Turning away 4 yo over winter

[cobbycobgirl]

Hi everyone! I made an introduction post about my new tb a while back and things are going GREAT I’m absolutely in love with them.

Whilst I’ve been doing ground work with her, I’ve really noticed how much of a baby she really is.

She’s definitely been backed (she’s an ex racer and has been restarted as a normal riding horse), would she benefit from being turned away with her field mate (a three year old pony) over the winter to mature a little?

She’s my first ex racer and I know I’m being a bit overly precious about her, but I just want what’s best for her in the long run.

Any advice is appreciated!

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

Ex racer or not, I'm always a firm believer in turning youngsters away for winter to mature, it can only ever do them good. Mine went for backing as a 4yr old, I turned him away that winter & his 5yr old winter. He came back mentally & physically stronger both times. This will be the first winter I'll keep him going and he's now 6.

 

[Caol Ila]

Kind of depends on your set-up. I backed my horse late, at 4.5 years, but pottered on through that winter. I backed her last December. I will potter on through this winter. The horses are only turned out 6-7 hours per day from November until May, so it gives her something to do that isn't standing in the stable. She'd be bored if we weren't doing things.

if the horse can be out with friends 24/7, that's a different question.

 

[ycbm]

I write this every time when this question comes up, so here it is again.

The UK is the only country, I think in the entire world, which believes that turning young horses away is beneficial.

It won't hurt her, And you should do it if it suits you. But she will still mature and develop if you keep her in a level of work suitable for her maturity.
.

 

[Carrottom]

Winter can be a long time! I often give horses a break for January and February as it suits me. With an ex racer who has already had a bit of a stop/start education I wouldn't want to have a long break.

 

[Caol Ila]

I write this every time when this question comes up, so here it is again.

The UK is the only country, I think in the entire world, which believes that turning young horses away is beneficial.

It won't hurt her, And you should do it if it suits you. But she will still mature and develop if you keep her in a level of work suitable for her maturity.
.

That is very true. I came across it when I moved here from the States, and so many people treat it like gospel -- you must turn a youngster away.

In six months, say, a young horse will be six months more mature. Duh. That will be true whether you are riding it or not. When people say, "He came back into work and was so much stronger and more focused," the question I ask is, would the horse be stronger and better at focusing regardless of whether you turned it away or not, because the difference in physical and mental maturity between a 4 and 5 year old horse or a 5 and 6 year old horse is significant. And it will happen anyway as the horse grows up. My 5-year old horse is very different now than she was six months ago.

That all said, there are circumstances in which turning away could be beneficial. If you are someone who backs a horse at two (I am not and do not think it's a good idea, but it happens), then sitting on it and turning it away until 3/4 is probably a good idea. Or alternatively, you can just let your 2yo be a baby and back it at 4.

If you have an ex-racehorse that's amped up to the nines and needs to decompress, then turning it away isn't stupid, either.

 

[hock]

My super sane kind etc 4 year old just had 4 weeks off because we were so busy and it has amazed me how just 4 weeks off has made him stronger and more balanced. Pulled him in from the field, tacked up no lunging stood at the block while I faffed and felt incredible. This is the youngster that I was going to do BD Age classes with this year, get some points and sell on. The actually realisation of what would be required of him to do 4 yr old ages classes horrified me when it became a reality! He would have done it, he’d walk over fire if he was asked but as they say just because they will etc.

Take your time, if this is your forever horse whatever you lose by taking your time at the start you’ll get twice over the other end!

 

[cobbycobgirl]

Thanks everyone. She’s out 24/7 with her field mate at the moment just being a baby! I think she really deserves the time to just enjoy her babyhood for a while as she’s had such a whirlwind of a life so far bless her

 

[Lexi 123]

I write this every time when this question comes up, so here it is again.

The UK is the only country, I think in the entire world, which believes that turning young horses away is beneficial.

It won't hurt her, And you should do it if it suits you. But she will still mature and develop if you keep her in a level of work suitable for her maturity.
.

Same in Ireland they get 6 months off after being broken . I agree other countries they don’t get a break they are just on low level work.

 

[Caol Ila]

Keeping mine in low level work suits me and her. I do have moments of guilt because turning away is such an ingrained thing here but my friend assures me that we are plodding along at such a slow and steady pace that it’s fine. Makes weight management easier, and it’s not like she’s been pushed hard and frazzled at any point in her life. Quite the opposite. In every way.

 

[Maesfen]

Thanks everyone. She’s out 24/7 with her field mate at the moment just being a baby! I think she really deserves the time to just enjoy her babyhood for a while as she’s had such a whirlwind of a life so far bless her

100% yes to let her have the winter off from me.
Let her relax, strengthen up as she matures and let her mind have a break from school for a while. She'll come back stronger and ready to go next spring let alone last you a lot longer than some that have never been allowed to grow naturally at their own speed.
You'll be amazed at the difference it will make to her.

 

[SEL]

I popped shoes off mine last Oct fully prepared to let him have a break. He caused havoc. Those two bitterly cold weeks in Dec I ended up long reining him around my snowy fields wearing my entire wardrobe just to keep his brain occupied.

I didn't do much but he needed something otherwise he was a menace and found his own entertainment (fence destroying was a favourite). But he hasn't been rushed and he's a proper cob with a healthy appetite and waist line so even a bit of hacking helps.

Weather and lack of light tends to mean less work in winter anyway for me so it might be the same for you.

 

[ycbm]

100% yes to let her have the winter off from me.
Let her relax, strengthen up as she matures and let her mind have a break from school for a while. She'll come back stronger and ready to go next spring let alone last you a lot longer than some that have never been allowed to grow naturally at their own speed.
You'll be amazed at the difference it will make to her.

I don't think there's any connection between allowing a horse to grow naturally at their own speed and turning away. Keeping the horse in an appropriate level of work and feed for its age won't, imo, affect its growth.

And I'm pretty certain there's no hard evidence at all that it will change the horse's working lifespan, though I know there are plenty who will swear it does.
.

 

[maya2008]

Our 4yo small ones will stay in work (mostly hacking).

The bigger one isn’t yet backed, at least in part because she’s gone on a massive growth spurt and I cannot see any way carrying a person could be a good idea when you are two inches higher behind than in front and your back is so short I am not sure where the saddle would go. She had foals young and is catching up though.

So basically - if it’s balanced, take it hacking, light touch the school work. If it has decided to do some strange growth spurt, give time off to adjust (but I would walk in-hand if the field is tiny and the companions few). If you’ve got no time and are dreading winter, you could turn away. Then you have the fun of bringing a TB back into work though!

 

[Horseysheepy]

I've turned away or not turned away a few 4 year olds into their 5th year.
To be honest, I've not noticed any difference.
I do always turn away the 3year olds that have been backed to give them a winter off (and me!) And re back and ride on in their 4th year.

 

[Landcruiser]

Stupid question, but what exactly IS turning away? Is it just not working them? I've always imagined it to be literally letting them go in a big field and going to retrieve them again come Spring, or a version of that - but of course most people don't have the facility to do that.

 

[millitiger]

I like turning them away.
One I think it does benefit them (whether there is proof or not) mentally and physically
Two, I think keeping youngsters in consistent work through winter is super tricky with the weather, if you don't want to be in the arena a lot.
Three, I am lazy and don't like having 3 horses in work in the midst of winter- by the time I've mucked out, I don't fancy being out in the weather more than necessary!

 

[Gloi]

I'm sorely tempted to turn my 9yo away over winter

 

[ihatework]

Stupid question, but what exactly IS turning away? Is it just not working them? I've always imagined it to be literally letting them go in a big field and going to retrieve them again come Spring, or a version of that - but of course most people don't have the facility to do that.

Yes, to be I’m a big advocate for turning away, as in biggish field, friends, out 24/7. There has only been one horse I’ve had where it proved detrimental. I strive to do it with all young working horses and it’s unbelievable how much they come back better for it IME.

Keeping horses not ridden in a typical livery situation is far less beneficial, I would go as far as to say detrimental. If you aren’t prepared to or cannot offer proper turnout then I’d keep a young horse in work in preference (although in reality I just wouldn’t keep a young horse)

 

[HufflyPuffly]

I’m a fan of periods of turning away, depending on the horse and facilities.

If they can be out with company, great!

If they’re in a weird growth stage and are super unbalanced, then yep.

If they’re sharp as and the weather and riding conditions (out onto roads) means you’re not setting them up for success, then again yep!

I don’t think there is a right or wrong approach, but time off I don’t think really has much negatives, asides from the boring walk work to get the fitness back!

 

[blitznbobs]

It means you dont have to ride a youngster in the cold mud and when turnout can be limited - life preserving imho - but also not bad for the horse either

 

[Caol Ila]

I mean, I don’t want to ride anything in the cold and mud but yet…..

 

[SEL]

I mean, I don’t want to ride anything in the cold and mud but yet…..

But yet we live in the UK where that can easily be 6 months of the year!!

 

[Caol Ila]

Exactly

 

[TheMule]

For me it depends a bit how much they’ve done earlier in the year, but yes, mine typically will be off for a few weeks or just hacked on a weekend. Mine live out so it’s no big deal. I don’t know that it’s beneficial physically, but a mental break seems useful, and I don’t need an over-produced 5yr old that has worked all winter

 

[Caol Ila]

Lauren Sprieser wrote about this in her recent feature on COTH. https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/finding-the-young-horse-line-between-too-much-and-not-enough/

However, I did think she was writing about me when she said, "It’s such a tough judgement call to know where the line is between Too Much, Not Enough and Just Right. I often hear, 'Well, Lauren, I didn’t want to back Fluffy until she was 5 because I wanted to give her time to grow, and then she seemed like she was a little unhappy about it so we just hacked through the woods for a year on no contact and a bitless bridle, and then she was still a bit angry so we treated her for EPM/Lyme/Tumeric Deficiency'… and now Fluffy is 9 and the human equivalent of the 37-year-old boy still living in his mother’s basement and who can’t hold down a job because his bosses “just don’t understand him.' This is the dire end of Not Enough. There’s a window for instilling work ethic, the ability to take pressure and manners that gets harder to bust open the longer you wait to do so."

Okay, not the 'she's a bit angry' part but the "backing at 5" part (she was almost 5) and the "hacking through the woods for a year on no contact in a bitless bridle" part. That's definitely me. Oh, dear.

 

[maya2008]

Just re read the OP and realised it’s a mare. I don’t know if the OP has had a young mare before, but… 5yo mares are often hormonal, stroppy creatures that make no sense half the time and are full of opinions. I’m happy to say it wears off and you get your lovely sweet horse back in the autumn, but the only solution I have found is lots and lots of hacking to run off the energy in a safe way. I have had many young horses and have many ‘fond’ memories of 5yo mare adventures. Most involve being run off with (obviously not for long, but for half a field or so at least!), some involved impressive bucking when told they couldn’t, in fact, leave at 1000mph, and one liked to spook at imaginary gremlins. My best, sweetest and most obedient mare lost her mind in the spring of her 5yo year. She was brimming with energy and sass and the only solution was a lot of straight lines until she was just a little tired and a little more calm.

If you have any manners/schooling yet to install, you’ve got until January at worst, March at best, to install them. If you want to build a relationship under saddle, I would do it now. I mean, you could get lucky and have a calm and sensible 5yo, but that’s less likely than the other way around. Geldings are so much easier in that respect - no hormones, less teenage moments!

 

[southerncomfort]

My boy was very slow to mature, physically and mentally. Some down time in winter to just be a pony always seemed to be beneficial, and to be honest I always appreciated a bit of time off too! Plus the winter weather here is generally vile.

He turned 7 this year so I've bought both of us lots of wet weather gear and hope to keep him ticking over this year.

I will still probably give him (me!) a short break in the new year.

 

[exracehorse]

I’m a fan of periods of turning away, depending on the horse and facilities.

If they can be out with company, great!

If they’re in a weird growth stage and are super unbalanced, then yep.

If they’re sharp as and the weather and riding conditions (out onto roads) means you’re not setting them up for success, then again yep!

I don’t think there is a right or wrong approach, but time off I don’t think really has much negatives, asides from the boring walk work to get the fitness back!

Agree. My girl was backed in the summer of her 4th birthday. I kept her ticking over until November then I turned away until clocks changed in March. Purely because I don’t have a flood lit school. It was dark after work. And she was too sharp to just ride on a weekend. It’s not easy in the winter with young ones. And four year olds are still babies. The following winter (last winter) when she was 5 1/2, we managed ok

 

[Abacus]

I write this every time when this question comes up, so here it is again.

The UK is the only country, I think in the entire world, which believes that turning young horses away is beneficial.

It won't hurt her, And you should do it if it suits you. But she will still mature and develop if you keep her in a level of work suitable for her maturity.
.

There are of course some sports which routinely turn horses away out of season (polo say) regardless of the country. Eventers used to be turned out through winter and hunters through summer, and some still are. There are reasons apart from the fact that they don't need to be working when it isn't the season for their sport: I do believe that slight injuries, niggles and things that might get worse in full work benefit from proper time off and heal on their own, often before you knew they were there. From this perspective (rather than that of growth and development) it's not a bad routine to be in regardless of horse age, and that includes a young ex racer.