What are your 4yr olds up to?

[EmmaB]

Hey everyone, just wanted to see what peoples 4 yr olds are doing at the min! My welsh c turned 4 in May, I've been taking it slow, he's been ridden probably once/twice a month since November, mostly hacking. Here's a couple of pics from today schooling session, he's still wobbly but is so good!

This is what he does the rest of the time...annoys my old boy and plays with the 1 yr old!

Feel free to post pics, I like to see how others youngsters are getting on!

 

[Fools Motto]

Pony is in the process of being sold, but she lunges once a week, sometimes over a jump, and hacks out twice a week, for anything from 20 mins to an hour and 20 mins. On the odd occasion, she is schooled in the field too for 15 mins. She was backed/broken last summer, spend 3 days a week hacking for a few months then had the winter off. Re started her again in April and she is a little dude who will be much missed.
The 4 year old horse I've started, has been under saddle now for about 5 weeks. He is doing all paces well in the school, and is boxing up to hack out on quiet lanes. He is long lined around the fields to try and save him from being ridden in the arena all the time, and tomorrow is planned to be his second jumping session. He is a smart, lovely horse - we all adore him!

 

[JFTDWS]

Mine was 4 in January, and he's ridden a couple of times a week and is lead out on hacks a couple of times too. He also does a bit of in hand stuff. He's not pushed very hard at the moment, but one day soon we're going to take over the world *mwahaha*

And this was today...

 

[EmmaB]

Fools motto - They both sound fab! The horse sounds like he's coming on well, how long did it take him to master the canter? Mine still feels too wobbly under saddle to canter yet, and he struggled with it on the lunge to start with but has got loads better recently so I might give him a try on a hack soon.

Jftd - wow he is looking awesome! I can't wait to start jumping mine, I think it's time I started upping the work a bit!

 

[JFTDWS]

Jftd - wow he is looking awesome! I can't wait to start jumping mine, I think it's time I started upping the work a bit!

Thanks - he finds jumping really easy, it's his fun, go to thing. Flat cantering was very wobbly until he realised jumping = cantering and cantering facilitates jumping - now his canter is amazing He does have 5 months on your lad though, so no rush

 

[cptrayes]

My four year old cob that I backed on March has just started jumping tiny things on the local farm ride and is loving it, he's a complete natural. He's good in all paces but his canter transitions are still a bit iffy. He has competed in one intro dressage for experience and went really well.

My four year old paint who was backed for me in April has been in work with me seven weeks, but is not yet cantering. He's the most backward and unbalanced baby I have ever trained, and his trot is still too wobbly for me to even think of cantering. He had his first trip away from home today, to be ridden on a friend's arena to help him grow up a bit mentally.

Fools motto, I can't get my head around jumping a horse that was only sat on five weeks ago. For me, unless it's been jumped unridden plenty before, I don't see how it can have enough muscle tone to do it and not risk injury? Can you give us an idea of what you did with him before backing him?

 

[EmmaB]

Thanks - he finds jumping really easy, it's his fun, go to thing. Flat cantering was very wobbly until he realised jumping = cantering and cantering facilitates jumping - now his canter is amazing He does have 5 months on your lad though, so no rush

Yeah I just want to take it slow, but hopefully we can get canter on a hack soon...then try some baby jumps by the end of summer...excited!

 

[rowan666]

My 4yr old sec A is mostly being a little b*s*ard at the moment! Its one step forward and two steps back with him. But has managed to be backed and walking out and stands off the lead and hasnt killed anyone....yet! So far hes proving he'll never be the kids pony we bought him for and is far too small even for a small adult to ride!. They joys of ponies! I do love the cheeky little sod though

 

[Fools Motto]

Fools motto, I can't get my head around jumping a horse that was only sat on five weeks ago. For me, unless it's been jumped unridden plenty before, I don't see how it can have enough muscle tone to do it and not risk injury? Can you give us an idea of what you did with him before backing him?

He finds working so easy, and is such an easy chap too. His trot is the only pace that needs a little work, as he prefers to canter. He is naturally very well balanced in canter. The jumping is an excersise that we'll use to keep his brain working, and as I'll be jumping out of trot, over maybe something that's about 2'6'' high, it is to help him and his trot! He is a warmblood, that turned 4 last month, and stands an impressive 17.2. Sadly can't post photos as don't have permission yet. (A previous post of mine had a shot of him which did have permission).

Ps, he was well handled, but very raw when he came to us. We've done him from scratch.

 

[windand rain]

Mine is five now was backed last year and she does everything even did a county workers with only a mistake in the double and a pole down so really pleased with her
late last year

Early May last year the first time ever sat on

 

[MyDogIsAnIdiot]

Eating, mostly! Daft animal has grown out of another saddle (we're now on the 6th(?) since October) and it was a two week wait to get the saddle fitter out. She's also grown another inch in height and a few in length (needs new rugs). I'm thinking of giving up on leather saddles for now and just buying a Thorowgood or similar. Anyone got any thoughts on the new Thorowgood T8 Jump on a cob? It uses the same gullets as their cob saddles (S-gullets) but I'm not sure about the tree shape and the saddle fitter can only get them to order - none in stock to try on .

We're also in the process of looking for a new yard and have been offered 8 acres + stable for free to keep a friends retired horse company - only problem is no school so I'm not sure how well that's going to work over winter. But pony will be happy with 24/7 turnout in the summer and at least 8 hours a day in the winter so that's the most important thing . And I'm sorting out transport so we can start getting out and about to pony club/dressage evenings over the winter too.

Did do some free-jumping the other week (she was 4 in May) and got to the lofty heights of 1.25 before calling it a day! She's going to be awesome fun if we can ever get a good jumping canter under saddle .

JFTD - I love D's tail when he's jumping!

 

[spacefaer]

I'm starting 4 x 4 yr old mares at work. They are progressing at various speeds but 3 are roughly about the same level of lunging with tack, side reins on and they lunged with 2 reins today, preparatory to long reining.

The other is very quirky about her mouth so she's going to take longer from now on

The 4 yr old colt has been more handled so while he's officially been in work for 3 weeks longer, I sat on him today and he'll be ready to ride next week

 

[happyclappy]

mine is lazing around doing nothing as she has been lame for ten weeks now. i am gutted and hope she comes sound sooner rather than later. she can rest for twelve months if needs be though. just miss riding her.

 

[Illusion100]

My 4 yr old is just turning 2! Groundwork and lunging in walk and trot.

 

[Vickijay]

Aww lots of cute babies!

I have 2 at the moment, my homebred and a (meant to be) project pony. They have both done about 16 days of work since I first sat on them.

Belle, my homebred, is a bit sharp and hot! But shes good....mostly!

She jumped her first jumps the other day

And went to the park

My cow pony has been learning about schooling. She is much quieter than diva Belle!

Shes been playing at Windsor park too

She has had 2 little jump sessions

And she went to dressage, was totally amazing and came 3rd!

And today she went to the forest and splished about in the ford!

That's my babies. Im so proud of both of them

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Growing!

 

[Vickijay]

Fools motto, I can't get my head around jumping a horse that was only sat on five weeks ago. For me, unless it's been jumped unridden plenty before, I don't see how it can have enough muscle tone to do it and not risk injury? Can you give us an idea of what you did with him before backing him?

This wasnt for me but I thought I would answer too! IMO I think there is a big difference between popping a few little fences on a green horse and jumping a horse properly. I quite like mine to get a feel for leaving the ground, as long as they are physically strong enough to do so and mentally ready. A few months ago, Belle looked weedy and immature, I wouldnt of dreamt of riding her, let alone jumping her, but she has grown out of that now. They might only pop 5 little fences in a session total, normally out of trot, but I think its good for them and good for me to see what they think about it.

 

[cptrayes]

Interesting answers on the jumping folks, thanks. I have one person telling me that I shouldn't be jumping my four year old cob, but he is absolutely loving it!

 

[cptrayes]

Ideas please, while we are here

A long lanky unbalanced four year old, mentally immature as well. How and when would you ask him to canter for the first time???

 

[Vickijay]

Interesting answers on the jumping folks, thanks. I have one person telling me that I shouldn't be jumping my four year old cob, but he is absolutely loving it!

I think, as with everything, that its a balance. I don't believe that popping a few fences with a young horse, if he's ready enough and enjoying it, in an easy and straight forward way that builds confidence would do any young horse harm.

 

[Vickijay]

Ideas please, while we are here

A long lanky unbalanced four year old, mentally immature as well. How and when would you ask him to canter for the first time???

That's a tricky one to answer, I'd probably aim for a little bit of canter when the horse was hacking out. Its hard though with peoples individual circumstances, we have 300 acres of farmland, with mown edges, where I hack my babies for the first few times before braving the road/forest/park, so its a relatively safe and secure. If we didn't have this then potentially longer as it wouldn't be as safe/more open to risk

 

[Evie91]

Rowan666 I feel your pain. I have a four year old sec a - she is just too clever for her own good! She is fab - but a little madam with it, keeps me entertained!

Walking her out in hand, in tack, and just started lungeing.
Was planning on lungeing three times a week - is that too much?

 

[JFTDWS]

I think, as with everything, that its a balance. I don't believe that popping a few fences with a young horse, if he's ready enough and enjoying it, in an easy and straight forward way that builds confidence would do any young horse harm.

Indeed - it's all relative too. Mine is four, but as an early January foal, he's more mature than most. He popped tiny fences on a surface early on in his education because I think it's good for them to get the idea. He's doing more complicated stuff now, but still very small and easy for him - but he's the same age as most four year olds when they're termed "rising 5"!

 

[charlie76]

This is my four yr old, he turned four three weeks ago and this is his fifth time ridden, be is going to be big so taking it slowly
http://s177.photobucket.com/user/sh...588_1133827323_n_zps3032b157.mp4.html?filters[user]=41107340&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0

 

[cptrayes]

That's a tricky one to answer, I'd probably aim for a little bit of canter when the horse was hacking out. Its hard though with peoples individual circumstances, we have 300 acres of farmland, with mown edges, where I hack my babies for the first few times before braving the road/forest/park, so its a relatively safe and secure. If we didn't have this then potentially longer as it wouldn't be as safe/more open to risk

Can I come and visit ?? My hacking is either roads or hills or both!

 

[EstherYoung]

This is 4yo Felix going ride and lead across the moor for the first time. We take ours up to our friend on the moors to be started, as she has better facilities than us and has all that wonderful moor on her doorstep - an ideal place for baby endurance horses to learn their trade. She likes to get them out ride and lead as soon as possible, better for their legs than endless circles. And she takes us too, so that we can work with them and to keep us on the right track.

I don't know how much Felix will do this year, as he's still very immature. He'll probably do the 'riding away' part next year. But at the moment he's lapping it up. Mentally he was very ready to do something, we've just got to be careful as he's not there physically yet.

 

[hobo]

Esther it took me two looks to realise that you were NOT riding Felix, though you maybe be but you just do not have legs!! My 4 year old is just starting back on some lunge work and hopefully getting me on board. I will let you know how that goes, I feel a bit behind some of you lot but she is a bum high horse so slow is good until she is ready.

 

[cptrayes]

i feel a bit behind some of you

It depends on the horse, doesn't it? I've got two, both four, both backed for the first time this year, one jumping one not even cantering. One's ready, one's not.

Aren't those moors a great way to teach a baby to use itself?

 

[EmmaB]

Vickijay your two look amazing! Good job

Cptrayes I agree totally depends on the horse! My last project cantered easily, Flash finds it confusing haha.

Luckily my yard backs straight onto a forest so plenty of off road hacking and hills to use. I imagine it would be harder if you were restricted to a school! Though someone on here posted that (similar to jftd's horse) their horse also mastered the canter after introducing little jumps.

 

[dreambigpony]

My four year old and I are going back to groundwork at the moment. (We are waiting for our new saddle until we begin ridden work again).
I think it's important for them to learn manners, personal space and independence at a young age. I'm doing lots of groundwork-making her walk backwards, keeping out of my space and not leaning on me etc. Then once we get our new saddle we'll revisit our ridden work.
Before we discovered our saddle didn't fit correctly (saddle fitter sold it to us as "the best fitting saddle for her shape"...) I was hacking her out once a week and schooling twice a week with one day of groundwork.