What are your goals for your young horses this winter?

Dusty85

Dusty85

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I was interested to hear what your goals are for your 4/5yos this winter?

I have just moved Henry (4yo) home, he's been a little stressy at times, but given its been a week, nothing too bad. I did have a fall from him earlier in the week, although in hindsight (a wonderful thing!) it was probably me asking a little too much so soon, although he was a little naughty for launching me over his head!

So, my goals. By the start of December I would like;

1) To have him hacking out confidently, have led some hacks rather than following, and possibly have done little ones on his own.

2) For him to strengthen and muscle up. He's big at 17hh but quite weak.

3) For his balance and straightness to have improved in his school work

4) To be using small grids and have him confident over poles and using himself well.

5) To be popping small fences under saddle, although this will very much depend on the above points.

6) To have taken him to a few other places to school hire etc so just he's been out and about.

He's having two months off at the start of December due to my work commitments, but I think it will also be a good break for him.


So, what are your goals?
 
Good luck with your goals Dusty85.

MY lad is slightly older at 6 but is an ex racer so hadn't done any ' normal stuff!!

My goals are

To get him out to a few clinics
To keep him hacking out confidently on his own and with others
Keep introducing new things into our schooling ( have taught him leg yield, turn on forehand and lots of basic schooling moves!)
To expand on our pole work
To get a bit more weight on him

And most of all just to enjoy him!
 
Mine is just 5 had him 5 months, goal to hunt this season once they start meeting at 7 not 6 hehe. To do a few more fun rides, have some more lessons Inc xc lesson (small jumps, cheap local place) and generally enjoy him.
 
Mind is 4 and been backed about 2 months and has just been hacking out. I want to hack out as much as I can for the rest of the year (probably 2-3 times per week) and gradually start some simple stuff in the school 1-2 times per week. I would like to get him out to a few different places to be ridden and if things are going really well do a easy DR test on him at the end of this year/early next year.
 
Mine has just turned 5. I've booked us in to do the Badminton fun ride at the end of Sept and we've got an Oliver Townend clinic in December.

Beyond that it'll be a winter of mostly hacking and schooling; I'm thinking about doing BD Team Quest next year with people from my yard so we'll be going to unaff dressage twice a month and maybe jumping through small grids once a fortnight with a view to doing some unaff SJ in November.

Horse will probably have October off as I'll be really busy elsewhere, and she'll get another month off around Feb unless she suddenly has another growth spurt.
 
I have two 5 year olds, plan is to get their fitness up and then take them autumn hunting, take them to some all weather venues for a bit of jumping and dressage if I can gather the enthusiasm :D I don't hack much in the winter, I get too cold. Can't wait :) although I do prefer hunting my older horse, after a 5 year old last season jumped a ditch that big I hit my head on the tree above :P
 
Exciting plans for all of us!

I'd love to take him hunting but Ill wait for next year, he's not physically or mentally ready (by a looong way!)

He's currently hacking but only in company so will walk him out in hand or long rein in the evenings after work, I'm sure it will do us both good!
 
My 5 yr old 17.3 RID will be autumn hunting shortly - he's just walking at the moment, getting fit after his summer break.

He'll do some xc schooling and a few fun rides for fitness and a bit of jumping practice this autumn. He'll have some half days hunting and see how we go. He can keep ticking over with short days, weather and ground conditions dependent, until the spring and he gets turned away with the rest of the hunters.

He won't be going in a school or doing any show jumping til at least next year - he finds surfaces and tight turns too hard and I'm not putting any pressure on his soft tissue/joints. Big horses don't need to be turning circles too young. I never lunge him.
 
Didn't see this post, just posted something similar. I guess with mine I need to get him out to some clinics so he can get used to other horses, he works with one other at home but does get a bit tense when he doesn't know them. Then crack on with competing aim this year is probably prelim winter regional's and to start him jumping. Reading this is making me feel better as was feeling like I was being a bit lack luster with him.
 
Also nice to read how other 5yos are doing. Similar plans here for mine, get him fitter, take him on a sp ride, baby pairs hunter trial in Sept, a few outings out hunting to see how he goes. In terms of schooling, continue working on his balance, straightness and building up his strength to carry himself properly. Mixed in with lots of hacking.

Qu - would you turn away your 5yos for a spell over winter or some time next year?
 
I'm not planning on turning mine away, I might back off the work a little Jan-Mar but he had a break from Christmas to June this year, initially due to bad weather as we were prioritising keeping the older hunters going. He then went through a growth spurt while we were moving house, so he just got chucked away with the rest.

He's not "behind" in his education as such, because I'm happy that he's now got his adult height, but he now needs slow, consistent work to build up the muscular framework to be in full work next year and do a full season 2016-17 as a 6 year old. He has no chest muscle to speak of and needs the muscles round his shoulders/stifles etc to get strong to support his frame.
 
Mine is 5. We have our first ode tomorrow and will try and squeeze a couple more in before end of season.
Our goal at the moment is to get him moving off the leg properly, he is to lazy at the moment. Also want to teach him how to properly go forward, his canter is more rocking horse than ground covering. I suspect once we crack them the straighness will improve.
 
Now hes a much more grown up pony and I'm at a lovely yard with amazing hacking, I want to actually ride more! Sad really! But I've had him since he was 2yr old and my health has stopped me doing much with him. I'm getting there health wise now, so my plans are to RIDE! I'm really hoping next year will be the year we get out and about. Hes just come back from professional schooling and is a different horse, one who is far to big for his boots :lol: but very different to the plod I sent there! So I'm hoping I can spend the next 6 months getting to grips with him and building the sort of relationship we have on the ground, under saddle. Then the world will be our oyster :)
 
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