too heavy for a 3yr old sec D??

Tangled I agree with you - take your time and enjoy it as you have many years ahead together.

It's funny, people fall into two camps when they meet my unbacked gelding (just turned three). The first say - back him now while he's weak(!). The second say - wait as he looks young and weak.

OK - so he's a gagly, undeveloped weedy boy with a short back that has a lot of growing to do. Well that's not a surprise really as thanks to Dr Bennett, we know that no horse of any breed has a mature skeleton before the age of 5 1/2 and bigger horses need even more time. Plus it's the spine that matures last and you can cause a sway back by overloading an immature spine (there's a photo of that on Dr Bennett's article).

So I'm happy to wait. He will also be mentally more mature then too, as at the moment he's going through the Kevins. So I plan to lightly back at 4 1/2 but no more until he's a year older.
 
Couple of things here. Enough of the bad breaking in Ireland crap. Secondly if this thread were in CR you'd see quite a few people start at 3 in England.

Here are some more home truths, the other side of the story so to speak. I like doing a little something as the spring grass comes in. You think riding one kills them early. Being fat is actually more detrimental. Most injuries or lamnesses that happen are not when a horse was started. Most is from poor conditioning and training. In fact there is zero evidence that says starting at 3, at 3 now, doing it the right way and not continuing on a full schedule, is going to hurt them. If 4 is your magic number for maturity, wait til 7.

And listen closely that magical skeletal system can't do it's job without the muscles. For all the studies people pull up about not starting til later there are the same studies about bone remodeling and structure in young horses and the benefits. Not to be confused with starting one and going to town.

I started a warmblood draught cross at 2 on VET advice. I had just bought the filly and she was grossly overweight. That mare sold to the States after a 5 star vetting at 3. She jumped in young jumper classes, had a foal, did children's jumpers and at 12 is now eventing. 2 half brothers, same mare, were started at 4. At 5 the price tag on one was dropped immensely as he had suspensory troubles. A give away in the end. The other brother had hock problems.

Most of the time it actually isn't the starting that gets them. It's the schedule and training after. When starting mine they are worked with 15-20 mins a day 4 days a week. Look it's a whole process of mental and physical. I have more issues with modern training methods and starting youngsters to be in a frame from the get go. There's all kinds of pressure. Shame most focus on one aspect and consider that gospel.

As far as light hacking, roads are not the only places to hack. Walking around fields is hacking too. Mine can go as individuals or in company. Having a good deal of confidence yourself is amazing for youngsters. Spotting everything around and worrying about it won't do your youngster any favors. Like I've said before starting youngsters is a skill set. Unfortunately most don't see it this way.

Oh and I'm an American living in Ireland. So there you go, your 2 favorite countries to rip on for the crown of worst horsemen!

Terri
 
Equilibrium Ireland said:
Couple of things here. Enough of the bad breaking in Ireland crap. Secondly if this thread were in CR you'd see quite a few people start at 3 in England.

Here are some more home truths, the other side of the story so to speak. I like doing a little something as the spring grass comes in. You think riding one kills them early. Being fat is actually more detrimental. Most injuries or lamnesses that happen are not when a horse was started. Most is from poor conditioning and training. In fact there is zero evidence that says starting at 3, at 3 now, doing it the right way and not continuing on a full schedule, is going to hurt them. If 4 is your magic number for maturity, wait til 7.

And listen closely that magical skeletal system can't do it's job without the muscles. For all the studies people pull up about not starting til later there are the same studies about bone remodeling and structure in young horses and the benefits. Not to be confused with starting one and going to town.

I started a warmblood draught cross at 2 on VET advice. I had just bought the filly and she was grossly overweight. That mare sold to the States after a 5 star vetting at 3. She jumped in young jumper classes, had a foal, did children's jumpers and at 12 is now eventing. 2 half brothers, same mare, were started at 4. At 5 the price tag on one was dropped immensely as he had suspensory troubles. A give away in the end. The other brother had hock problems.

Most of the time it actually isn't the starting that gets them. It's the schedule and training after. When starting mine they are worked with 15-20 mins a day 4 days a week. Look it's a whole process of mental and physical. I have more issues with modern training methods and starting youngsters to be in a frame from the get go. There's all kinds of pressure. Shame most focus on one aspect and consider that gospel.

As far as light hacking, roads are not the only places to hack. Walking around fields is hacking too. Mine can go as individuals or in company. Having a good deal of confidence yourself is amazing for youngsters. Spotting everything around and worrying about it won't do your youngster any favors. Like I've said before starting youngsters is a skill set. Unfortunately most don't see it this way.

Oh and I'm an American living in Ireland. So there you go, your 2 favorite countries to rip on for the crown of worst horsemen!

Terri
Click to expand...

I agree which is what I said in my post.

However, as there are few it seems who are patient enough to do the proper schedule, then at least the youngsters get some protection being started later.

It's not a matter of starting at three and not doing the working out in an outline, not doing more than 15/20 minutes four times a week for a lot of horses.

It's starting at three and a few months down the line the age is forgotten and it's a longer hack, a faster hack, the odd jump on a hack, the odd messing around in the school over jumps, a "lets get a passoa on because now they are "proper" grown up horses".
 
I think it depends what you are doing. Competition professionals start younger generally than those starting out pleasure types. Yes some competition horses break young but often the part that is broken would have broken anyway even if started slower.

I have no issue with starting a horse young as long as people are the right weight, ability and are sensible.

It all depends on the aim for the horse in mind, if the aim is 4 year old classes then the horse needs to be educated sooner. If the aim is a hacking to low level comp horse then there is no rush other that the owners patience and personal preference
 
Terri I agree with what you say RE muscle development. Tendons and ligaments also need to be conditioned. A lot of the conditioning can be done in-hand as part of preparation work.

It's interesting what you say about riding in a from from the start. I was always taught to get forwards into a light contact established, before even thinking about an outline.

I am not a competition rider, so not aiming for age classes. I also have other horses to ride so there's no pressure on him from that direction.

I must take some new photos of my boy to see what you think, because he does not look 3 at all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top