What are you doing with your six year olds?

N

nato

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 February 2015
Messages
959
Visit site
Mine is currently jumping 90cm/1m at BS, did his first dressage test a couple of weeks back, and will begin XC schooling soon! We do five days a week max, with a mix of lunging, schooling flat, polework and jumping. I try to get him out at least once a week, and we're still tackling hacking :)

How about you all - what are you doing with your six year olds?
 
last year with the beast... local comps (1 or 2 a month) - anywhere between 70 and 90 cm, we did a three day camp in the summer sj training and xc training, just kept everything local and light and fun 4-5 days ridden with variety of schooling flat and jumping, and hacking. 3-4 months off in the winter.

This year we have stepped it up a gear - still at the same heights because we are focusing on lines and brakes and carefulness in jumping, but he also had 7 weeks with a trainer. Now we do a mix of the above with lunging once a week... sessions on the flat and jumping designed to focus on lines, brakes and variety of jumps... but we now compete more... this month will be 4 or 5 competitions, although we aim for an average of 3... I am now looking at my bank balance and seriously hunting for a 3.5 tonne horse box!!
 
Both 6 yr olds are starting walk work after their summer holidays. They'll do some fun rides, a bit of work in the school, some xc schooling then start autumn hunting. ...

End of all that, they'll be ready for Opening Meet !
 
At the moment she's sat in the field eating and I'm hoping that she comes sound sooner rather than later! On the plus side the vet couldn't find any soft tissue damage (phew) so it's just a case of waiting for the cut on her leg to heal.

Before this we were hacking 5-6 times a week for a minimum of an hour and a half, up to 4 hours. Shorter hacks were fast with an average speed of 7mph. She was/is working at Novice/Elem level dressage, SJ 90cm - 1, and preparing for a BE80. Not much competing going on for a few reasons but I'm just enjoying our hacking at the moment; we're on the Gower so have some of the best riding and beaches in the UK :).
 
We have two 6yr olds, one we have had since he was 4, he is eventing at BE 90 and will move up to 100 soon. The other came to us in April, he is pretty green but competing at BE 80 and should move to 90 shortly. They both hack, school, jump and have lessons with one day and occasionally two days off per week. When there is no event they go to dressage or show jumping competitions.
This weekend they are representing our Riding Club at Area Dressage today and SJ tomorrow.
 
Not a lot . schooling schooling and hacking mainly no jumping till next year but may start lessons on poles in Autumn.
 
Schooling, hacking, fun rides when possible, flatwork, xc, sj lessons, boxing up as much as possible. Just been to the beach for the first time which was lovely and he was v well behaved. May go autumn trailing then hunting.
 
Our six hear old is having lots of fun. From a bit of schooling and jumping at home ( he's taking my daughter of 90cm at home. )to completing his first ODE about 2 weeks ago. He's done camp this year too with my daughter, and both loved it. He loves hacking and leads out all the others past the scary things.

My now 7 yo, last year he was working on his flatwork to get his flying changes a bit more consistent, and started to become competitive at newcomers. Hes ready to step up to fox now. Did his first 1.20 the other week at Bolesworth and was awesome. ( had to get that in, as I'm so proud of him )
 
Not as much as I would like to in all honesty although we have stepped up our schooling in the last couple of weeks. He's been out competing Prelim this year and schooling Novice at home, hoping to start competing Novice before the end of the year. We don't do much jumping as its my krypton its but i am also aiming to do a British Novice class by the end of the year. Plenty of hacking and arena hires to keep it interesting. He's a big lad at 17.2 and I have been very conscious of not pushing him too hard too fast
 
Hmm I feel positively remedial reading this! But then I'm always paranoid at our 'slower than others' progress. Were mainly hacking, schooling and upping the pole work. Last year we did some training clinics and a few baby comps to get some experience.

This year planning on the same but getting him out a bit more. Also dipping our toe into the showing world over the summer.

We're a bit jack of all trades at the moment as I keep switching what I want to do! No overall aim for this year, just to keep building on current work, and have fun.
 
Feeling a bit remedial myself :) Schooling mine to event but as I only bought him 10 weeks ago as a showjumper he's not ready to go out Eventing just yet. Focus is on getting the basics in Dressage and xc right this year, and well mostly do BS as he's done up to 1.10 competitively:)
 
Bernster said:
Hmm I feel positively remedial reading this! But then I'm always paranoid at our 'slower than others' progress. Were mainly hacking, schooling and upping the pole work
Click to expand...

I feel exactly the he same. Pony had all last summer off as after learning to jump he went lame. Fetlocks apparently. Over the autumn he started to stumble more and more and ended up on his knees at Christmas. Confidence at rock bottom I sent him back to his old owner in Germany who sorted out his farrier induced foot issues, gave me the confidence to get back on, schooled him and then gave me lessons.

We are now back home and I am waiting for a barefoot trimmer to see him, getting hoof boots sorted courtesy of Liz at the Hoof Boutique and looking forward to riding again. Thankfully his tripping has stopped and I'm hoping over the next few weeks we will start hacking again and have regular lessons with a new trainer. Horses are supposed to be fun and the past twelve months have been anything but.
 
Absolutely bob all at the moment due to an ill fitting saddle and sore back.

However, we had been working towards our first dressage debut. Mostly hacking, schooling and jump once a week.

Unfortunately she has the maturity of a 4 year old, and keeps growing like one. I'm having the saddle fitter out every month at the moment.

However it does make me feel better to read similar stories of not everyone doing masses with their 6yr olds. I do tend to get the feeling that we are 'slower than others' to progress, but then I have to kick myself up the whatsit as we are in no rush.
 
Mines been in and out of work for the last two years, so this is the first year where I've actually been able to get him doing more! just started jumping, but I'm not the bravest, so only small, and have been to our first fun ride and have a few more planned over the summer!

back to schooling again but going slowly as he's quite stubborn
 
Well, my horse was ill with bracken poisoning when he was 6 :'( thankfully he is ok now, but what with recovery and moving location we are only lightly hacking, mainly route finding at the moment! He is barefoot so we are strengthening his tootsies and waiting on boots for the gravelly tracks we find ourselves faced with if we want to do a longer off-road ride! He will be 8 in August, so behind you guys. Still I am mostly glad he is still around and enjoy pottering about. I am hoping to get him going build up to more canter work when he is fitter and maybe start teaching him to jump next year!
 
Mine is doing loads of hacking, getting her out on fun rides and will this Autumn, do her first full season hunting. Then next Spring, she will have a month off after the hunting season, have everything checked over (MOT time!) and then start her schooling :).
 
At what point would you decide to put your young ones into 'full work' mode for your chosen discipline?

I want to event with my mare, and had hoped I would be much further along progress wise than we are at the moment, however because she is so immature, I will be taking it slowly with her until I feel she has developed more.
 
Well my 6yo was backed in December 2015, then turned away and then I rebacked him at the beginning of May so we're still out hacking exploring the world and just started hacking on our own. Although my aim for him is to do Intermediate Workers and BS, at the moment we're just focussing on producing a good all-rounder who can hack out safely as I love hacking. Aiming to start schooling in 2 weeks time. He was wild and unhandled until December 2015 so it's been a slow road to get him used to domestication at 6yo!
 
Positively naff all 😁

Last 2 years schooling, a little bit of showing, water play clinic, an Autumn hunt, some jumping (little)

This year started off well positional clinics, schooling, pleasure ride ........ Sod all but hacking now. Run out of money for the foreseeable future to take him out anywhere. Now just fighting to get him not so obese

I'm sooo depressed as had such high hopes of getting out and about 😞
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top