What are your 3yr olds doing?

[fornema]

What are your 3 year olds doing currently, would be nice to compare where mine is at?

Mine is currently standing at 16.3, came in March having never been even tied up etc and absolutely thriving on everything she's been doing so far, long reins, tack on, happy to stand for pretty much everything you want to do with her, only thing we haven't perfected is her lunging as she can be a little clingy after arriving the absolute opposite, i dislike lunging young horses so will push this maybe next year. Also got to broach washing the 3 years of dirt and grease out of her!

She will be backed in a couple of weeks when i get back from university, as she is getting very bored with just being a field pony, probably spending time doing a bit of light hacking and very very basic schooling a couple of times a week. Had many horses prior to these but have never had a youngster who is actively seeking to do things and so absorbent in picking things up when turned out 24/7, previous youngsters enjoyed being horses to much not sure which I prefer.

Before someone whinges I'm backing her too early I am a lightweight rider and at 5'4'' would rather not be backing a great beast at full strength in a couple of years time.

 

[Asha]

Mine is playing in the fields with her friends ! Im not against backing at 3, but although shes mature physically, shes not ready.

Shes had a bridle on, and a saddlecloth and surcingle, but thats about it. im hoping shes ready at the end of the year.

sounds like your having a great time with yours.

 

[Charlie77]

Mine was 3 in may. Hes small 15.1 in front and 15.3 on his bum, mum was only 15.2 dad 17.2 so will be interesting to see were he ends up,any one else's 3yo still very bum high?? He did a county show in hand last year and he will do the same this July. Id like to back him at the end of summer just to hack round the block and walk stop n trot before turning him away for the winter. Though wont do anything unless he levels off a bit!
I did the same with my last youngster now 8 mostly because he was huge now 17.1. & I to wanted to just sit on him before he was huge n strong. This one I want to just sit on because mentally I think hes ready to do something. Though no hurry whatt so ever.

 

[Jenna1406]

Mine has been long reined and ridden in walk 5 mins up the road and back and she is loving it. Not had a problem with her, as soon as she knows shes going out shes away.

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

mine was 3 in may.

he lunges once a week,long reins once a week, does 2 de spooking silly/fun sessions.

he has been leant over extensively and i actually sat on him once, but second time around he managed to fire me out the side door and im now sidelined.

i have surgery next week (i hasten to add this was normal baby bucks and i just landed badly) but the following week my replacement trainer will start to work towards sitting on him again and by the time im healed he will be w/t/c under saddle just in big circles.

hes a big strong chap, and quite cocky(hes a stallion) and in need of an *office job* now to settle his brain a bit so i know what you mean about some needing the work. once hes ridden away he will do 3 x 10mins in the school and lots of ploddy walk hacking

i cant wait to be back at it!

 

[Jenna1406]

mine was 3 in may.

he lunges once a week,long reins once a week, does 2 de spooking silly/fun sessions.

he has been leant over extensively and i actually sat on him once, but second time around he managed to fire me out the side door and im now sidelined.

i have surgery next week (i hasten to add this was normal baby bucks and i just landed badly) but the following week my replacement trainer will start to work towards sitting on him again and by the time im healed he will be w/t/c under saddle just in big circles.

hes a big strong chap, and quite cocky(hes a stallion) and in need of an *office job* now to settle his brain a bit so i know what you mean about some needing the work. once hes ridden away he will do 3 x 10mins in the school and lots of ploddy walk hacking

i cant wait to be back at it!

Hope you heal quickly

 

[fornema]

Mine was 3 in may. Hes small 15.1 in front and 15.3 on his bum, mum was only 15.2 dad 17.2 so will be interesting to see were he ends up,any one else's 3yo still very bum high?? He did a county show in hand last year and he will do the same this July. Id like to back him at the end of summer just to hack round the block and walk stop n trot before turning him away for the winter. Though wont do anything unless he levels off a bit!
I did the same with my last youngster now 8 mostly because he was huge now 17.1. & I to wanted to just sit on him before he was huge n strong. This one I want to just sit on because mentally I think hes ready to do something. Though no hurry whatt so ever.

Mine was significantly bum high in March and looked a bit mismatched but she has levelled out nicely now and has gone back to looking fantastic so I wouldn't worry too much. I hope to take her out but at the moment I'm worrying that she won't be fitting back in the trailer! So this may need to be addressed first! As previously my youngsters have done a few local shows before backing to get them used to the sights and sounds and not drop them in it once backed.

As a result of where we are situated mines pretty used to airplanes, cars, cows, small lorries which I definitely think has been helpful as she's got used to them already. Mine will have to pass over the A14 to do any hacking in the future so this is the next step for her to have a little trundle over that, surprisingly every horse/pony/youngster I've had will go over it, the youngsters tend to be the best ones for doing it sensibly.

mine was 3 in may.

he lunges once a week,long reins once a week, does 2 de spooking silly/fun sessions.

he has been leant over extensively and i actually sat on him once, but second time around he managed to fire me out the side door and im now sidelined.

i have surgery next week (i hasten to add this was normal baby bucks and i just landed badly) but the following week my replacement trainer will start to work towards sitting on him again and by the time im healed he will be w/t/c under saddle just in big circles.

hes a big strong chap, and quite cocky(hes a stallion) and in need of an *office job* now to settle his brain a bit so i know what you mean about some needing the work. once hes ridden away he will do 3 x 10mins in the school and lots of ploddy walk hacking

i cant wait to be back at it!

Mine similarly has recently turned three and has blossomed into a proper horse.

After popping home this weekend to see them before I'm back permanently next week, i forget how big and broad she really has got and how annoying she can be both to the other horses and to myself when she hasn't been doing things, she becomes like a fly, persistent, annoying and constantly around.

Looking forward to actually start her work and back her towards the end of July to get her back in the right frame of mind! Although when in work its very much a case of once she's done something once she isn't bothered about it again, not your typical chestnut mare bred for performance, but theres always the worry in my mind she will do exactly the same as yours even with a very sticky bum, hope you get better soon!!

Mine is used to the others being jumped around her/ been ridden round, as has been loose while others are schooled to get her use to it all for a warm up arena, probably not very BHS but having had horses who are vicious towards others/terrified of others in the same arena I'd rather do this than try and break the habit later.

Hopefully by the end of summer will be doing similar to you but will be adding in a few trotting poles/going through jump stands by the end but will be going no where near a jump either loose or under saddle, as she is bred to be dual purpose mare she will hopefully jump in years to come.

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

no i completely agree with that sort of approach, cant let mine loose with other horses really but do lots of in hand whilst others being ridden and ask them to cut us up etc and hes very very good with it

tbh every other one ive done has been fine, ive had a lot dip their bum the first time they walk on or hunch back up etc, and a few tiny hops but this came out of nowhere and he broncs really big and round.

new trainer thinks its a confidence thing, ie he internalises his stress until he cant hold on to it, which makes sense as he is a worrier by nature bless him, but is confident we can get him more chilled by time im mended so i can crack on. his heart and mind are in the right place hes just a scaredy cat sometimes lol, im sure your mare will be fine 99.99999999999999999999999% of them are IME

 

[Tr0uble]

Mine turned 3 in March....I did lots of long lining and leaning at the start of the year. She was backed in May, enough to walk and trot for a few strides in each direction off the lunge line...and now she will have a couple of months off to finish growing.

If she's ready we will crack on at the end of the summer, if not then we will wait.

I long line her out on a hack and do in hand manners work 3-4 times per week.

 

[fornema]

no i completely agree with that sort of approach, cant let mine loose with other horses really but do lots of in hand whilst others being ridden and ask them to cut us up etc and hes very very good with it

tbh every other one ive done has been fine, ive had a lot dip their bum the first time they walk on or hunch back up etc, and a few tiny hops but this came out of nowhere and he broncs really big and round.

new trainer thinks its a confidence thing, ie he internalises his stress until he cant hold on to it, which makes sense as he is a worrier by nature bless him, but is confident we can get him more chilled by time im mended so i can crack on. his heart and mind are in the right place hes just a scaredy cat sometimes lol, im sure your mare will be fine 99.99999999999999999999999% of them are IME

I would never turn her out in the arena if they were horses she wasn't turned out with but she tends to just watch whats going on, sniffs around, couldn't care less when the driving pony was being worked in the next field. I think I'm quite lucky in keeping my horses at home and having the freedom to do what I want downsides is that she's going to have to learn to solo hack pretty quickly!

Those that I have done previously have been fine and a hump is pretty much all I've got from any or a buck in the first canters, but this one is getting to be bigger than the usual WBs/ponies so got those horrid thoughts of her firing me off.. But I'm 99% sure she'll be fine, gotta wait and see!!

Mine turned 3 in March....I did lots of long lining and leaning at the start of the year. She was backed in May, enough to walk and trot for a few strides in each direction off the lunge line...and now she will have a couple of months off to finish growing.

If she's ready we will crack on at the end of the summer, if not then we will wait.

I long line her out on a hack and do in hand manners work 3-4 times per week.

I wish i could long line mine on roads very very lucky to be able to we unfortunately we have a city on one side, airport on side and the a14 on one side so a short trip down a cycle path and back is all she can have currently!

 

[Tr0uble]

We are very lucky that we have direct access to off-road hacking....well technically it is a road...but a single track farm road! Then we can get to all the bridle tracks without a worry.

She loves long lining.....really marches out!

 

[Simon Battram]

3 year olds should be out in a field doing nothing other than leading to go out and come in and feet picking up for farrier. As they near 4 years old they should start the backing process but slowly and over time.

A recent study showed that growth plates in horses are fully closed until they are 7 years old so at just turned 3 they are very weak in their bodies, still have 4 years of growing to do and in my opinion are not ready for any kind of school work.

I am totally against the idea of backing them early before they get big and strong. This implies the breaking of the horses character - done well it does not matter what age / stage of growing the horse is backed as it is a partnership.

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

i think thats a huge generalisation simon! they are all different.

I have done them early 3, late 3, early 4, late 4, dependant on the horse. This one is ready to have his mind occupied a little more and physically is well developed enough to do so.

he wont be hammered or pushed but equally is the sort that is best to take everything very very slowly, so backed now, and sat on a few mins a couple of times a week for many months, slowly building up minute by minute rather than doing it at 4 and working up to half an hour in a matter of weeks!

 

[stencilface]

They're in the field being grubby little ponies. They will tie up, have their feet done, have a roller on and lead out along our track. The pony will have a bridle on, and I can bit the mule, but he's not having a headpiece near his precious ears thankyou very much!

They are completely bamboozled by cars though so I need to figure that out, maybe I can livery them short term somewhere next to a busy road? Or do some nanny work with my out of work beastie. I'm hoping I might get a saddle on them this year and start long reining, but with everything with me its a time issue. Fingers crossed we get planning for an arena and find money to build it then I will be set!

 

[DW Team]

In the field with her full sister who is 4. Both have been left to grow and oops grow now over 16.2hh and seem to still be growing. The four year old will be started in the Autumn if I have not managed to sell her.

 

[fornema]

@Simon - I dont agree with you at all sorry and that is why i said what i did at the bottom of my post - that's your opinion, which you are of course entitled to.

If I left this one out in the field for the next year I'm sure she would start to damage herself and the others she is out with, aside from that i think wandering round the roads and a walk/trot/canter a couple of times a week with a lightweight rider will not do them any harm. I would agree with you if I were pushing her into an outline doing 30 mins of work a day etc but I dont think any of us who've posted are intending that. Although if I was pushing for age classes this would I guess be the guess, but I'm not.

Of course it doesn't matter what age you back but this again is a preference and mine having done nothing so much as being able to tie up until March was hard to handle as she had just stood around in a field and has absolutely thrived and it would be beneficial to get her working very lightly.

However it is so dependant on the horse, a horse i backed etc last summer was 5.5 before she was backed as she wasn't ready physically or mentally to do any work before then, she was probably the most challenging I have done. As I backed/rode away her for someone else she was quickly pushed into 45mins work/day by the end of summer and competing, I'd rather go the slow route if the horse is ready which I will be doing!

 

[Jenna1406]

@Simon - I dont agree with you at all sorry and that is why i said what i did at the bottom of my post - that's your opinion, which you are of course entitled to.

If I left this one out in the field for the next year I'm sure she would start to damage herself and the others she is out with, aside from that i think wandering round the roads and a walk/trot/canter a couple of times a week with a lightweight rider will not do them any harm. I would agree with you if I were pushing her into an outline doing 30 mins of work a day etc but I dont think any of us who've posted are intending that. Although if I was pushing for age classes this would I guess be the guess, but I'm not.

Of course it doesn't matter what age you back but this again is a preference and mine having done nothing so much as being able to tie up until March was hard to handle as she had just stood around in a field and has absolutely thrived and it would be beneficial to get her working very lightly.

However it is so dependant on the horse, a horse i backed etc last summer was 5.5 before she was backed as she wasn't ready physically or mentally to do any work before then, she was probably the most challenging I have done. As I backed/rode away her for someone else she was quickly pushed into 45mins work/day by the end of summer and competing, I'd rather go the slow route if the horse is ready which I will be doing!

I agree with this. I would rather do little and often than push the horse into doing more than they are ready for. I have never backed a horse before until now. My 3 year old will long rein and I just decided to get on her and we potter 5 mins up the road and back and thats all. She learns stopping, starting and turning without any pressure. I had done alot of ground work before hand as I have had her for 2 years and we have done alot of showing, walking in hand up the road, taken to the beach in hand so I think she was ready for the next step.

 

[elliefiz]

Growing!!! I have six 3 year olds this year. Three mares in Germany who have been started as they are for mare gradings in September. I personally would leave them another year but they will eventually be broodmares and need their State Premium status. I have a very trusted producer in Germany who will ensure they do as little as possible as long term soundness is the most important thing for me. It's a difficult thing to balance, they wouldn't be started if it was to do age classes next year or anything like that, I do think it's better to give them as much time to develop both mentally and physically, but they need their gradings to be useful in the future.

In Ireland the remaining three are out 12 hours a day and changing daily! My gelding was started in Germany as a stallion for the stallion gradings but he didn't grow enough in time for the gradings so was gelded, shipped to my yard in Ireland and has done nothing in months except some ground work. He has become very bum high in the last week or so, hoping he is having a growth spurt which will bode well for his younger siblings whom I also own. The two mares in Ireland are like chalk and cheese, one is very mature looking and has done lots of ground work and been out and about in hand to see things. The other is very leggy and immature and weedy looking- she was maybe not the best purchase but am hoping she will turn out alright! She will do some ground work but will need at least a year I reckon before I could even consider starting her. All three as with all our young stock are well handled and stand for farrier, to be washed, will load on a lorry, etc.

 

[Simon Battram]

@Simon - I dont agree with you at all sorry and that is why i said what i did at the bottom of my post - that's your opinion, which you are of course entitled to.

That's fine and I respect that you are also entitled to an opinion. We will agree to disagree. From the decades I have spent teaching, riding, working with I will stand by my comment that thinking about backing before they get too big / strong is starting form exactly the wrong stand point.

I cannot understand why on earth you think that a horse out in the field with other horses would start to damage herself......
Simon

 

[FailedEventer]

This time of year mine do nothing, I usually do some things with them towards the end of their 3 year old year ie a little long reining sat on and mooched down the road then turned away until spring/summer as a 4 year old. Then they are hacked for the first few months with an occasional session in the school. I'm not in to 4 year old classes so that takes the pressure of me having to produce them quickly.

 

[fornema]

That's fine and I respect that you are also entitled to an opinion. We will agree to disagree. From the decades I have spent teaching, riding, working with I will stand by my comment that thinking about backing before they get too big / strong is starting form exactly the wrong stand point.

I cannot understand why on earth you think that a horse out in the field with other horses would start to damage herself......
Simon

Unfortunately 2 of the 3 I have very much enjoy working/doing groundwork for youngster, even though kept in a group. 1 would happily never do another day of work in her life, the other 2 are very different and again i disagree on this point, for example the pony who's kept with her if she's not worked will be jumping out of her field, grumpy and start being destructive and is a completely different pony when worked full time and is the complete opposite to all those things!

 

[Mitchyden]

3 year olds should be out in a field doing nothing other than leading to go out and come in and feet picking up for farrier. As they near 4 years old they should start the backing process but slowly and over time.

A recent study showed that growth plates in horses are fully closed until they are 7 years old so at just turned 3 they are very weak in their bodies, still have 4 years of growing to do and in my opinion are not ready for any kind of school work.

I am totally against the idea of backing them early before they get big and strong. This implies the breaking of the horses character - done well it does not matter what age / stage of growing the horse is backed as it is a partnership.

Totally agree with this! My 3 y.o can lead, have her feet picked out, trot up in hand and load in a trailer. She has had a roller on purely to get her used to these things for later on and I do take her out for 20-30 minute walks as she loves being out and about. Other than that, she does nothing!

 

[TPO]

My three year old is mainly doing this

This

And this

Although he's three he's physically a year behind as he'd been malnourished (going by the big and numerous ridges on his hooves) for a while. I bought him direct from the stud.

This is when he arrived 12/06/14 vs 10/06/15

He leads, ties, backs up, moves over, goes over poles & tarps, through narrow spaces, loads and is good with vet & getting his hooves trimmed.

He's been in the indoor a couple of times. We are just "playing" but I think youngsters learn when playing/enjoying themselves.

I don't get the fascination with starting Quarter Horses at two. It's not a justification but in America there is big money to be won so I can see the motivation (greed?) behind it but there are no purses like that in the UK. I don't see the need to have them under saddle so young just to show them in their second year.

Chip will continue learning the basics, wearing a pad and roller but mainly just being a "catch up" youngster. When he's ready and physically able I'll introduce a saddle and finally a rider.

The very least I can commit to is giving him the time he needs.

 

[mariebx19]

Mine is walked in hand away from the yard and on roads,been long reined and lunged a handful of times each but only for a minute in each rein.Do alot of desensitising and showing him lots of new things that he could find spooky. For now though he is mainly just enjoying being a youngster,in the field.Planning on not riding until he is at least 5.Wont be sat on until he has had plenty of groundwork.