Turn away for the winter.

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nagseastsussex

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Hi we've got a youngester that I am planning to carry on working until the clocks go back then turn him away for the winter and bring back into work Feb/March time. Do you think this is a long enough period to turn him away for? He will be turned out every day and bought in at nights groomed and handled but not ridden. Never done this before so any advice would be useful.
 
Turning away used to mean chucked in a field with minimal handling to grow up, but what you are suggesting is what many regard as turning away, personally I would rather keep youngsters just ticking over with the odd ride / gentle work.

It really depends on how immature your youngster is as to whether it is long enough.
 
Im interested in reading these replies also, as I who has been backed in July and is being ridden at the moment, im unsure as to whether to turn away or continue gentle hacking at weekends.
 
Joyous70 said:
Im interested in reading these replies also, as I have a youngster who has been backed in July and is being ridden at the moment. Although i don't fully understand why people turn them away?
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It was thought good to give them time to put energy into growing and maturing and absorb what has been taught and a useful term for minimal work over the winter for a horse (much easier)I also doubt it's effectiveness in some situations.
 
My youngsters are always turned out end sept come in feb time and just left out have hayledge if weather bad don't get handled apart from changing fields/ checks over etc
 
Did this last year - properly turned away - and will do again this year. Backed mine at 3, turned away for a year on vets advice, brought back into work and restarted this last may - he had remembered everything! He's being ridden very gently now and will be turned away around Christmas time until the end of April. He's very very big - going on to 18hh which is why I'm taking things slowly. Lots of ground work, short hacks and minimal schooling. I think it does baby horses the world of good - mine will come back into work as a five year old who has had loads of time to grow into himself, has been taught good manners and the basics and will hopefully start proper work next year :)
 
How old is your youngster? My 4year old was backed and ridden away last September (3year old at the time) ridden until November and then turned away until May, that was mainly due to bad weather otherwise it wouldn't have been as long She's now in ridden work 4-5days a week and will have a 1-2month holiday of no ridden work which I will try and time in with bad weather this winter.
 
The first winter and second winter after backing my lad, I turned him away. It did him the power of good, he came back into work remembering everything!! ..... Latent learning is a powerful thing. The third winter (last year) I had no choice to rest him due to serious injury, this winter though, I intend to ride him gently where I can, weather permitting, I don`t mind riding when it`s cold and a bit damp, but high winds/ice/heavy rain are a no no for me lol ;)


I think turning youngsters away to mature, think about things and grow is a good thing, but it does depend on the horse, a friend of mine had to keep her 3-4 year old in work as he needed it, he got up to all sorts of mischief when he was bored, but kept in work chilled him out and he was fab.
 
Just chucked out my 2yo for the winter, gets a daily check in the field and once a month will go and catch her, and give her a bit of fuss then leave her be. Feb/March she will come back as a three yo. do start backing work, then will do the same next winter
 
Just turned my 4 yo away, he was backed at Easter and ridden away over the summer. He is now growing again and we had come on as far as I wanted to in his training so made sense for him to have a break. He'll be off until early spring I would think although he is still to be handled daily for checking over, feeding and to move paddocks if required
 
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