What are your 3.5 year olds upto... advice?

Girlracer

Girlracer

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 September 2008
Messages
2,712
Location
Worcestershire
Visit site
Just thought I'd see what you guys were all upto with your youngsters?

I have a Welsh D, who is 4 in April. I've been reluctant to do much with him, and sent him away to a friends yard up the road to live out with some other youngsters, and that's where he's been for about 3 months now. And prior to that he was keeping my mums old horse company.

I went up a few weeks ago, and actually had a sit on him and a walk round, good as gold as expected. But I just get the feeling he's wanting a bit more 'attention' not necessarily ridden work but some human contact. He's desperate at the gate as soon as he see's me (I visit him twice a week, he is checked for me the other days), he absolutely loves people but I thought the time out would do him good?

So as things have gone a pear shaped at the 'youngster yard' I was wondering if I should bring him into the 'big boys yard'? Rather than find him more grass livery? Bearing in mind the price will be 4 x as much as grass livery, but he will be coming in, learning all that routine, having his feet done daily etc etc (as he can be plonker for the farrier!) so it may actually do him good to have a good few months in the 'routine' before he starts any work? I have had him a little over a year now, and he's not done much in that time, did one show this May but otherwise not very much, and before that he's lived in the field he was born in in Wales....

I'm just a bit un sure what's best for him.... Here he is a few weeks ago though, having a little walk round. :) (please excuse the general 'roughed off' look!)

10801901_624119597713646_7543419319264695720_n.jpg

10665368_624119784380294_9177189078047496475_n.jpg

10635987_624119821046957_7651558656884102319_n.jpg

1939618_624119854380287_6603362145542626096_n.jpg

10408731_624119714380301_3437510829298707656_n.jpg
 
Mine lives with 2 adults an a 4 yr old in a mare herd. They all come in to a stable every night, so she is handled daily. She was 'broken to drive' by a previous owner as a rising 2. She will not be sat on until almost 4 yrs at the earliest.
 
Hi, can't really offer any youngster advice other than to say that if you can afford it, it sounds like a nice plan to have him back with you and working on the daily experiences. Can't see it would hurt it at all. Also wanted to say what an absolute cracker he is!
 
Pearlsasinger said:
Mine lives with 2 adults an a 4 yr old in a mare herd. They all come in to a stable every night, so she is handled daily. She was 'broken to drive' by a previous owner as a rising 2. She will not be sat on until almost 4 yrs at the earliest.
Click to expand...

That's what we are lacking, is the day to day handling, which is why I wonder if I'd be better off bringing him to the yard so that he can come in everyday. He would still be out in the group, and with my other horse who he already knows. It's not that I want to start him riding, my aim is only to lightly hack him over the summer and maybe to a hound exercise or two. I just think he may benefit from the handling again?
 
kinnygirl1 said:
Hi, can't really offer any youngster advice other than to say that if you can afford it, it sounds like a nice plan to have him back with you and working on the daily experiences. Can't see it would hurt it at all. Also wanted to say what an absolute cracker he is!
Click to expand...

Thank you, he really is gorgeous, even in his winter woolies :)
 
Girlracer said:
That's what we are lacking, is the day to day handling, which is why I wonder if I'd be better off bringing him to the yard so that he can come in everyday. He would still be out in the group, and with my other horse who he already knows. It's not that I want to start him riding, my aim is only to lightly hack him over the summer and maybe to a hound exercise or two. I just think he may benefit from the handling again?
Click to expand...

I've left my 4.5 yo to go feral this winter and have had to bring her back into light work with daily handling as she was getting dangerous - a pain to catch, wouldn't tie, bargy, etc. We're also not far off an ulcer diagnosis (finally) but that's another thread.

It sounds like he's trying to tell you that he'd like to have daily handling and if thing aren't so good at the youngster yard it might be better to bring him up to your normal yard. It'll be twice the work and 4x the cost so if you can't manage it then I don't think it'd be an awful thing to leave him living out.

Re: bad for the farrier, have you tried bribery? Not ideal and I'll probably get shot down for this, but the best way I've found to do my girls feet is to give her a Horselyx thingy while they're done. We're now up to not needing it for the fronts and only needing it for the back shoes to be nailed on - much less stress than the battles that we were having previously.
 
MyDogIsAnIdiot said:
I've left my 4.5 yo to go feral this winter and have had to bring her back into light work with daily handling as she was getting dangerous - a pain to catch, wouldn't tie, bargy, etc. We're also not far off an ulcer diagnosis (finally) but that's another thread.

It sounds like he's trying to tell you that he'd like to have daily handling and if thing aren't so good at the youngster yard it might be better to bring him up to your normal yard. It'll be twice the work and 4x the cost so if you can't manage it then I don't think it'd be an awful thing to leave him living out.

Re: bad for the farrier, have you tried bribery? Not ideal and I'll probably get shot down for this, but the best way I've found to do my girls feet is to give her a Horselyx thingy while they're done. We're now up to not needing it for the fronts and only needing it for the back shoes to be nailed on - much less stress than the battles that we were having previously.
Click to expand...

He's definitely looking like he's wanting to 'do' something, even if that's just coming in daily I think. I have just message my yard to confirm I'm going to bring him up, but I am having an operation on my ankle in 6 days so really it needs to be after that. So am hoping he can stay at the youngster yard for another few weeks at least just til i'm back on my feet. :)

As for the farrier, yes I bribe him, and it does work. It's not so much the farrier, it's just having to stand still for more than 30 seconds I think! And I think the irregularity of it hasn't helped.
 
My 3 and a half year old is doing nothing apart from daily handling. He is 17 hands and has had basic groundwork and had a bit in and roller on. I am in hospital next week and then can't ride for 3 months so it makes sense to leave the backing until next spring.
 
I'd leave him out till the new year personally especially given your operation

He is a genuine chap and will be raring to go when the time is right
 
Mine is just starting to go for inhand walks again (they stopped when it got really, really wet here). She will be doing that until the new year, then start lunging and long reining, will be lightly backed then turned away until spring.

She is living out with my other mare. Although they come in for a couple of hours a day 3 days a week, to give the field a break really.

I personally wouldn't bring him back to your yard at the moment, he has the rest of his life to be a grown up horse, but not that much longer to enjoy being a baby! With regards to him waiting at the gate, I think you are anthropomorphising a little - he is probably waiting because he has seen you and you usually mean food/fun, not because he is necessarily 'bored' and 'wanting to do something'. Of course, you know him best but sometimes we think horses understand the concept of work, where they don't really, especially not at this age when he's never even done it!
 
I am not sure about bringing him back in either.... If you do, I would prob pop him out again full time for a month or so before you start working again. If you are around in day light and have nice quiet lanes you could long line him about the place to keep him interested? I just think at that age they should be either in and working, or out and chilling not a sort of inbetween world- though it is important that the manners get sorted...
 
My 3.5yo has been with me 4 weeks today! She is in at night and handled daily. I am backing her at the mo and she will now happily go for short hacks. I will continue to do this with her through the winter (4 days a weekish) while she builds up muscle. Then next year start schooling/jumping and competing. She is a wimpy WB though and stands at the gate waiting to come in and god forbid if she is out in the rain! She escaped when it started raining the other day and went back in her stable.
I wouldn't worry about him until after your surgery as you don't know how long it will take you to get fully back up and running. It won't do him any harm to stay out, but if you have the time and finances then you could bring him in. Does your yard have TO in all weathers? Might be worth considering what you would do if it snowed and he had to be in for a couple of weeks.
Either would be fine for him, so think about yourself.
 
WelshD said:
I'd leave him out till the new year personally especially given your operation

He is a genuine chap and will be raring to go when the time is right
Click to expand...

Yes that would be the ideal, my concern is if I am told he has to move within the next week or two do I bother un settling him by sending him to yet another yard or do I just bite the bullet and bring him here where he will stay for the foreseeable? If that makes sense?

Yes we do have all weather turn out, and it is a lovely quiet yard, he would be turned out with 4 other geldings. :)
 
I have just backed mine, been on board for a week now. She will plod around the lanes for a few more weeks and then have a holiday - albeit still coming in at night - until the spring :)
 
Bring him home.

You could get him into a simple routine installing basic manners but at the same time letting him have his turned away period. You are then happy knowing that he will be up and ready to start proper work in the new year.

This is how Iv'e favored doing it.
 
I broke mine in September and worked with him until we established the basics and popped a couple of x poles, he's now been turned away for the winter with a herd of other youngsters and will be brought back in the spring time and get ready to do some age classes hopefully!

There's no rush with a horse that age if he has done some work I wouldn't over do anything and maybe look into bringing him in in the new year time to get him settled into his new routine and then start were you left off?
 
I would not be riding or even sitting on him right now. His back looks very dipped and hollow, partly, I think, due to him being a little bit bum high. I think he's stunning and just my type of horse. I love Welsh Ds especially with flaxen manes and tails and four white socks.

My three year old is going out at night and comes in to the stable for a few hours during the day. She's done a lot less than your boy and looks far too immature and small yet for me to back. She goes into the school with just a micklem bridle and gets 2 minutes lunging on each rein, just in walk and a small amount of trot. Just to get her used to the voice commands and prepared for long reining. I don't like to do too much lunging, especially at this age. Then she gets let off to have a hoolie around the arena, which she absolutely loves. It's all about bonding rather than working at present. Depending on how mature she is in the summer, I may sit on her then, after I have done plenty of long reining and got a saddle fitted to her.

taylahDec2014_zps3612b536.jpg


Not a great photograph, but the most recent I have and you can see she still looks quite immature.
 
Thanks all :) nice to have some input.

Wagtail, this isn't really a case of should I start working him or not, it's more whether I should bring him onto a 'proper' yard or find him new grass livery? As I don't plan to do anything ridden wise until April time, if it suits him. :)

He has done long reining and I've led him out on the roads, he did a few weeks of it all in about May time, around the same time as I took him to his first in hand show :)

He's very genuine and easy, and as I say I have no intention of doing anything else with him ridden wise 'til the Spring. :)
 
MyDogIsAnIdiot said:
He's like a Barbie horse! How on earth do you get those feathers so white? :D
Click to expand...

His nickname is Barbie horse, because my old YO's daughter used to call him it and it's kind of stuck lol.

As for his feathers, a lot of scrubbing! I can't wait for him to come in so he can look smart and tidy again, he is a complete scruff at the moment!
 
Girlracer said:
Thanks all :) nice to have some input.

Wagtail, this isn't really a case of should I start working him or not, it's more whether I should bring him onto a 'proper' yard or find him new grass livery? As I don't plan to do anything ridden wise until April time, if it suits him. :)

He has done long reining and I've led him out on the roads, he did a few weeks of it all in about May time, around the same time as I took him to his first in hand show :)

He's very genuine and easy, and as I say I have no intention of doing anything else with him ridden wise 'til the Spring. :)
Click to expand...

Sorry, I meant to answer that part and then had to go out and give a lesson so cut it short. Personally, I would bring him to your yard because he needs some stability now. He has been at the youngsters yard and to find him something else over the winter, only to take him away from any pals he's made will be a bit unsettling. He's had a lot of change in a small space of time. Therefore I would be aiming to settle him in at your yard.
 
Probably get shot down for this but my 3.5 yr old is in at night and in 'work' 2 days a week. He either does 10mins 'schooling' (purely transitions and focus absolutely nothing taxing and 10 mins max) or 30 min hack at mostly walk and if we have somewhere safe and straight we have a little trot. He is happy and no longer getting himself in trouble in the field. He was coming in with really bad bite marks where he was playing so roughly with his companion. We only do this if the weather is nice enough as I am in no hurry for him to be in work properly and he will have a proper holiday in the summer when he is out 24/7.

P1010058_zps0a445fef.jpg

P1010285_zps827ba73c.jpg
 
LadyRascasse said:
Probably get shot down for this but my 3.5 yr old is in at night and in 'work' 2 days a week. He either does 10mins 'schooling' (purely transitions and focus absolutely nothing taxing and 10 mins max) or 30 min hack at mostly walk and if we have somewhere safe and straight we have a little trot. He is happy and no longer getting himself in trouble in the field. He was coming in with really bad bite marks where he was playing so roughly with his companion. We only do this if the weather is nice enough as I am in no hurry for him to be in work properly and he will have a proper holiday in the summer when he is out 24/7.

P1010058_zps0a445fef.jpg


P1010285_zps827ba73c.jpg
Click to expand...

Aw he's so sweet. What is he? How big is he and how tall are you? Just trying to get an idea of how I will look on my little one, because you look tall, but not massively so and I'd be happy if I looked like that.
 
Mine is also doing a bit more, mostly as she's more difficult to handle if not handled regularly. She's doing something once a week, either hacking or trec practice. She's jumped once which was a couple of weeks ago.

I do mostly trec stuff with her now, which is quite slow and undemanding physically but works her brain wonderfully. She seems to love the challenge. Not to mention the bomb proofing it'll have, going under artificial low branches, over water trays and footbridges, to post boxes etc ...

She moves well off the leg, forwards and laterally, so I'm happy with the odd bit she manages to do now. It keeps her settled and happy too (otherwise she exercises her agility under saddle and is quite the little handful!)

17F77B17-A5BC-415D-814D-17C967BF430E_zpsuufgk4pc.jpg


Our trec practice ... How chilled out does she look :p
 
Last edited:
Thanks so much everyone. Both your babies are stunning! :)

Big relief as he ha a secure place at the baby yard until mid Jan, and then he will be coming home with me and Major. :)
 
That sounds great. My youngster is 4 in July and he has been backed and hacked by a lightweight rider over the autumn and now turned away again - he is a really big chunky boy and he LOVES to be 'doing'. He lives at a yard with my ridden horse and always wants to be included in any activity - Girlracer it looks as if your boy might be similar! We are now starting ride and lead and when that's not possible he gets a walk round the farm with a dually and long line just to give him a bit of exercise and interest. I ought to take him out and about more, but just havent found the time yet! Good that your youngster can stay put for another month but then yes I wouldnt worry about bringing him to the other yard.
 
Mine is currently doing very little due to me recovering from pneumonia! He was started and ridden away over the summer and then turned away. He will brought back into 'work' at the turn of the year with the aim to start s little schooling this summer. He is living out but comes in daily to be checked and fed. If I were you I'd bring your youngster home and start playing about with him on the ground :-)
 
Wagtail said:
Aw he's so sweet. What is he? How big is he and how tall are you? Just trying to get an idea of how I will look on my little one, because you look tall, but not massively so and I'd be happy if I looked like that.
Click to expand...

Thank you :) I do feel to big but nice to know I dont look it. I have never put a stick on his but I think he is approx. 14.2 and I am 5ft9/10.

Eta he is Welsh d x tb but seems to be taking mostly the Welsh d side at the min!
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top