What are your 4yo's up to?

[HayleyUK]

I brought my new 4YO home on Sunday and am loosely making some plans for her for winter. pictures soon!

She desperately needs her teeth doing, so have booked the dentist and in the meantime have been tentatively playing with her in the school.

She's very polite in the stable and on the ground, but very green when ridden. From what I can gather - I've only sat on he twice - she struggles a bit with being straight, esp in her canter but I suspect that'll improve when her teeth are done and she gets stronger!

Plans are to get her out and about a bit over winter - maybe do an intro or a prelim and a baby clear round or two and have some lessons on her with the aim of doing a bit more with her in the spring when she's built some muscle and got a bit stronger.

I know very little about her (she came from auction) except she's been shown in hand as a 2 and 3 YO and has done some jumping - apparently at BS club show (DC in 80 cm).

What are everyone else's baby plans for the winter?

 

[Polotash]

Mine's only three so turned away for the winter, but your plans sound very sensible, some intro and prelim dressage and tiny SJ is what I hope to be doing with mine next winter.

Good luck :0)

 

[Tempi]

Mine is 4yr old homebred. Hes does 3 days on 1 day off, mixture of schooling, pole work, lunging, longreining and hacking. I take him for a lesson once a month with my trainer and hes done a couple of prelims. Plan over the winter is to get him ready for the 5yr old classes (BD).

 

[hollyandivy123]

if you can i would try to do a lot of schooling when hacking rather than in the arena or school. this will help with the forward and straightness etc

 

[Javabb94]

I will be taking my 4yr old to a BS club show for 70 and 80 on sunday, plan for winter is get ready for BS and BE80's next year

 

[sam-b]

I have a rising 4 year old whom I'm currently breaking. Plan is hacking over the winter then introducing some schooling next year

 

[HayleyUK]

Lots of different things then! Hoping to show her a little fence once her teeth are done as don't want to upset her mouth too much!

I've not hacked her out yet - been too dark after work, but hoping to let her walk down the lane on a lead rein at the weekend.

She's quite babyish - I'll take some pictures at the weekend and pop them up. Anyone want to share pictures of their babies?

She's my 1st 'baby' so really excited about her!

 

[lucie1984]

Mine is doing 5 days a week, walking out some days in the school and a lesson every 2 weeks..

But he is a really late foal (september so he is only just 2 months backed) he is off at the moment due to a really nasty bruise.. he is sound again just waiting for his foot to harden up before I get back on!

My aim is to get out and about doing some little shows next Spring..

Good luck! Babies are the best mine is my first proper unbacked baby when I got him...

 

[measles]

We have two smart rising 4yo event prospects and the boys are just hacking lightly a couple of times a week.

Our 4yo Master Imp girl - with Sarah_Jane - has been given a varied exposure to flatwork lessons, SJ and XC schooling away from home and is working on straightness and self carriage in a non pressured way to enable her to muscle correctly and enjoy her work.

OP - have fun with your baby!

 

[wildcard]

i plan to try do some more preliums with mine and improve our canter big 16.3 girl with massive movements, trying to work lots on self carrage and straightness atm. Going to try and introcude some sj over the winter as havent really done any this year other than a 2.6 hunter trial where we went clear aiming to have a go at byeh 5 year old but not going to push ourselves if we make it great if not.. wasnt meant to be. lots of hacking, bit of schooling and odd jump lesson is our plan for winter roll on summer tho

 

[xspiralx]

My boy is doing 5 days a week approximately - schooling (low key, working on straightness and self carriage), jumping and hacking.

I'm trying to get him out as much as possible so he gets lots of exposure to different things, so will be doing lots of lessons and clinics, maybe some hunting, xc schooling and the odd low key SJ/Dressage comp, just to pop round. Keeping it all very low pressure and within his comfort zone, just want him to get used to going out and seeing different things - then next year when he is five hopefully we can step it up and start thinking about being more competitive

 

[Jojoeena]

Not much ! just about to actually get on him for the first time... plan is to just hack him at weekends then lunge, longrein, polework during the week so work 4-5 days a week. See where we are in the spring and hopefully get out to some shows in the summer for experience.
My first baby too and he has been an utter star (long may it continue lol) soooo rewarding

 

[Dizzco]

My 4yo happens to be an ex racer so probably a lot more mature than yours in many ways but I've still been working on her as I would have any other youngster. I'm very much one for hacking (even though Im not a hacking fan, I find it all so boring!) all of mine have started off just hacking with the odd pressure free outing such as a fun ride, baby xc schooling session, hire of a school with jumps etc. I 100% believe that hacking is the easiest way to instil the basics, particularly if you are dealing with something that may be exceptionally babyish, or stressy or is changing career etc. I guess it depends on your situation and how good your hacking is but my girl is happily pootling around in a lovely soft outline, does super transitions between walk and trot and can do a lovely leg yeild back and forth across the lane in walk. All with her barely noticing she is actually doing 'proper' work!
I've kind of not had much choice in this tactic as I seem to always be in a position where I don't have access to my own school when my babies are hitting 4yrs but I do believe its worked out for the best. Our school should be in by Xmas so she can start some more grown up work then and focus on her jumping (she was a flat racer!) to bring her out next year ready for some baby competitions.
Good luck with yours!

 

[Halfstep]

Mine is dressage bred, aiming at the 5 yr old classes next year. She's schooling 4 days a week, lunging one, hacking one. One day off. Schooling is starting to get more serious and she's learning the beginnings of lateral work, counter canter, rein back, starting turn on the haunches etc. I've recently starting sitting the trot a bit more and asking for more power and push. She was broken last year and turned away, brought back into full time work in May.

 

[Britestar]

Mine isnt broken yet, so nothing. He'll go away in the spring to be started when he'll be rising 5.

 

[maxine1985]

Mine is an ex racer, finished racing in June, so is possibly abit more mature than yours, but she is worked 5 times a week, hacked twice, schooled twice and a clinic or jump session once a week.

Have a couple more clinics booked then she'll have a holiday and will bring her back into work in the new year with the aim of BE 5yr old classes

She jumping 1metre courses confidently and completed a 90cm ODE at beginning of Oct but she still has alot of growing, strengthening and learning to do

Pic at xc clinic with Nick Turner last week

SJ at Weston Lawns previous week

Have been very lucky how easily she has taken to her new career, but also trying very hard not to forget shes only 4 and not rush her!

Wish you all the best with yours, they are so rewarding when young and learning

 

[Lark]

This guy was backed at the end of June and has been doing a bit of everything since.
Worked 4 days a week (lunge, flat, jump, hack) with one lesson a week at the moment and a show every second week. Nothing high pressure but just some exposure. (He is the little guy in my Avatar).

This was the first dressage test. Good bits and wobbly bits but very educational.
He will go out for a break next week for about a month.

 

[HayleyUK]

Ahhh, all your babies look so grown up compared to mine!

I've found some pictures from the IPS auction and the classes they ran in the morning. I'm not the rider and don't know her so no critique please.

Hopefully the links will work

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...9332610.142221.138244132857189&type=3&theater

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...6040805.142148.138244132857189&type=3&theater

Unfortunately, my yard is on a fairly busy road and I'd have to go down it quite a distance to get to any off road hacking which isn't ideal! Hoping to take her round the block at the weekend though and hope she's sensible about it.

 

[daffy44]

My 4yr old dressage horse was backed at the beginning of this year, and he had a break july/august. He did well in 4yr old classes earlier in the year, and he will be aimed at 5yr old classes next year, he is turned out daily and ridden four times a week, i am doing the occasional unaff prelim hc over the winter just to continue his education so he is comfortable and relaxed going out and about.

 

[Polos]

Mine has only been broken about 6 months so I haven't been doing too much with him as he is very immature. I bought him about a month ago and he looked like a hat rack so I have been concentrating on putting some condition on him first.

He is worked 5 days a week (the other two days I do groundwork with him to build up a bond and to teach him some manners). I am mainly doing walking and trotting and this week we have started cantering him properly but as he is very unbalanced we are just taking it slowly. In his 5 days of ridden work he normally only works 'properly' for 2 as this is when we do the new stuff with him- e.g. cantering and baby leg yield. The other 3 days are more relaxed and we normally only do walk and trot (just so that he is able to digest what he has learnt).

He is jumping small uprights but he has not moved onto spreads just yet. Polework is still an issue for him as he is still quite scared about poles on the ground but in our groundwork we are introducing them slowly so hopefully he won't be as scared of them soon.

Next month will be quite an exciting month for him as he is going to go on his first two outings- one will be a jumping clinic and the other will be his first party doing some inhand showing.

 

[CrazyMare]

Mine is doing a few days in the school, a bit in the field, a few hacks when she isn't on sick note.

She has had about 3 months off in dribs and drabs through the year on sick note.

Shes done 4 ridden competitions, and been for a few lessons/clear rounds, in between sick notes.....

 

[Solo1]

Self carriage and hind leg activity and making her realise she's got a back, she can blimming well stretch over it.

Intro tests and hopefully some Prelims, but she needs to get her act together re canter. Panics with it and her head ends up everywhere, but put a jump up and she's fine!

Light jumping, fillers, water trays etc.

She's been XC schooling twice and is loving it all.

Average week is; 1 hack, 2 or 3 sessions in the school which could be lunging, polework, flatwork or a few jumps. Party once a month but might increase.

Just keeping everything light and fun, it's so easy to overdo it and make them sour. She should be enjoying life, seeing everything and coming into her own to make a nice allround pony

 

[Hunter93]

This me and my 4yro Hunter
This winter we are mainly hacking as we live on a private field so can only really hack (and it's crap!) He lives out and in at weekends to eat lots! We are hoping to be on a yard by new year so we can learn to jump, we lived on a yard for a month when got Hunter (3months ago) and enjoyed it but due to 3 other ponies we've moved back to our field with them.

I came back into riding last year and was buying a nice bomb proof hacker and ended up with an ex racer 3 yro tb! my vet had her eyes on him as he wasn't putting on weight for me and was a bit bonkers so we did a swap for Hunter and he's been my big man ever since as much as I'm getting frustrated we are not jumping yet, we hoping to be next year!

I'm also trying to chunk him up! I like big fat horses

 

[Hunter93]

Mine is an ex racer, finished racing in June, so is possibly abit more mature than yours, but she is worked 5 times a week, hacked twice, schooled twice and a clinic or jump session once a week.

Have a couple more clinics booked then she'll have a holiday and will bring her back into work in the new year with the aim of BE 5yr old classes

She jumping 1metre courses confidently and completed a 90cm ODE at beginning of Oct but she still has alot of growing, strengthening and learning to do

Pic at xc clinic with Nick Turner last week

SJ at Weston Lawns previous week

Have been very lucky how easily she has taken to her new career, but also trying very hard not to forget shes only 4 and not rush her!

Wish you all the best with yours, they are so rewarding when young and learning

very jealous of yours jumping! Hunters scared of poles!

 

[FfionWinnie]

If her teeth are that bad are you not better waiting til the dentist has been?

I am working with my rising 5 yr old to improve her fussy mouth (due to being worked with bad teeth before I bought her...!) which will just be lots of hacking alone and in company and trying out a few bits to try and improve the fussiness.

Stunning horse Maxine.

 

[lrobson]

I to have only had mine since sunday! i have hacked him, taken him to a lesson and had a little play and have lunged him for a bout 10 mins until it pissed down! hes big, weak and got a massive action and feels long compared to my last short coupled, pony moving, 15'2!! will plan to do a bit of everything little and often, he did compete at brand hall 4yr old but not sure of his history in between other than my friend had him and did some cubbing he was also bought from festival of the horse sales at malvern. hes really chilled for a 4yr old will do some dressage and just have fun with him this winter! quick question does anyone event a horse that is really rounded at the knee? do judges mark down for this?
https://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.10151135786863218.451535.608883217&type=1
hes the skewbald red rug!

 

[HayleyUK]

I'm literally just sitting on her and walking/trotting around the school - not asking for anything etc. ive done this twice. she's been in all week for worming so felt she needed to be doing something. Dentist is coming on 14th so hoping to pick up a bit more then

Everyone's babies look lovely!!

 

[Jesstickle]

Mine is going for her first lesson away from home on Sunday. Hopefully going CR jumping next weekend but will just be trotting round.

She's due a break though soon and I'll probably turn away for December so she can fill out and grow on a bit as she's still rather weak and immature.

I ride four or at most five times a week. She was hacking whilst away but since being back (2 weeks) she hasn't but my plan is to try and get hacking again this week. Nothing wrong with her out hacking, ours just isn't great and I have no one to go out with, even on foot

My current debate is whether to clip her or not....

 

[shadowboy]

Mine has done 8 walk trot tests being placed in 6 of them. He's done a hack a week to keep him sweet and only recently started canter work with the aim of doing one prelim befor January. He is straight and much more off my leg and starting to take a contact more readily. Hoping to do a mini xc next year

 

[maxine1985]

If her teeth are that bad are you not better waiting til the dentist has been?

I am working with my rising 5 yr old to improve her fussy mouth (due to being worked with bad teeth before I bought her...!) which will just be lots of hacking alone and in company and trying out a few bits to try and improve the fussiness.

Stunning horse Maxine.

Thank you