PogoPumpkinBecky
Well-Known Member
Over the last month I have been training my 3 year old connemara gelding. Bit of background, I have owned him since he was 10 months old, he was bitted at 11months with an inhand rubber bit, he did 3 shows in that as a yearling, he did 4 shows (2 county and one National) as a 2 year old with a loose ring french link snaffle. He has always been fine with bits and walks/trots/stands still inhand perfectly. In between he has lived out with other horses.
We started him off a month ago walking him out inhand around the lanes and hacking routes which he has been fine with. After this we taught him to lunge, we just did 5 minutes a night so he doesn't get fed up or sore. He now lunges perfectly on both reins, halt, walk, trot and canter. He has done most of this with a normal bridle on with a full cheek french link snaffle and a saddle with stirrups flapping! He has also bee sat on and not been the slightest bit bothered. Since he was so good with this we thought we would get him settled with long reining too before any real ridden work. However he has not taken very well to the long reining, he now will walk round quietly on each rein but doesn't seem to enjoy it and can go quite over bent at times. Also he has had several little explosions of broking/rearing etc whilst long reining. He is not at all bothered by the lines as you can flap them around all over him and he doesn't move a muscle. So we were thinking as he has been so good we shouldn't push him any more with the long reining and just move on to riding him. He would only be doing the basics this year, gentle hacking and learning basic aids, then having next winter 2012/13 off to grow up more.
I am I doing the right thing not pushing with the long reining, as he is my first youngster and want to do him correct. My gut says he doesn't enjoy it so I shouldn't insist he does it. But does he sound ready to be ridden from what I have said?! He is standing at 14.3hh already and as I am only 5ft2 would rather teach him basics this year rather than next year when he will be bigger! Thanks, here are some pics of Joe:
June 2011:
Lungeing a few weeks ago:
In the stables:
We started him off a month ago walking him out inhand around the lanes and hacking routes which he has been fine with. After this we taught him to lunge, we just did 5 minutes a night so he doesn't get fed up or sore. He now lunges perfectly on both reins, halt, walk, trot and canter. He has done most of this with a normal bridle on with a full cheek french link snaffle and a saddle with stirrups flapping! He has also bee sat on and not been the slightest bit bothered. Since he was so good with this we thought we would get him settled with long reining too before any real ridden work. However he has not taken very well to the long reining, he now will walk round quietly on each rein but doesn't seem to enjoy it and can go quite over bent at times. Also he has had several little explosions of broking/rearing etc whilst long reining. He is not at all bothered by the lines as you can flap them around all over him and he doesn't move a muscle. So we were thinking as he has been so good we shouldn't push him any more with the long reining and just move on to riding him. He would only be doing the basics this year, gentle hacking and learning basic aids, then having next winter 2012/13 off to grow up more.
I am I doing the right thing not pushing with the long reining, as he is my first youngster and want to do him correct. My gut says he doesn't enjoy it so I shouldn't insist he does it. But does he sound ready to be ridden from what I have said?! He is standing at 14.3hh already and as I am only 5ft2 would rather teach him basics this year rather than next year when he will be bigger! Thanks, here are some pics of Joe:
June 2011:
Lungeing a few weeks ago:
In the stables:
