Turning away youngsters- How long??

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How long did you all turn your youngsters (3/4 year olds) away for, and at what time of the year?

If you decided not to turn them away at all, why, and have you found this was beneficial or detrimental to them?

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I've turned Izzy away this winter. Stopped riding her October time. (3½ years old)

I was going to keep her ticking over during the winter but I just haven't had the time/been too dark/weather etc.

I will bring her back to work March time perhaps. (She will be 4 years old in April).
 
Hi I bought my welsh cob as an unbroken 5 year old in june, I backed him and hacked him out until end of october of that year and brought him back into work in the march of '08, he was then worked through until xmas '08 and brought back in the feb, probably much too much time off for some but never did him any harm, he has had 3 weeks off over this xmas due to icy conditions etc and he is fine about it all, At the end of the day it is down to the horse individual circumstances etc - I don't do cold and I hate schooling, so he just goes out during the worst of the winter and is worked pretty hard in the summer.
I'm waffling now, but I persoanlly like to give a recently broken horse a break.
 
I turned my 4yr old away in November, partially inforced by me breaking my ribs and then needing surgery on my back....
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I will re-back her mid- Feb when i have been given the all clear to ride again. She seems really happy munching grass!
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Time will tell if it has been of any benifit to her but i think it is nice to give them a break.
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I never turn mine away. I like to keep them ticking over so that they don't get ideas into their heads about how big and strong and clever they have grown. I don't see the point of re-starting them either. Britain is the only country with a tradition of turning youngsters away after breaking them. So all the answers you will probably get about it giving them time to grow up don't really make sense. The horses that aren't turned away all around the world grow up just fine as well.

I think it's a great idea if the owner wants a break, but it's not necessary for the horse.
 
Ive decided to keep mine ticking over , but in the back of my mind i aren't sure if i'm doing the best thing! its a hard decision.But i don't do much with him I ride him sat and sun - but only for about 20 mins max 1 day in arena the other day round the little block and then I lunge or long rein once during the week.If he has been in due to the weather I let him in the arena and just encourage him to have a run around.My instructer thinks I should keep him ticking over so thats what i'm doing.
 
We are keeping ours ticking over as well. We don't have the space to turn away properly so he has to come in at night anyway, and seems to enjoy the attention involved in being ridden. He's still growing (will be 4 in July) so keeping it very simple, literally maximum once a week in the school during week for 15 mins just walking and trotting circles and turning etc, then try to hack out one or two days at weekend. Bit limited on hacking as not done masses of roadwork yet so just do small block from yard which is maybe 20 - 25 mins walking, then when can take him out on lorry to do an off road hack which is more often 30 - 40 mins, never more.

He had 4 weeks off in Oct/Nov due to being kicked, and has now had almost 3 weeks off due to the snow. I will get back on for 10 mins this week in our school altho frozen and just walk around before taking him to my parents at the weekend. He's much more mischevous when not being ridden! But I don't lunge him, as don't wnat to put too much pressure on joints with small circles etc. Will start that again next winter probably
 
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