What are your 4 year olds doing? Mine surprised me yesterday....

[Nightmare before Christmas]

My 4 year old is coming on well, he has established basic lateral work and flying changes. Gave him a jump yesterday and hes decided hes found some more scope!! Pretty excited for 2015 with him now!!

What are yours doing?

 

[Follysmum]

My 4 yr old is hacking out and has been to a few shows & clinics this autumn. No jumping yet, will start as a 5 yr old.

 

[JFTDWS]

He's standing in a field / stable. Because I don't have a jumping saddle at the moment and the prospect of only schooling him all winter was unappealing enough to motivate me to turn him away

 

[MyDogIsAnIdiot]

My 4yo is hacking and playing with some lateral work on hacks - we've got no school at all so am making the best of what I've got. Lots of working on a good halt, think I've finally cracked the idea of riding into a halt rather than flopping!

New trailer should be here end of Feb so can crack on with DR and jump lessons .

 

[Kezzabell2]

Mines slowly coming off box rest. Hasn't been ridden since sept hoping to get back on soon, once he's got less energy.

So 20 mins twice a day on walker and some long reining in trot is all we are doing

 

[Stormynight]

Mine is hacking out twice a week, and playing in the school twice a week. He's gone bum-high and has no idea where his feet are, so we're just working on walk, trot and poles for now. Lateral work and jumping are a longgg way off!

 

[Leo Walker]

Out on 30 acres with 15 others and having a whale of a time!

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

I now feel like mine has done alot! Hes jumped 5 shows (80cm or BN), done a bit at home (road work, schooling and jump once a week). Hes just had a holiday but now cant go out as he can jump a very huge hedge onto the road when horses hack past (hes just cut so i manage him carefully). He likes to be kept thinking else he gets hot

 

[Lipza767]

Mine is hacking 3 times a week and that's it. I wont jump him properly until he's 5 and wouldn't affiliate until 6. He's done a little bit of pole work in the school but I'm not looking to ask him too much yet. I may hunt him next season depending on how developed i think he feels. I plan to keep him for life so don't want to push him too soon as id hate him to break down due to me getting over keen when he's young.

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

its interesting to hear how everyone does it, compared to most 4 years im involved with mines very late! I know alot jumping NC now which is a bit fast for me. I might be aiming him at the 5 years classes next year so need to get him some ring ex in now

 

[tda]

my 4 yr old Dales has been hacking out all summer, both alone and in company. He's done some tiny jumps.
Just don't want to do too much as he is so accepting of everything.

He was ridden with 4 others following my fathers funeral cortege before xmas and he was the best behaved of the lot!

 

[JFTDWS]

You did post this in TR, NBC

Mine's only on holiday because my tack was nicked and I've not replaced my jumping saddle yet (bit niche!). He's been jumping a bit, not your sort of heights because he's only 14,1 (and a highland - and carrying my lardy backside!). He's also on limited turnout due to crimes against fencing. Mostly involving his rather unexpected jump over them

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

this is true I did post in TR! I havnt been on in ages, is it just me or has this forum turned into a bit of a ghost town! Doesnt seem to have as much traffic as it used to. Thats kinda why I posted in here really, thought I might get more conversation!

Sorry to hear you had your tack nicked, seems an awful lot of that happening at the moment!

 

[JFTDWS]

this is true I did post in TR! I havnt been on in ages, is it just me or has this forum turned into a bit of a ghost town! Doesnt seem to have as much traffic as it used to. Thats kinda why I posted in here really, thought I might get more conversation!

Sorry to hear you had your tack nicked, seems an awful lot of that happening at the moment!

It is absolutely dead around here. I've no idea what's happened!

Meh, you live you learn - never leaving tack on a yard again I was lucky the insurance were decent about it really. I do miss my jumping saddle though!

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

Ah good about the insurance! Ive insured all mine but I would be devastated if it was stolen!

Cant believe how quiet it is! Where are all the trolls, arguments etc!! Did someone nuke HHO?

 

[JFTDWS]

Ah good about the insurance! Ive insured all mine but I would be devastated if it was stolen!

Cant believe how quiet it is! Where are all the trolls, arguments etc!! Did someone nuke HHO?

Yea, I wasn't best amused - I was very attached to that saddle (less so the dressage saddles or the old ones, but I was also fond of his old VSD and I'd rather they hadn't taken J's as he's gone too now). Sad times!

Must have... Just the cockroaches left!

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

ah well I guess the best are left then

Very sad times. Hopefully you get a jump saddle sorted soon

 

[JFTDWS]

ah well I guess the best are left then

Very sad times. Hopefully you get a jump saddle sorted soon

Thanks! Not sure about your definition of "best" though

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

well we are here

Nothing more needs to be said haha

 

[JFTDWS]

well we are here

Nothing more needs to be said haha

Excellent point, well made...

 

[Sparkles]

Ridden 4-5 times a week. Schooling Monday (polework included every fortnight or so), Tuesdays off, Wednesday and Thursday escorting hacks out at work for hour or so, Friday either a free school or 20 min light hack round village to plod about, Saturday is used in a lesson in riding school and Sunday off again.

We've been cubbing once for half hour or so back in October and went to our first 'proper' hunt this Saturday as was in our village again, though not a very exciting meet as not the greatest ground but had a couple of canters stayed out for 2 hours and was good as gold.

 

[hobo]

Mine is hacking twice a week and once a week lesson which she has decided is not her thing and was a total arse at the last one! I am sure she would love OP to come down here and pop her over some jumps as she seems to like new things but I am to much of a wos to jump.

 

[flirtygerty]

My 4yr old cob is being a total twonk, has decided that he can't hack out alone, has developed serious confidence issues, this the cob that will happily take on the world, he is totally taking the mick with my 15 yr old grandson, planting, half rearing,spooking at sheep, generally being a twonk, I took him out in hand, walked him through a large flock of sheep, not bothered, asked him to trot, he refused, so I used the schooling whip to reinforce my request, he half reared, kicked out and got told off verbally big style, his face said it all, he stepped back, head up and thought OH Hell, this is MAM, all the way back, he stood when asked, walked on, backed up, he has nearly put my grandson off riding, so guess who is getting a beasting (army term) till he behaves, I don't hold with beating up on animals but he will remember his manners, this cob is a rough diamond, had a bad start, but knows he's safe with us and just taking advantage of the grandson, what he hasn't figured out yet is that both me and my OH are yet to be beaten by a horse

 

[mjcssjw2]

mine is technically 4 in jan and is doing absolutely nothing but maturing.

 

[Highlands]

Growing again! Been backed and starts again end of jan then off to school

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

Mines growing slowly. He has just come back after a holiday. Been reclipped and ready to go out Sunday to pop round a BN. Plenty of hacking Inbetween!

 

[Kallibear]

Mine is 4.5, 'rising 5'

He mostly hacked last summer, a little schooling, learnt to jump, went to two riding club days and did a small part of a common ride. He's now turned away and will be brought back into work early spring.

 

[NeverSayNever]

Mine is 5 in May, she has been hacking, been trailered to a few lessons at our RC and done a couple of Intro dressage tests. She’s jumped the odd little log following another horse out on hacks. She had her first clip and has been to the beach. Ridden wise I’m just working on her balance really, as long as she is forward thinking Im not too concerned about anything else. On hacks we play with lateral work and she is getting the idea of this and general straightness. She was turned away at Christmas for a few weeks.

 

[ellie_e]

Well mines 3, 4 in March, was backed 7weeks ago and is hacking, schooling (walk/trot) and lunging over poles. I've just booked some clinics and entered her first dressage comp on 1/2/15. She has been out to an in hand showing comp and won! Ideally aim will be to get to some 4yr old classes this year and just enjoy her, she's pretty weak still so not cantering yet for a few weeks until she's built some muscle up.

 

[Loulou2002]

On his hols until end February. Still comes in at night. He's been off since oct. Thought it made sense over winter. When I last had him in work he had just started cantering to little fences.