What are your 3/4 year olds up to

[J1993]

So my baby is finally 3. She is currently living out with a friends horses at a stud around an hour away and I miss her a lot! I cant wait to get started around April next year. She is quite a slow developer and looks around 2 years old rather than 3. So what are your babies doing? Its frustrating not having something to regularly ride too...

 

[Polos Mum]

Following with interest, I've just been speaking to someone about breaking (mine turned 3 two weeks ago, he's leg at each corner type so people have always guessed he's older). Trying to judge when is a good time to properly start with a professional seems to be really hard.
I am in no rush, and have others to ride - just want to do the best I can for him.

 

[Leo Walker]

Usually my 3yr olds are sat on in September and do some very basic hacking before I chuck them back out. They come back in in the spring of their 4 yr old year and start work again. Lots and lots of hacking and a little bit of schooling once they've got some miles under their belt.

 

[canteron]

Mine was 3 in May - she is booked in early next year as still bum high. However, as she is being a right little madam I have started doing a little bit of groundwork and she accepts a bit. She loves the attention and is slowly starting to enjoy learning!

 

[J1993]

I have two other owners with three year olds on Facebook and both are already backed and riding away. Looking at them both they are much more developed than mine though! I think you have to work with what you have in front of you. I would have mine at my local yard but they dont have great grass and people dont turn out 24/7 in summer. Im dying to be able to just go for a hack when i want and ride my own horse rather than someone elses.

 

[Follysmum]

Intentions for my 4yr old was to be started in Aug with the help of my friend. I have however over the last few days decided that I will wait until spring as I think he is not that mature physically or mentally. He still looks like a 2/3 yr old.

I have always taken my time with babies but usually they have been backed and ridden by 4. I do think you have to take each horse as an individual and back/start accordingly

 

[Marigold4]

Taking my 3 year old to loads of inhand shows, started inhand walking round the village and bridleways, I sit on him in the stable from time to time, putting lots of clobber on him, bitted, but not planning to start him properly till next Spring (if I can resist the temptation that long!)

 

[ycbm]

My four year old was sat on at three and ridden for ten to twenty minutes twice a week until he was four. He has now started lessons with a good trainer. He is talented, very athletic and trainable, so it would be easy to ask him to do more than he should be doing if we want him to be around a long time. I also want him never to learn the wrong things.

So he has a 40 minute lesson with a lot of breaks, once every three weeks or so, and in between he has a 35-40 minute hill hack once a week and one or two half hour schooling sessions in a 30 X 40 arena, no small circles, with plenty of breaks, a week.

He isn't a strong four year old, he tires easily because he has a huge movement to hold together, and I don't want him working hard yet.

 

[Hallo2012]

I sat on Raf pretty early last year as a 3yo and he worked once or twice a week, mainly slow walk hacking all summer, did lots of in hand shows and a small amount of schooling and loose jumping in order to be ready for his stallion grading in Sept.

he had a very easy autumn/winter-again more hacking than anything and only picked up the pace a little this year.

did a few practice prelims, won his 4yo qualifier, did a few novices and qualified for the native champs, was 4th at the young pony finals and is now not competing until October.

being backed early did him zero harm, it gave him a part time job, got his mind focused, and allowed a very slow build up period, however he was always dead easy and i never had to lunge him or sit on him a lot to be safe so it was easy to take it slow and steady and he's always been very balanced and quick on the update so not many repetitions of anything needed.

 

[paddy555]

my 4 yo was backed and ridden a small amount at the end of May/June when he was actually 4. He was physically and mentally growing up by the minute, his progress was amazing as he suddenly became an adult and continued to become more of an adult by the day. He also stopped being bum high. I got on last Christmas bareback for just a minute and prayed he didn't put his head down or I would have gone straight over his neck he was so bum high. Then in April he suddenly got a front. He was difficult in that he learnt anything in minutes so it was hard finding him new things that didn't need too much physical effort as he was only just 4.

About 3 weeks ago all riding of him stopped, I found that several of us riding the same young horse was not working too well. We had a crab fly and several horse flies plus me all at the same time! So I have given up until the beg. of Sept when hopefully we may progress with just me.

Then I shall take him out daily part leading in hand and part riding until next May when he is 5 and I shall start getting him fit.

 

[J1993]

Interesting to know what everyone is doing with their babies. I have some pics im happy to pm if anyone is interested. I dont generally post identifying posts due to kids trying to find me online haha.
If anyone wants to share pics of their beloveds that would be great. I like comparing my 3yo to other 3/4 year olds 😂

I sat on Raf pretty early last year as a 3yo and he worked once or twice a week, mainly slow walk hacking all summer, did lots of in hand shows and a small amount of schooling and loose jumping in order to be ready for his stallion grading in Sept.

I follow you on your dressage page you have some lovely horses and matchy stuff !! 😂

 

[texas]

My 4yo is off to be backed soon. Will either be turned away after or given regular light work. The brain needs occupying but I've been waiting for the body to be ready.

 

[ihatework]

Mine was backed early in the year, I begrudgingly did an inhand show when he came home and was reasonably compliant. He was then turned back out into the field and is now doing his wild mustang impression again 😏

 

[Nudibranch]

My just 4yo has been long reined, and sat on twice. Plus trips out in the trailer for long reining in different places, and a couple of in hand shows. But she's thrown a splint, despite doing very little so she's resting atm. It won't do her any harm as she's physically very slow to mature. And she's not doing too bad considering she was still living on the Cumbrian fell less than a year ago.

We might do our breed show in August if the splint continues to go down, and a beach trip. I'll properly back her in either autumn and tick her over very lightly through winter, or spring. She does have an awful lot of filling to do (Dales) yet though and as an adult rider I don't want to push her too hard too soon.

Long term I'm aiming for pleasure/distance rides, a bit of xc and some showing.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

My sisters 4 Yr old, he was 4 in May, has been doing inhand walks round the woods since she got him at 18mths and been out to inhand shows etc.

Last year he started some TRT basics. This march he started the backing ground work. As she works long hours during the week she was going to send him away but the lady who was going to back him hurt some ligaments so couldn't do it.

My sister and our friend who had helped with the TRT work just kept doing it at the weekends. Leaning over etc which he wasn't bothered about and then they just got on.

He has been backed four months now and is just hacking out with the odd schooling season in the big fields (he does 40 meter circles not 20 😂) but this is only at weekends. This hasn't hindered him at all, in fact he has thrived only doing this at the weekend.

 

[Hunb88]

Hi all, so i am new to the forum. This is interesting for me as I have recently purchased a 3 year old filly (as long as the vetting goes well tomorrow). I am really excited, sadly my older mare has had to be retired in May after battling all sorts of health issues for the last 6 years.

I’m planning on doing groundwork with her this year, some in hand shows and horse agility but she won’t be backed until next year. The only thing about my older mare having so many health issues, is that she has taught me a lot! I’m in no rush to back her as I want to establish that bond first 😊