Top tips/young horse

[Evie91]

Recently(read yesterday!) acquired a 5yr old warmblood. Bit smaller than I'd like (15.2) and bit younger than I'd like but something about her I really like.
I've always ridden older horses; 8yrs plus so have no real experience with youngsters.
She was backed at four, turned away, bought back into work in Jan this year. Schools a bit, jumps a bit, has 'hacked' but just around the field on the yard (as main road to get on to bridle ways). She has done one dressage test recently and scored 65 percent and behaved impeccably.

Happy to get all of the help I need. Any top tips to working/bringing on a young horse. So worried as I don't want to ruin her!!

 

[be positive]

She sounds a sensible, well started mare to go out to a new venue and behave so well, if she were mine the priority now would be to get her out hacking properly so you are not constantly schooling, you can school out hacking, she has missed a major part of her education in my opinion but nothing that cannot be put right now, get her out seeing as much as possible and set her up for the rest of her life, enjoy her youngsters are so rewarding.

 

[VioletStripe]

Plenty of hacking and getting her out - you don't want her getting too stuck going round in circles in the school.
Also plenty of stretching work!!

 

[Evie91]

Tips for hacking a young horse? I've hacked for years and years, on my own and in company but never a youngster. Just feel so much more responsibility towards her and making sure I get things right!

 

[be positive]

I like them to go out in company ideally side by side with the youngster on the inside, then going forward and taking the lead regularly when required to go in single file so they have the reassurance of a sensible companion but are not learning to just follow the tail in front of them, you need to pick your moments to accept they will not be bold enough to go past something very scary or unknown but as they gain confidence they should be happy to go first.
I always prefer to let them have a lead than start an argument and build up slowly, once you know them start to go alone starting off with a short quiet route, I also like to ride around our fields regularly just to keep them going somewhere alone, stop any silliness developing about feet feeling grass and the need to go fast and they often have a stroll around the field after schooling to cool off or have a fun canter, mix it up so they don't anticipate and the horse should become well rounded and a pleasant ride in all situations.

 

[Evie91]

Great, thank you.

 

[Micropony]

I like them to go out in company ideally side by side with the youngster on the inside, then going forward and taking the lead regularly when required to go in single file so they have the reassurance of a sensible companion but are not learning to just follow the tail in front of them, you need to pick your moments to accept they will not be bold enough to go past something very scary or unknown but as they gain confidence they should be happy to go first.
I always prefer to let them have a lead than start an argument and build up slowly, once you know them start to go alone starting off with a short quiet route, I also like to ride around our fields regularly just to keep them going somewhere alone, stop any silliness developing about feet feeling grass and the need to go fast and they often have a stroll around the field after schooling to cool off or have a fun canter, mix it up so they don't anticipate and the horse should become well rounded and a pleasant ride in all situations.

This is incredibly good advice and is basically what I have done with my chap, who is also a 5yo WB. It has worked really well and he is a very safe and sensible little fellow. The only things I would add (which is probably stating the blindingly obvious, so apologies for that) is to choose your hacking companions carefully, wear a neckstrap and if you feel yourself starting to contemplate getting nervous or tense, sing a song and practice the 'sack of potatoes' slouch. Have fun!

 

[Slightlyconfused]

She sounds a sensible, well started mare to go out to a new venue and behave so well, if she were mine the priority now would be to get her out hacking properly so you are not constantly schooling, you can school out hacking, she has missed a major part of her education in my opinion but nothing that cannot be put right now, get her out seeing as much as possible and set her up for the rest of her life, enjoy her youngsters are so rewarding.

Yep this.

My youngster spent most of his eight months of first being ridden hacking out with odd ten minutes in the school twice a week either before a hack of after. I find it really helps with their balance and strength

 

[Slightlyconfused]

I like them to go out in company ideally side by side with the youngster on the inside, then going forward and taking the lead regularly when required to go in single file so they have the reassurance of a sensible companion but are not learning to just follow the tail in front of them, you need to pick your moments to accept they will not be bold enough to go past something very scary or unknown but as they gain confidence they should be happy to go first.
I always prefer to let them have a lead than start an argument and build up slowly, once you know them start to go alone starting off with a short quiet route, I also like to ride around our fields regularly just to keep them going somewhere alone, stop any silliness developing about feet feeling grass and the need to go fast and they often have a stroll around the field after schooling to cool off or have a fun canter, mix it up so they don't anticipate and the horse should become well rounded and a pleasant ride in all situations.

I did the opposite he went out on his own but we had someone on foot and when he did go out with another that horse was picked very carefully and now he can do alone or in company.

Had his first group of seven canter on Holkham beach

 

[AdorableAlice]

Hacking teaches them so much. Mine go out alongside a nanny and then go half a length in front of the nanny and finally they lead all the way. If an enormous monster appears the nanny will slip alongside or lead if necessary. Once they were confident leading they started hacking solo and both are now good (both 5 this time). We also school on grass regularly and ride them in the fields they graze in. This helps them to understand that being on grass does not mean excitement.

Some early season cubbing is a useful education too as is a pleasure ride.

My top tip for a young horse is - forward thinking, always forwards. It matters not what the outline is as long as the horse is willingly moving forwards. If the horse is moving from leg to hand all the refinement comes naturally with time and structured education.

 

[scats]

Lots of hacking, company at first, then taking the lead and then on to hacking alone. I always expect my youngsters to hack alone after so long.

Go to small venues and do things like dressage, or hire an arena for a lesson or clinic. Make riding at new places completely normal. Go on a quiet farm ride with a sensible companion, even if just for a walking hack.

Minimal manège time and make schooling sessions short, productive and full of praise. Forward thinking always, I don't allow youngsters to see backing off as an option. Ignore head carriage/outline and focus on rhythm and suppleness.

Make riding positive, productive and intesting... if you can set this up in the horses that that's what ridden work is, you will have an all round more enjoyable animal who enjoys their time under saddle.

 

[LouisCat]

My friend breeds a couple of foals each year and then breaks a couple each year. I get to ride the experienced horse and her the babies!

We take them out hacking with the baby on the inside and the experienced horse on the outside. He is very good with traffic and so far they've all developed a really blase approach to vehicles which is good. When they are getting more confident they spend some time at the front on each ride but with the experienced horse ready to jump in if needed. Once they know the job a bit more then they start hacking by themself on the routes they've done regularly.

The main thing I've learnt is that when they are young you need to be really clear with them what is good behaviour and what is not. You can not give them an inch when they are learning as they soon exploit it for all it's worth! That goes for both inhand and ridden!

 

[Evie91]

Some excellent advice and food for thought.
Thank you all

 

[ponies4ever]

with my youngster when hacking i have always rewarded any tiny attempt to go up to scary things and even if i have to get off and lead i make sure she goes up and "sniffs" the offensive object and then is happy walking around it. it now means that my mare instead of rearing in the road always takes herself off to look at new or potentially scary things to get her scratch! makes hacking much easier and happier.

 

[BSL]

I always wear a bum bag with mints/treats when hacking. Train horse to understand phrase "do you want a mint". Takes their mind off scarey scenarios. Great reward tactic. I ride around a farm alone. Now, when the gas gun goes off within a few feet of us. My Arab pauses to see if he will get a mint.. i'd rather say "walk on" than worry about a "spooker".