=youtube;NnadmCpXujM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnadmCpXujM[/video]

Little jump
[video=youtube;YCcliew6ODI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCcliew6ODI[/video]
 

YasandCrystal

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I really like her. She has a great walk. I certainly wouldn't be using spurs on her, but you are niggling a lot with your legs. I am a fan of the classical approach of a big flappy kick with both legs and using a noisy whip against my boot at the same time, then nothing. If the pace slows repeat the same, then still. She's a baby I am sure some fun hacking will get her going forward, as may some fun pole work in the Manège to get her looking.
 
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Starbucks

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I really like her. She has a great walk. I certainly wouldn't be using spurs on her, but you are niggling a lot with your legs. I am a fan of the classical approach of a big flappy kick with both legs and using a noisy whip against my boot at the same time, then nothing. If the pace slows repeat the same, then still. She's a baby I am sure some fun hacking will get her going forward, as may some fun pole work in the Manège to get her looking.

Thank you. Where she was broken did a really great job but when I went to ride her when we picked her up she was really not forward at all, you could hardly get her to shift! I think because she's a sensible kind of girl she just wants a bit more entertainment than in the school! Thats why i took her for a little jump just to mix things up. I need to brave a hack next. Do people always hack in company first? I hate nappy horses so am tempted to just take her on her own but it's all roadwork really and although quiet lanes tractors are prevalent! I will also box her up and take her somewhere more fun.

Also I totally agree with you re the niggling. I think when i get a bit more confident she won't randomly start bucking or something I will be a bit more strict.
 

Hornby

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Hello S, I can't get the videos to play at the moment but from the stills she looks lovely. I am sure you will make good progress once you feel more confident in her. Congratulations on the baby and what a shame about Badger, I remember your fearless hunting pictures, he was a superstar.
 

YasandCrystal

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Thank you. Where she was broken did a really great job but when I went to ride her when we picked her up she was really not forward at all, you could hardly get her to shift! I think because she's a sensible kind of girl she just wants a bit more entertainment than in the school! Thats why i took her for a little jump just to mix things up. I need to brave a hack next. Do people always hack in company first? I hate nappy horses so am tempted to just take her on her own but it's all roadwork really and although quiet lanes tractors are prevalent! I will also box her up and take her somewhere more fun.

Also I totally agree with you re the niggling. I think when i get a bit more confident she won't randomly start bucking or something I will be a bit more strict.

I have 2 youngsters, one is rising 6 a Dales and hacking has really helped him. I started hacking him alone with a friend to start with so that he would hack alone. He's been good from the start alone or in company. He's much better in the school now but not amazing but I do take things slowly. My ISH was very reluctant to move and she needed encouraging with a lunge whip. It's lack of balance and they tire so quickly, so we just take it slowly with her too. Again if we take her up a track near the yard she is forward and interested. Hacking is great for confidence building. I would recommend using a neck strap to give you confidence and it will help if you need it to balance.
 

Starbucks

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Hello S, I can't get the videos to play at the moment but from the stills she looks lovely. I am sure you will make good progress once you feel more confident in her. Congratulations on the baby and what a shame about Badger, I remember your fearless hunting pictures, he was a superstar.

Thank you Hornby thats really lovely of you to say. He was such a super horse!! We bought a new house with land for him and my crazy dog, the dog died before we moved in and Badge died the day they came to start building the stables. :( i'm glad i have this little lady (and my other little baby lady), who are helping to distract me.

She's not really at all like him, but i think that's a good thing, Im not sure I could handle a 4yo Badger now I'm old and a mother!
 

Starbucks

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I have 2 youngsters, one is rising 6 a Dales and hacking has really helped him. I started hacking him alone with a friend to start with so that he would hack alone. He's been good from the start alone or in company. He's much better in the school now but not amazing but I do take things slowly. My ISH was very reluctant to move and she needed encouraging with a lunge whip. It's lack of balance and they tire so quickly, so we just take it slowly with her too. Again if we take her up a track near the yard she is forward and interested. Hacking is great for confidence building. I would recommend using a neck strap to give you confidence and it will help if you need it to balance.

Thanks, I know what you mean. My old horse would hunt all day and pull your arms out round a XC course but was still difficult to get forward in the school. He was quite big and heavier though, I think she will find it easier. At points she really feels to float round, she is lovely.

I normally have youngsters and take them hunting straight away.. but now I've got older and I'm not hunting so its all a bit new to me.. being a bit of a wimp and all! I feel confident on her already though so have high hopes!
 

Firewell

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So sorry to hear about Badger, I remember him. Beautiful big grey boy. New girl looks lovely, very springy paces :). I hope she brings you lots of fun. Congratulations on the baby, they certainly change things don't they!
 

FfionWinnie

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I think she looks lovely. I would get her hacking out. Doing so in company doesn't make a young horse nappy in my experience. Looking at it from the other side, my hobby is buying nappers and reforming them and I always have someone else with me the first few times out until I assess what the horse will do. I will lead but if the horse refuses to go I get the other person to swiftly over take, so the horse doesn't learn to refuse the leg with me. It works, so I don't see why going with company would make her nappy indeed it should build confidence for her hacking alone.
 
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LeannePip

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Agree with the comments above, She looks really nice and very sweet, cant comment on the confirmation of a moving horse but she looks really smart! Whats her breeding?

Agree with the others get her out hacking and i'm sure she'll brighten up a bit! When my 4yo came home with us she was a bit lazy but just a baby and very green, so i did one quiet lesson in the school with her and my mum on the floor with a lunge whip (i dont like riding babies on the lunge, too much to get tangled in!) where she backed up my aids with a flick of the stick, this really helped find her forward gears, we only needed to do it once and as shes much stronger now shes so much more forward and responsive!

Good Luck with her!
 

Starbucks

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Thanks for nice comments folks.

She's by clover brigade out of a pretty much full TB mare. She's very dainty compared to what I'm used to!
 

Brummyrat

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I really like her, for a baby she has a great attitude and is well balanced in the change of direction. Look forward to hearing about her progression. I didn't know him but Im so sorry to hear about Badger xxx
 

ossy

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I like her lots, looks sweet and paces look nice. Agree id want her more off the leg and also wetter in the mouth. I'd maybe do a bit of long reining maybe in a mouthing bit then as some1 else said stop niggling all the time she needs to move off the leg and stay in front of it rather than niggled all the time big flappy kick move her off and then keep your leg on her but stiller then squeeze when required.
 
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